THIS MONTH'S HIGHLIGHT

RESEARCH, PUBLICATIONS & PRESENTATIONS

Associate Professor Teri Finneman, Meg Heckman of Northeastern University and Knight Chair Steve Wolgast had their abstract, "Examining the Role of Journalism Educators in Solving the News Desert Crisis," accepted for presentation at Future of Journalism 2023 conference this fall at Cardiff University.

A study coauthored by Associate Professor Hong Vu and Professor Yvonnes Chen has been accepted for publication in Health Communication. The study titled “What influences audience susceptibility to fake health news: An experimental study using a dual model of information processing in credibility assessment,” found that of the three heuristics including third-party verification check, source credentials and writing style, verification check was the only one that audience members rely on in assessing falsehoods. 

Professor Yvonnes Chen attended the Honors Admitted Student Reception on March 5 and April 7. In both receptions, she answered questions from admitted students and families. On March 5, she also was a panelist alongside Professor Thom Allen (School of Architecture and Design) and Mauricio Gómez Montoya (Student Experience Designer), discussing mentoring and Enhanced Learning Experience opportunities.  

Stephen Wolgast, Knight Chair for Audience and Community Engagement in News, wrote a short article published in Editor & Publisher magazine on April 6 about his research into how K-12 education reporters in Kansas figure out who reads their articles.  

Doctoral student Nhung Nguyen’s paper "Strangers Helping Strangers in A Strange Land: Vietnamese Immigrant (expectant) Mothers in the U.S. use social media to Navigate Health Issue in Acculturation" has been accepted for publication in Digital Health.

INSIDE THE SCHOOL

Photojournalist Jeff Jacobsen visits J-School classes

Jeff Jacobsen, photojournalist and sports photographer, visited the JMC 610: Advanced Visual Media class Tuesday, April 4, and Thursday, April 6. In addition to giving students advice on covering the Kansas Relays this weekend, Jacobsen gave each student a signed copy of his book of KU sports photography.

STUDENT NEWS & OPPORTUNITIES

The University Daily Kansan Advisory Board has chosen Matthew Petillo as editor-in-chief for the 2023-24 academic year. The board chose Brendan Meeker as business manager. Petillo is a sophomore from Lawrence majoring in multimedia journalism and computer science. He has been the Kansan’s news editor for two semesters. Meeker is a junior from Dallas majoring in strategic communication. He is currently the Kansan’s sales manager.

Congratulations to the following J-School students who were finalists in the Society of Professional Journalists’ Region 7 Mark of Excellence awards:

General News Reporting: Sara Maloney, University Daily Kansan (Smith Hall demolition) and Abby Shepherd, University Daily Kansan (The state of abortion in Kansas)

In-Depth Reporting (Large): Nicole Klevanskaya, University Daily Kansan (Faculty with tenure decline)

Congratulations to the following students who won awards recently from the Kansas Association of Broadcasters:

• First place, 60 Second or Less Commercial/PSA: Anthony Reed
• First place, Best Sportscast: Blake Sevenbergen
• First place, On Air Personality-Visual: Marlon Martinez
• Second place, Best Episodic Entertainment Program: Fernanda Silva
• Second place, Best Feature: Marlon Martinez
• Second place, Best Social Media: Tobore Egbedeju, Mya Peterson, Mishael Jamela, Grace Johnson, George Manos, Karmina Douglas
• Second place, Best Sportscast: Lily Witkowski, Carolina Soro
• Second place, Documentary: JMC 636 Documentary-Advanced Media
• Second place, On Air Personality-Visual: Isabella Line
• Second place, Public Affairs/Talk Show Program: Johan Marin
• Second place, Station Promotion Announcement: Addi Crites
• Honorable Mention, Best Social Media: Sydney Clark
• Honorable Mention, Station Website: KJHK Audio

KU PRSSA will meet at 6 p.m. April 12 in Stauffer-Flint Hall, Room 303.

If you love the J-School, become a student ambassador! The Journalism Student Ambassador Program consists of a select group of students who are committed to the positive promotion of the William Allen White School of Journalism and Mass Communications. Ambassadors lead tours of the school in Stauffer-Flint Hall. In addition, they represent the school at events and programs sponsored by the school. If you would like to apply, fill out this form or learn more by contacting Leah Kohlman. Learn more about our current ambassadors here.

The Kansas Association of Broadcasters and KAB Foundation are helping to guarantee the future of broadcasting in Kansas with a scholarship fund to aid in the higher education of promising students who are pursuing a broadcast or a related curriculum. Deadline is May 1. Apply here.

Undergraduate students are invited to enter the annual Philip Whitcomb Essay Contest. Essays should address “the relationship of knowledge, thought and action in public affairs and public policy.” The author of the winning essay will receive $500 and their name added to a plaque of past winners in Nunemaker Center, the home of the University Honors Program. Deadline is April 14. Learn more here.

CAREER & OUTREACH CENTER

VMLY&R is providing a virtual educational experience for college students. During a series of 10 weekly seminars from June 15 to Aug. 16, participants will learn about the different disciplines within VMLY&R, what each does, and the part each plays in creating connected brands. Additionally, it offers valuable interaction with leaders from the organization. Apply here. Deadline is April 20.

The National Sports Media Association’s Sports Media Convergence Summit, featuring more than a dozen seminars and panels presented by some of the top professionals in the sports media industry, is set for June 25-26 at the Winston-Salem, North Carolina, Marriott. The early-bird fee is $129 (through May 1; $149 after that) and includes a boxed lunch each of the two days. Students may elect to attend the rest of the Awards Weekend & National Convention. Register here.

Direct Action and Research Training Center will hold an online info session at 7 p.m., Wednesday, April 12, to discuss careers in community organizing. All KU students and alumni are welcome, particularly those graduating before August 2023. DART trains professional organizers and community organizations how to work for social, economic and racial justice. RSVP here.

JOBS & INTERNSHIPS

Job opportunities

▮ Membership manager, MinnPost (Minneapolis, Minnesota)

▮ Media consultant, Cox Media Group (Hollywood, Florida)

▮ Marketing and strategy director, Access Marketing Company (remote)

▮ Assistant director of strategic communications, University of Kansas (Lawrence, Kansas)

▮ Senior communications specialist, University of Southern California (Los Angeles, California)

▮ Associate community organizer, Direct Action and Research Training Center (various locations)

▮ Weekday news reporter, 1011NOW (Lincoln, Nebraska)

Internships

▮ Marketing communications intern, TranSystems Corporation (Kansas City)

Find more job and internship postings on the J-School website.

ALUMNI UPDATE

Sam Herrold is a commercial real estate associate for Whitebox Real Estate.



Sean Murray is senior platform solutions manager at VideoAmp.

EVENTS

The Dole Institute of Politics presents two April sessions in its Discussion Group series “Building Democracy in the 21st Century.” The first session, “Bipartisanship in Action” is at 4 p.m April 12 and will be moderated by Kansas City Star reporter and J-School alumna Katie Bernard. Guests will be Kansas state legislators Rep. Tory Marie Blew and Rep. Rui Xu. The second event, at 4 p.m. April 19, features J-School alumnus and 2022 Dole Fellow Jerry Seib moderating a conversation with Georgia’s Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger and New Mexico’s Secretary of State Maggie Toulouse Oliver, who have both signed The Carter Center’s Candidate Principles for Trusted Elections. Seib will focus the discussion on The Carter Center’s Candidate Principles for Trusted Elections, and how they can help candidates, parties and citizens promote election integrity and confidence in the voting process.

Journalists and media lawyers are confronted with legal arguments and judicial opinions threatening to turn well-established First Amendment principles upside down. The 35th Annual Media and the Law Seminar will highlight issues in an increasingly gray First Amendment landscape. Register now for the 35th Annual Media and the Law Seminar: “Upside Down: First Amendment in Flux?” in Kansas City on April 20 and 21. The event is presented by the University of Kansas School of Law and the Kansas City Metropolitan Bar Association Media Law Committee.

Wellness in Our Democracy, a KU collaborative series presenting discussions on misinformation, disinformation and the wellness of democracy, continues this week. The next event, a webinar at 7 p.m. April 12, examines misinformation, disinformation and climate change. The event features Patricia Weems Gaston, Lacy C. Haynes Professor of Journalism; Lori Arguelles, director of strategic communications, National Oceanic and Atmopheric Administration; Trevor Lies, KU psychology doctoral student; and Reggie Hubbard, founder and chief serving officer of Active Peace Yoga. Register here.

William Allen White School of Journalism

& Mass Communications

Stauffer-Flint Hall

1435 Jayhawk Blvd.

Lawrence, KS 66045

www.journalism.ku.edu