Monday Memo Nov. 21

THIS WEEK'S HIGHLIGHT

Kevin Merida to receive William Allen White Foundation National Citation

Kevin Merida, executive editor of the Los Angeles Times, has been selected to receive the 2023 William Allen White Foundation National Citation. Merida will accept the award in person on William Allen White Day, which is April 20 on the KU campus. Merida took the helm of the L.A. Times, the largest newsgathering organization in the West, in June 2021. Before that, Merida was senior vice president at ESPN and worked for 22 years at The Washington Post, where as managing editor he helped lead the newspaper to four Pulitzer Prizes. The award, which recognizes individuals for outstanding journalistic service, comes from a vote of the trustees of the William Allen White Foundation. Read the KU News story.

STUDENT NEWS & OPPORTUNITIES

Don't miss out on J-School scholarships for next year

Students, let us help you with your application for School of Journalism and Mass Communications scholarships for the 2023-24 academic year! If you have general questions about the application, watch this video to get answers. Last year, the school awarded about $650,000 to current and incoming students, and 97 percent of students who applied received at least one scholarship. Recipients will be notified in April 2023 and will be invited to a scholarship ceremony on William Allen White Day on April 20. All students admitted to the school are encouraged to apply. Don't miss out on this opportunity!

▮ Apply here (current students should click the red Sign In button at the top, then log in with KU online ID and password). You may be asked to complete a general questionnaire before the application. Deadline to apply is Dec. 15 for current students.

J-School student Aurora Turner is one of 16 students from across the country to serve as a National Veterans Leadership Foundation 2023 Fellow. Turner will take part in a six-month development program designed to help military-affiliated students grow as leaders, continue their lives of service and make a positive impact on the military-connected community on their campuses. Read the KU News story.

Join the Journalism Student Ambassador Program and help represent the J-School. JSAP is a great way to get involved with the J-School’s recruitment process. We're looking for outgoing, involved students to connect with high school students and their families. You’ll have the opportunity to table at different events, give tours of the building and attend local college fairs with our recruitment team. A time commitment of two hours a week is required for this paid position. Apply here. Deadline is Dec. 1. If you have questions, contact Himee Kamatuka, recruitment coordinator.

Symphony in the Flint Hills, a nonprofit based in Cottonwood Falls, Kansas, is hosting a scholarship competition for Kansas college and graduate student writers to have their work featured in the organization’s 2023 Field Journal. Essays or stories (nonfiction or fiction) should be no longer than 1,200 words on the topic "Past, Present and Future of Transportation and Migration in the Flint Hills" and must be submitted by Dec. 1 to Sandy Carlson at Sandy@symphonyintheflinthills.org . The winning entry will receive $1,000 and two tickets to the signature event on June 10, 2023.

Entries are being accepted for the 2022 Shaufler Prize in Journalism, which is administered by the Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication at Arizona State University and fosters the school’s mission of supporting communities of color, immigrants and LGBTQ+ individuals. Deadline to apply is Dec. 3. Learn more here.

The Walter J. Travis Memorial Scholarship is now accepting applications. Scholarships are awarded to students pursuing a career in one of the following professions: landscape design/golf course architecture; golf course turf grass management/golf course superintendent; professional golf management, club professional, or sports journalism with a special interest in golf. Apply here.

Applications to become a Report for America Corps Member open on Dec. 7 and close on Jan. 30, 2023. Report for America has 300 reporters and photographers in 200-plus newsrooms serving communities across the United States. RFA helps local newsrooms report on under-covered issues and communities by helping them find great emerging or experienced journalists and paying half their salary. Corps members are talented, service-oriented journalists who provide residents with the information they need to improve their communities and hold powerful institutions accountable. RFA is inviting KU journalism students to participate in a virtual information session at 10 a.m., Jan. 18, to learn more about the organization and job opportunities.

Eudora Times to distribute special section this week

The Eudora Times staff has completed another printed section. This semester's project focuses on the pending Panasonic plant that will have a significant impact on the future of Eudora. Visiting professor Barbara Rosewicz served as lead project editor. Gerri Berendzen did the page design for the Times staff. The section will go out after Thanksgiving. The Eudora Times relies on donations from Eudora residents and KU alumni to operate. Please donate here.

The Eudora Times also was featured in this Editor & Publisher story about how universities are filling gaps in media coverage and in this Eugene Weekly story.

RESEARCH, PUBLICATIONS & PRESENTATIONS

Assistant Professor Judy Watts was awarded $14,850 from the National Communication Association on her research proposal “Investigating The Effects of Media on Racial Literacy Among Black, Latino, and White Families.” The purpose of the research cultivation grant is to support first-time grant-seeking and foster success in research. The research project will begin next spring.

Call for research posters: 2023 CEHCUP Research Exhibition

Are you a William Allen White School of Journalism and Mass Communications alumni, student or faculty conducting research in health communications? The Center for Excellence in Health Communication to Underserved Populations (CEHCUP) announces the first installment of its Research Exhibition with the topic "COVID-19 and Society." Research that explores how the pandemic influenced societal norms, how social actors responded to the threat, and media roles in influencing opinions and behaviors related to the pandemic are welcome. A display gallery open in Stauffer-Flint Hall from Feb. 15 to March 12, 2023, will be a mixed reality interactive event (no physical displays). Deadline is Jan. 15. Learn more here.

CAREER & OUTREACH CENTER

Cheers to Careers podcast: Cassidy Ritter

Cassidy Ritter, senior associate editor at Built In, was a recent guest with Steve Rottinghaus on the Cheers to Careers podcast. Watch on YouTube.

JOBS & INTERNSHIPS

Job opportunities

▮ Director of major gifts and legacy giving and legacy, United Way of Kaw Valley

▮ Account manager, Union Broadcasting (Kansas City)

▮ Paid social manager, Scale Marketing (Chicago, Illinois)

▮ Reporter, Fort Leavenworth Lamp (Leavenworth, Kansas)

▮ News photographer/editor, KCEC Univision (Denver, Colorado)

▮ Writer/editor/project manager, UK Healthcare (Lexington, Kentucky)

▮ Account manager, Scale Marketing (Chicago, Illinois)

Internships and student jobs

▮ Korva Coleman Internship, KMUW (Wichita, Kansas)

▮ Graphic designer, 810 Radio (Kansas City)

▮ Editorial fellow, Defense News and Military Times (Washington, D.C.)

▮ PR Apprentice, SPM Communications (Dallas, Texas)

▮ Newsroom fellowship, Fortune (New York City or remote)

▮ Strategic communications & outreach, UNHCR (Washington, D.C.)

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

J-School is hiring a media production specialist

The William Allen White School of Journalism and Mass Communication is hiring a media production specialist. The specialist works with video, broadcast and emerging technologies to ensure connectivity and creativity, supervises student employees and serves as a technical liaison within the school and university. Learn more and apply here.

JSCHOOL TECH

Build your tech skills

Drop-in labs for final projects:

Dec. 5, 3-4 p.m.: JMC 300 Infographic drop-in at JBar

Dec. 7, 2-4 p.m.: Portfolio drop-in Room 119 (conference room off Clarkson)

Dec. 12, 9-11 a.m.: Portfolio drop-in at JBar

Dec. 12, 1-3 p.m.: Infographic drop-in at JBar

Dec. 13, 9-11 a.m.: Infographic drop-in at JBar

Dec. 13, 1-3 p.m.: Portfolio drop-in at JBar

Evening labs: Labbies will be in the Resource Center for checkout and help after hours. Evening hours are 5-8 p.m. every Monday-Thursday and 1-5 p.m. on Sundays.

ALUMNI UPDATE

Three of the 12 members inducted last weekend in the inaugural class of the Kansas Press Association’s Kansas Photojournalism Hall of Fame are alumni of the William Allen White School of Journalism & Mass Communications. Rich Clarkson, Carl Davaz and Sandra Milburn were honored at a ceremony Nov. 19 at The Beacon in Topeka. Read the KU News story.

Sydney Hoover covers education for WECT News in Wilmington, North Carolina.