JMC School minor Alexandra Robertson is one of 15 University of Kansas sophomores to be named a 2026 Global Scholar. She is a pre-med student minoring in journalism. The Global Scholars Program, now in its 15th year, recognizes undergraduate students who have an interest in international studies and a strong academic record. Read the full news release.

Wichita Gridiron scholarships available: The scholarships range from $1,500 to $5,000. Read more about each scholarship and apply here. The SPJ Kansas Pro Chapter Scholarship honors all the Kansas journalists who serve our communities. Journalism matters, now more than ever, and through this scholarship, we aim to help those who aspire to continue the important work of telling the stories of everyday people and holding those in power accountable. 

Students: We want to hear from you and learn more about your experience in the SJMC. Complete this survey to help us build more programs and a supportive community for all our students. All responses are anonymous and will not be used beyond SJMC administration. Participation is voluntary. You can access the survey here.  If you have any questions or concerns about this survey, please contact:
Impact Advisor Himée Kamatuka, Impact Advisor hkamatuka@ku.edu
Assistant Professor Sarah Cavanah, sarahcavanah@ku.edu

KC Ad Club Foundation scholarships available: The $2,500 scholarship supports educational costs for sophomores and juniors interested in advertising. Scholarship recipients also receive industry mentorship with a Kansas City advertising professional and KC Ad Club membership with complimentary access to all events. The deadline to apply for the scholarship is Feb. 28. The scholarship application form can be found here.

From left to right: Professor of the Practice Michelle Keller, Associate Professor Alyssa Appelman, Impact Advisor Himée Kamatuka, Professor of the Practice Patricia Weems Gaston, Associate Professor Ann Brill, Washington Post correspondent and William Allen White Foundation trustee Annie Gowen and Assistant Professor Steve Bien-Amié pose for a photo. | Photo courtesy of Keller. 

JMC faculty members supported Impact Advisor Himée Kamatuka at her performance of "The Mountaintop," currently playing in Theater Lawrence. Information on the show and how to purchase tickets for its final week is available here. 

KU to transition from Zoom to Microsoft Teams: Effective June 1, 2026, KU will stop the auto-provision of licenses to Zoom, reduce the use, and complete the transition to Microsoft Teams Meetings for online meetings and classes. A member of KU IT will attend this Friday's faculty and staff meeting to answer questions. Please review this transition information before Friday's meeting. 

JMC School alum Rustin Dodd was a guest speaker in JMC 626 (Multimedia Sports Journalism) last week. Dodd shared his career story with current KU students. He also joined fellow alum Nate Bukaty to speak to JMC 615 (Social Media and Emerging Technologies). The class is collaborating with them on developing social media strategies for marketing their upcoming book, "Perfect Pitch: How Kansas City Became the Heart of American Soccer and Landed the World Cup." Dodd is currently a senior writer for The Athletic while Bukaty is a soccer commentator for MLS Season Pass on Apple TV. 

Rustin Dodd speaking to a JMC class last week. | Photo courtesy of Steve Rottinghaus. 

The Sports Media Club will meet Tuesday, Feb. 3, at 6 p.m. in the Clarkson Gallery in Stauffer-Flint Hall. JMC School alum Gus Baylow will join Tuesday’s meeting to discuss life after graduation.  

The KU Ad Club is meeting on Wednesday, Feb. 4, at 6 p.m. in the Clarkson Gallery in Stauffer-Flint Hall.

KU Alternative Breaks is seeking students 21 or older (undergraduate or graduate) for two spring break trips taking place March 15-21. Interested students can apply at ab.ku.edu or reach out to kualbreaks@gmail.com with questions.

Make plans to attend KC IABC BCS Feb. 26: KC IABC's Business Communicators Summit (BCS) is Thursday, Feb. 26, from 8 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. on the KU Edwards campus. This annual event brings together the best of the region’s corporate, nonprofit, branding and marketing talent to share their expertise with the larger communications community. Learn more about the keynote speakers, program sessions, pricing and registration on the event website.

Students: Our Digital & Intelligence Marketing Communications online master’s degree program has one free registration. If you’re interested in being in the drawing for it, please send an email to Dr. Michelle Keller (mkeller@ku.edu) by Friday, Feb. 6. The recipient will be contacted the week of Feb. 9, and must commit to attending the full day. 

Join JMC 201 for movie nights this semester: This semester's JMC 201 class, Journalism in the Movies, will be watching journalism-related movies all semester on Monday nights. Everyone is welcome to join for the movies, which start at 6:30 p.m. in Stauffer-Flint 100. On Monday, Feb. 2, is “The Post” from 2017.

Professor Teri Finneman and senior Bella Waters had their article, "Perceptions of rural newspapers among Generation Z: Understanding resistance to small-town employment," accepted for publication in News Research Journal. They also worked with Canadian researchers Tyler Nagel and Payton Delisle-Miller.

Professor Mugur Geana's co-authored study, "Virtualized Versus Hardware-Based Real-Time Response measurement for Research on Mediated Content," was published in Elsevier's Social Sciences and Humanities Open. The experimental study demonstrated that using mobile technologies for field RTR collection is a viable option, making this (usually) expensive and limited research method widely accessible at minimal cost. The study can be accessed here.

Doctoral Students research accepted for presentation at conferences: Doctoral student Hailong Peng, together with his co-authors from Xiamen University, China will present their research, “From Online to Offline: Exploring the Pathways from Incidental Exposure to Pro-Environmental Behavior and the Moderating Role of Mianzi among Chinese Youth,” at the 76th Annual Conference of the International Communication Association in Cape Town, South Africa in June.

The following doctoral students will present at the AEJMC Mid-winter Conference in Oklahoma:

Dole Institute of Politics hosting Pizza & Politics: Join Dole to discuss the future of work with Bekah Selby-Leach, the director of the Center for Economic Development, for a conversation, “Will AI Replace our Jobs?” Don't miss this opportunity to learn about how AI is changing the employment landscape, all while enjoying some free pizza. Come late, leave early, but don't miss out!

Lawrence Bicycle Club hiring social media development contractor: They are seeking a qualified individual to undertake a social media development project to help grow awareness, attendance and community involvement. It is a three to six-month contracted position with an estimated five to 10 hours per week of work beginning on March 1. The deadline to apply is Feb. 16. Submit a letter of interest and a resume to media@lawrencebicycleclub.org to be considered. Please include links to your social accounts or specific content and two references. It’s recommended that one reference be a JMC School faculty member. 

Internship and student jobs

Job opportunities

Scott Reinardy
Interim Dean

Mugur Geana
Interim Associate Dean
Research & Faculty Development

Lisa McLendon
Interim Associate Dean
Student Success

Calendar

William Allen White School of Journalism & Mass Communications
journalism.ku.edu

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