Scott Reinardy has been named interim dean of the William Allen White School of Journalism and Mass Communications. Reinardy, associate dean for student success, has been a KU faculty member since 2008 and is the Malcolm Applegate Professor in news management and editing. For nearly two decades, he has researched ways to improve the profession and has implemented classroom strategies to address those improvements. 

On Aug. 18, Reinardy will assume responsibility from Ann M. Brill, who will step down as dean after 20 years of outstanding leadership and return to the faculty in fall 2025. Under her leadership, the School has been one of the nation’s most innovative and respected journalism and mass communications programs. 

Ann M. Brill

Students and instructors pose for a photo at closing ceremonies of the Jayhawk Media Workshop last Wednesday. | Photo courtesy of Haylee Hedge. 

JMC School hosts Jayhawk Media Workshop: High school journalism students attended the four-day Jayhawk Media Workshop, which featured instructors from local high schools and KU faculty-led sessions. Students learned the basics of photography, design, yearbook planning and multimedia storytelling.

GMIC instructors and students pose for a group photo. 

JMC School hosts fourth annual Native Storytelling Workshop: Directed by Assistant Professor Melissa Greene-Blye and Assistant Professor of the Practice Rebekka Schlichting, the workshop brings high school students to the KU campus to work alongside Indigenous media professionals and learn about podcasting, multimedia, digital journalism and documentary filmmaking.

Congratulations to Teri Finneman on her promotion to full professor by the University Committee on Promotion and Tenure, with final approval by Chancellor Douglas A. Girod. View the full promotion and tenure list here. 

Rylie Oswald (left) and Chad Cushing (right). Photos courtesy of Oswald and Cushing. 

Congratulations to Rylie Oswald for placing first in the Hearst National Writing Championship and to Chad Cushing for placing fourth in the Photojournalism category of the annual Hearst Journalism Awards Program. Both Oswald and Cushing are spring ’25 graduates.

Oswald was one of 29 finalists selected to travel to San Francisco from May 31 to June 5 for the National Writing Championship. These winners were chosen from 1,260 entries by journalism students across 14 different competitions.

Oswald completed spot assignments under deadline at the National Writing Championship. These assignments, judged by leading media professionals, tested the students' abilities in real-time across multiple media disciplines.

GMIC sweeps awards: Good Morning Indian Country earned first-, second-and third-place awards in the Indigenous Media Awards' Best Newscast Student Division. GMIC will be recognized along with other award winners at the Indigenous Media Conference, taking place Aug. 13-15 in Albuquerque, New Mexico.

The spring 2025 GMIC team from left to right: Maddy Andrzejewski, Ryn Drummond, Trina Tsinnie, Travis Tafolla, Allison Levering, Victor Organista, Shia Blackcloud, Jacob Curtis, Emma Saville, Mily Favella and Emma Coffey. 

Sara Maloney (left) and Teri Finneman (right) are pictured with awards earned by the Eudora Times. | Photo courtesy of Finneman. 

Sara Maloney and Teri Finneman attended the Kansas Press Association convention to accept 25 awards for The Eudora Times. Finneman and student Bella Waters also presented their research on Gen Z and rural newsrooms.

Undergrads - Would you like to learn how to discuss controversial news stories with friends and family? And would you like to earn $50? If so, please sign up for this research study being co-led by KU journalism professor Tamar Wilner. The study will take place on the Lawrence campus and will take about two hours. To participate, you must be at least 18 years old and an undergrad at KU. If you’re interested, please fill in the survey here, which should take about 10 minutes of your time.

If you already signed up but haven’t heard from us yet, and you’ll be in Lawrence between now and Aug. 15, please reach out to Dr. Wilner at tamar.wilner@ku.edu to let her know your summer schedule. 

Associate Professor Alyssa Appelman.

Associate Professor Alyssa Appelman awarded Keeler Intra-University Professorship for 2025-2025 academic year: Appelman is one of four KU faculty members to receive this distinction. The Keeler Professorships provide tenured faculty the opportunity to strengthen their knowledge of an academic specialty, broaden or achieve greater depth in a defined field of scholarship or gain competence in a new area of scholarly endeavor. As part of this award, Keeler recipients will present their research at a spring Red Hot Research event, a cross-disciplinary event series hosted by The Commons that highlights collaborative KU research partnerships. Appelman joined the KU faculty in 2023. Read the full news release. 

The "Better Practices: Exploring the Teaching of Writing in Online and Hybrid Spaces" edited volume, which includes Assistant Professor Chris Etheridge and co-author Heidi Skurat McCauley' "Reflective Learning in Data Storytelling" chapter was named the 2024–2025 Computers & Composition Johndan Johnson-Eilola Distinguished Book Award.

Professor of the Practice Lisa McLendon presented June 4 at KU Mini College for the sixth time in a row. Her topic was cliches – what they are and where they come from – plus eggcorns and snowclones.

Christopher Etheridge

Assistant Professor Judy Watts recently published a chapter, "Distinguishing testimonials from narratives: Advocating for testimonial messages in health communication," in Innovative Approaches to Narratives in Health Communication, published by Vernon Press and edited by Laura Carper. The book provides in-depth research studies, literature reviews, and step-by-step instructions for a variety of health communication contexts to help improve overall satisfaction and the empowerment of others.

Professor Stephen Wolgast, Knight Chair for Audience and Community Engagement in News, spoke about safety for journalists at the Kansas Press Association convention in Salina on June 6. His presentation was titled "Protecting Our Work and How We Do It."

Assistant Professor Judy Watts shared research conducted with recent doctoral graduate Jun Pei at the International Society for the Empirical Study of Literature conference, held in Austin, Texas, on June 5-6. Their research, "This Really Happened: Investigating Emotional Responses to Nonfictional Eudaimonic Narratives of Opioid Use Disorder," discussed comparisons between fictional and nonfictional stories of the opioid epidemic on audience responses. 

Assistant Professors Chris Etheridge and Steve Bien-Aimé recently published an essay analyzing where sport communication/sport media fits in the wider landscape of sport studies in Sport History Review. They conclude that "the future of sports media must consider the opportunities to disrupt academic silos and develop interdisciplinary offerings with business, sports management, education, economics, data science, or others."

Doctoral student Macy Burkett will give her dissertation defense Wednesday, July 9 from 3-5 p.m. Burkett's defense compares opposing groups of YouTube creators posting purity culture content and the persuasion strategies they employ on their audience. Livestream information is available here. 

Assistant Professor Judy Watts presented her research, "Moved to donate: A Test of exemplification theory on risk perceptions and issue interest in canine cancer," in the Information Systems division at the International Communication Association conference on June 15 in Denver, Colorado. 

The Kansas Association of Broadcasters is now accepting applications for its next President, following the upcoming departure of current President Allison Mazzei on July 11. The KAB Board of Directors has launched a state-wide search for a strategic, visionary leader to guide the organization into its next chapter.

KAB represents more than 245 radio and television stations across the state, advocating for the interests of broadcasters, advancing public policy priorities, and supporting the next generation of media professionals through education, training, and workforce development. The next President will play a key role in strengthening these efforts, expanding member services, and promoting the essential role of local media in Kansas communities.

Applications are due by July 20. A full position description and application details can be found here.

Internship and student jobs

Job opportunities

Grant Bowen is digital media coordinator with the Iowa Wolves, the NBA G League franchise of the Minnesota Timberwolves.

Chad Cushing is the seasonal photography assistant for the Jacksonville Jaguars photo team.

Claire Decatur is the weekend morning anchor at WIBW-TV in Topeka, Kansas.

Jill Hinrich is marketing project manager at Show-Me Organics.

Sarah Kjome is coordinator at Next PR in Chicago.

Allison Mazzei has been named CEO of the National Auction Association.

Baileigh Mertens is communications specialist for the Office of Civil Rights & Title IX at the University of Kansas.

Maddie Miller is an account executive at RCG Advertising and Media in Omaha, Nebraska.

Grace Sullivan is brand manager at Fortnight Collective in Boulder, Colorado.

J. Laurence "Larry" Day died June 3 at age 90. Day was a tenured professor in the School of Journalism and Mass Communications from 1966 to 1988 and director of KU's study abroad program in Costa Rica during the 1982-83 academic year. Day and his family recently established an endowed student award to financially support study abroad experiences for KU School of Journalism and Mass Communications students. You can watch Day talk about the value of studying abroad here, and read his obituary here. 

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

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