Gain real-world experience The Experience Lab

Programs Professionals in Residence
Student looking at screen
Do From Day One

Register for the spring 2024 Experience Lab, no application required

Join the CoJMC Experience Lab in the spring 2024 semester. The Experience Lab gives students a chance to gain hands-on experience from the first semester they enroll in the College of Journalism and Mass Communications at UNL. Working with faculty liaisons and professional mentors, students will build their academic skill set while exploring their professional interests in one of the college's media outlets.

More Details
  • Students can earn 1 credit and work 4-6 hours per week
  • Programs include KRNU, Buoy, Heartland, Nebraska Nightly, Unlimited Sports and the Nebraska News Service. After registration, students will receive a survey from the program managers asking for their top three program preferences.
  • Day-to-day projects will vary depending on the program
  • To register for course credit, select JOMC 197, 297 or 397 in MyRed.
  • Students can join without registering for the class. Contact Jill Martin (jmartin42@unl.edu) or Dave Remund (remund@unl.edu) for more information.
  • Experience Lab meetings will be on Tuesdays from 3:30-5:15 p.m. 
  • An additional 3 hours per week will be required outside of the required Tuesday meeting time during varied lab times as it works with student schedules
  • Student leaders will mentor first-year and second-year students and manage day-to-day operations.

Register in MyRed or contact the co-directors to join without registering for class credit.

About the Experience Lab

The Experience Lab gives students a chance to gain hands-on experience from the first semester they enroll in the College of Journalism and Mass Communications at UNL. Working with faculty liaisons and professional mentors, students will build their academic skill set while exploring their professional interests in one of the college's media outlets.

More Details
  • Students will earn 1 credit and work 4-6 hours per week
  • Day-to-day projects will vary depending on the program
  • All students will be required to register for JOMC 197, 297 or 397, which will be on Tuesdays from 3:30-5:15 p.m. 
  • An additional 3 hours per week will be required outside of the required Tuesday meeting time 
  • Student leaders will mentor first-year and second-year students and manage day-to-day operations

The Experience Lab Programs

Buoy logo
An Agency for Nonprofits

T 2-5 p.m. | R 2-5 p.m.

Students will work for real-world clients who are looking for services in advertising and public relations. Buoy provides services for non-profit organizations and local community partners.

Visit Buoy's Instagram Page

Nebraska News Service Logo
Statewide Wire Service

T 2-5 p.m.

Nebraska News Service is a state news wire service that provides stories written by UNL student journalists to more than 100 community news organizations.

Visit Nebraska News Service

Nebraska Nightly Logo
Live News Show

T 3:30-5:15 p.m. | W 12-2 p.m. | F 8 a.m. - 8 p.m.

Nebraska Nightly is a student-produced recorded show. Students will work to produce video and audio content for Lincoln and Nebraska audiences.

Visit Nebraska Nightly

KRNU Logo
The Campus Radio Station

T 3:30-5 p.m. | W 3-5:30 p.m. | F 10:30 a.m. - 12 p.m.

The student-led radio station provides entertainment and highlights important events happening in the local community.

Visit KRNU

Heartland  Logo
An Online Community Magazine for Nebraska

T 2-5 p.m. | R 2-5 p.m.

Heartland is a new student-run webzine. Students will work to produce digital content for Nebraska audiences

Visit Heartland

Unlimited Sports Logo
Nebraska Sports Reporting

M 3:30-5:15 p.m. | R 3:30-5:15 p.m.

Unlimited Sports is an online student-led sports program that produces stories covering sports in the community.

Visit Unlimited Sports

Production House Temporary Logo
Production House

T 2-5:15 p.m. | R 2-5:15 p.m.

Production House is the Experience Lab's newest program that launched in fall 2023.

Professionals in Residence

Partner organizations from throughout Nebraska have donated the time of their talented staff to support students in the Experience Lab. These dedicated professionals provide mentorship and guidance to students. We are incredibly grateful for the support and dedication of these outstanding professionals and their organizations.

Brett Baker

Executive Producer
KOLN/KGIN 1011 News

brett.baker@1011now.com

Brett Baker bio

Bayley Bischof

Assignment Manager/ Senior Reporter
KOLN/KGIN 1011 News

bayley.bischof@1011now.com

Bayley Bischof bio

Zack Carpenter

INSIDE NEBRASKA PUBLISHER
Rivals.com

zackcarpenter11@gmail.com

Zack Carpenter bio

Shaun Cummins

senior technical director
KLKN-TV

scummins@klkntv.com

Shaun Cummins bio

Amy Ebbeka

Co-Owner / Creative Director
Ebbeka Design Co.

amy@ebbekadesign.com

Amy Ebbeka bio

Matthew Hansen

Editor
Flatwater Free Press

mhansen@flatwaterfreepress.org

Matthew Hansen bio

Ryan Hoffman

Managing Editor/Lincoln Reporter
Flatwater Free Press

rhoffman@flatwaterfreepress.org

Ryan Hoffman bio

Amie Just

Sports Columnist
Lincoln Journal Star

ajust@journalstar.com

Amie Just bio

Mikel Lauber

director of news
KOLN/KGIN 1011 News, KSNB Local 4, KNOP News 2

mikel.lauber@1011now.com

Mikel Lauber bio

Mike McKnight

Investigative Reporter
WOWT-TV

mike.mcknight@wowt.com

Mike McKnight bio

Stefanie Monge

Silicon Prairie News
Editor

smonge@siliconprairienews.com

Stefanie Monge bio

Kelley Peterson

Founder
Pen&Pug

kpeterson53@unl.edu

Kelley Peterson bio

Austin Pistulka

Broadcast/Digital Production Director
Rural Radio Association

apistulka@ruralradio.com

Austin Pistulka bio

Beau Poehlman

Video Production Supervisor
Ameritas

bpoehlman2@unl.edu

Beau Poehlman bio

Mary Kay Quinlan

Emeriti Associate Dean and Associate Professor
University of Nebraska-Lincoln

ohaeditor@gmail.com

Mary Kay Quinlan bio

Ryan Rothman

Marketing & Digital Media Coordinator
University of Nebraska System

rrothman@nebraska.edu

Ryan Rothman bio

DeWayne Taylor

Master of Ceremonies and Radio Host
D-Wayne/NRG Media's Red 94.5

booking@dewaynetaylor.com

DeWayne "D-Wayne" Taylor bio

Mike Tobias

senior producer
Nebraska Public Media

mtobias@nebraskapublicmedia.org

Mike Tobias bio

Jon Vanderford

Executive Producer and Host
KOLN/KGIN 1011 News

jon.vanderford@1011now.com

Jon Vanderford bio

Kent Warneke

Editor emeritus
Norfolk Daily News

kentwarneke@gmail.com

Kent Warneke bio

Matt Wynn

Executive Director
Nebraska Journalism Trust

mwynn@flatwaterfreepress.org

Matt Wynn bio

Contact the co-directors with questions

Jill Martin

Jill Martin is an assistant professor of practice and director of the Nebraska News Service.

Jill has two decades of experience in newspapers and broadcast news in Nebraska, including experience as the managing editor of the Seward County Independent.

Contact Jill
Jill Martin portrait
Dave Remund

Dave Remund is an assistant professor of practice and executive director of Buoy, a mission-driven and student-led agency.

Dave has more than three decades of professional experience in strategic communications, including leadership roles within three Fortune 500 corporations.

Contact Dave
Dave Remund portrait

The Experience Lab is powered by the generous support of our sponsors.

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Perry Family
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