Undergraduate students: The application for 2026-27 JMC scholarships is open! Current JMC undergrads can apply by going to ku.academicworks.com. Click the red “Sign In” button at the top of the page, then log in with your KU online ID and password. 

You may be asked to complete a general questionnaire before moving to the School of Journalism and Mass Communications Undergraduate Scholarship Application. Please be sure to complete the correct application, as there are two versions in the system right now. Please do not complete the application for incoming students. The application deadline is January 25, 2026. 

JMC School hosting professional development sessions: The School of Journalism and Mass Communications will be offering a special initiative during the Spring 2026 semester for up to 20 freshmen and sophomores. Participants will be selected to attend coaching sessions and supervised professional activities related to their majors in the School. Students who complete the courses and activities will receive a cash award. View eligibility requirements and apply here by Dec. 19, 2025.

KU Study Abroad offers Summer Global Internships in 40+ locations around the world. Additionally, students participating in KU’s Global Internships in Asia Programs may be eligible for the Freeman Foundation Scholarship for East Asia Internships, which awards $4,000-$6,500 to U.S. citizens and permanent residents interning in the region. Additional supplemental funding opportunities are also available to Pell Grant recipients through several sources. You can also learn more about these programs by scheduling an in-person or virtual appointment with Jason Foster in KU Study Abroad. 

Industry professionals visited the JMC School last week to discuss the skills that employers see as most important for students looking for their first job after graduation at the We are DMC Lunch and Learn. The event featured Cozetta Smith, Director of PR, BarkleyOKPR; Stef Voth, Growth Strategy Manager, Sponsorships, GEHA; and Chris Gregory, Chief Marketing Officer, KU.

Cozetta Smith speaks to JMC students at last week's "We are DMC" lunch and learn event.| Photo by Evan Riggs

The Eudora Times hosted its annual holiday cookie contest at Zeb’s Coffeehouse, pictured, last week.

Students in Alex Treaster’s JMC 645 Media Arts & Production Capstone will present to their client, Myndset, on Tuesday, Dec. 9, from 12-1 p.m. in Dole 2051A. Myndset is a start-up company developing an AI-driven mental health app tailored to athletes and individuals seeking mental well-being and balance. The Myndset app will officially launch later this month. 

Photo courtesy of Teri Finneman.

Steve Rottinghaus, career and outreach coordinator, was selected as the Kansas Association of Colleges and Employers Career Services Member of the Year at the KACE annual conference on Dec. 4 in Lawrence. Rottinghaus will serve as KACE president in 2026. JMC students Gabe Carter, KU PRSSA president, and Quinn Mozena, KU Ad Club president, participated in a panel interview to share their experiences searching for internships and postgraduate jobs. 

Professor of the Practice Janet Rose was featured in the KU Fashion and Business Organization (FBO) Style Society fashion magazine. It’s KU FBO’s first-ever fashion magazine. Rose discussed why fashion should be personal to you and who you are.

Steve Rottinghaus

Ten JMC School students were named Potter Digital Ambassadors last week. These students will be placed within news organizations across the state:

The Agency launches podcast: AdSpace is a weekly podcast hosted by Elise Heidrick and Jackson Engle. Each episode, they break down the most buzzworthy campaigns, social trends and advertising news through a fresh, youthful lens. They provide insight into how Gen Z reacts to the creative strategies shaping the advertising industry today. Listen here. 

Submit your work for the Hearst Journalism Awards: Have you done good work in audio journalism, sports writing or journalism using immersive digital tools in the past 12 months as part of an internship, freelance gig or through a capstone class? Consider submitting it for consideration for the Hearst Journalism Awards. These contest categories have deadlines during the break or just after the start of the spring semester, so hearing from you now would be helpful.

Work by students that appeared in professional publications or websites is eligible if you get a letter from the editor attesting that the entry is the student’s work. To be considered, see Gerri Berendzen at the Bremner Editing Center, Stauffer-Flint Room 112, or email gberendzen@ku.edu. 

A study co-authored by Assistant Professor Yunwen Wang is a co-author of a study measuring the behavioral markers of alliance between support group participants. Using computational algorithms to detect verbal and nonverbal communication features that are language, audio and visual, the study also explored the viability of using machine learning to measure dyadic alliance and its potential role in mental health settings. Read the full release.

Professor Teri Finneman will be a featured speaker at the Wyoming Press Association convention in January.

Professor Stephen Wolgast, Knight Chair of Audience and Community Engagement in News, was selected by the Hall Center for the Humanities to participate in a seminar series on academic freedom and democracy. The series will cover issues around classroom speech, campus protests, a free press, and how they all support democracy. A cohort of teaching faculty, researchers and graduate students will meet monthly through spring 2026.

Assistant Professor Melissa Greene-Blye has been appointed to the Indigenous Journalists Association Board of Directors. Read the full press release.

Assistant Professor Elizabeth Cox presented on the use of Name, Image and Likeness (NIL) partnerships as a vehicle to strengthen relationships between teams and their fan bases to KU’s Endacott Society last month.

Professor Teri Finneman's News Desert U book with Pamela Walck of Duquesne University has been sent to production and is scheduled for release in 2026.

First-year doctoral student Hailong Peng, together with researchers from Xiamen University and Tsinghua University, has co-authored the study “Attribute and Network Agenda Setting on Chinese Environmental Issues: Examining the Interplay between News Media, Government, and the Public on Twitter,” which has been published in the International Journal of Public Opinion Research.

News Desert U book cover.

Internship and student jobs

Job opportunities

Have a voice in the training JSchoolTech offers in the Spring. Complete our survey and develop ways to BOOST your portfolio and skills. 

Plan ahead to get your work done with the JBar! These will be the only times JBar associates will be available to assist.

304 portfolio drop in times. These times are reserved for 304 only. If you are not in 304, you will be in line behind the 304 students. Please make sure you have a start on your portfolio and need specific technical help. You can also get help from our videos. 

Monday, Dec. 8, 1-4 p.m.
Wednesday, Dec. 10, 9 a.m.-12 p.m.
Thursday, Dec. 11, 1-4 p.m.

300 infographics drop-in times. These times are reserved for 300 only. If you are not in 300, you will be in line behind the 300 students. Come prepared with your laptop, InDesign, a sketch and a plan for your infographic. Our role is to help you with technical skills, not to critique your work or to help you with ideation. We have lots of videos to help you! 

Tuesday, Dec. 9, 1-4 p.m.
Wednesday, Dec. 10, 1-4 p.m.

Cami Koons named Journalist of the Year by Iowa Farmers Union: This award “celebrates individuals who have demonstrated exceptional commitment to family farm agriculture, rural communities, and policies that strengthen independent family farmers across the state and nation,” according to an Iowa Farmers Union news release. Koons has covered agriculture and environmental issues for Iowa Capital Dispatch since 2024. 

Lecturer Ted Cotti (JMC 104) has published a book, “Home Run: 30 Ballparks in 60 Days.” JMC student Delaney Grohs designed the cover, which is pictured.

Alumni Job Updates

Ryan Liston is associate attorney at Seter, Vander Wall and Mielke P.C.

Scott Reinardy
Interim Dean

Mugur Geana
Interim Associate Dean
Research & Faculty Development

Lisa McLendon
Interim Associate Dean
Student Success

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

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