Omaha’s best and brightest aspiring high school communicators were honored Nov. 11 at a recognition event sponsored by the University of Nebraska-Lincoln College of Journalism and Mass Communications and The Omaha World-Herald.
The high school seniors and their parents attended a dessert reception at the Omaha World-Herald, 1314 Douglas St., where the students were honored for their scholastic accomplishments. They were nominated by their high school teachers or guidance counselors.
This is the second year of the event, which recognizes high-achieving and motivated students who are interested in careers in advertising, broadcasting, journalism and public relations.
Speakers at the event included World-Herald Executive Editor Mike Reilly, College of Journalism and Mass Communications Dean Maria B. Marron and Alissa Skelton, an Omaha native and 2011 University of Nebraska–Lincoln graduate who is a breaking news reporter at the World-Herald.
Students and parents had the opportunity to talk with University of Nebraska–Lincoln faculty and students about the college’s nationally recognized program and to speak with Omaha World-Herald editors and reporters about newspaper careers. The event ended with tours of the newspaper’s newsroom.
The College of Journalism and Mass Communications is a nationally recognized, award-winning college, where more than 1,000 undergraduate and graduate students have hands-on experiences from day one in advertising, broadcasting, journalism, and public relations, guided by a top-notch faculty. The CoJMC offers a robust education abroad program, a student ad agency, a statewide news service, a sports communications program and many other innovative learning opportunities.
Students recognized were:
CASSIDY ADOLPH
Papillion-LaVista South
MARISSA ANDERSEN
Papillion-LaVista South
CAYSIE ASHTON
Millard West
GRADE BRADFORD
Omaha Marian
JAZMYN BROWN
Bellevue East
JAICIE BYERS
Omaha North
SAMANTHA CHANEY
Omaha Marian
ELIC CHISAM
Bellevue East
ANDRE COOPER-HANSON
Millard South
KALYNN COPENHARVE
William Jennings Bryan
JONATHAN DORMADY
Gretna
LEONA DUNN
Harry A. Burke
JOSHUA ESTABROOK
William Jennings Bryan
BRITTANY HAMOR
Millard South
MADISON HEBNER
Elkhorn South
HARRISON HOHMAN
Mount Michael Benedictine
RYAN HOVLAND
Millard North
JOSHUA HUNKE
Bennington
JOSEPH JOHN
Omaha North
ALYSSA KAISER
Bennington
JACKSON KRATINA
Gretna
ELISSA KROEGER
Papillion-LaVista
ALEXANDRA LAING
Westside
ALEXANDRA LORENSEN
Mercy
ALEXIS MATTAN
Harry A. Burke
LAUREN MYRBERG
Elkhorn
KATHY NGUYEN
Elkhorn
JULI OBERLANDER
Omaha Central
PAIGE OURADA
Skutt Catholic
YOUNG-JOON PARK
Mount Michael Benedictine
RACHEL PODRAZA
Skutt Catholic
STHEPHANIE SANCHEZ
Benson
SHILOH SCHMID
Elkhorn
TIA SPEARS
Omaha Central
ADAM TURNER
Creighton Prep
BRANDON TVRDY
Millard South
IMANI VAUGHAN-JONES
Millard South
GRETCHEN WILLIAMS
Benson
ETHAN WOLBACH
Papillion-LaVista
MARIAH ZAMBUTO
Millard North
The College of Journalism and Mass Communications partners with the Omaha World-Herald to offer a unique fellowship program for college juniors and seniors. The first part of the program is a 15-week class, in which students learn from a different World-Herald staff member each week about topics such as editing, interviewing and other aspects of the news. Each semester, four of the students in the class are chosen through an application process to be Omaha World-Herald fellows the following semester. They write and report for the newspaper and its website, while earning a salary and college credit.