Dear Alumni and Friends,
Did you have a professor who changed your life, not by giving you the answers, but by challenging you to find your own? Dr. Wilma Crumley was that kind of educator. She was the first woman to become a full professor in the College of Journalism and Mass Communications, and her trailblazing spirit continues to inspire through the newly established Dr. Wilma Crumley Legacy Fellowship, which provides financial support to students pursuing a graduate degree in the college. Read more about her enduring impact.
Dr. Ciera Kirkpatrick, assistant professor of advertising and public relations, is another trailblazing female scholar. Check out this story on her latest research into how social media is being used to promote cancer screenings.
Summer is officially here and while campus may be quieter without our students in the classrooms, their work continues to make an impact far beyond the walls of Andersen Hall.
I am proud to share that we have officially launched our 2025 depth report, “Nebraska Behind Bars.” Our journalism students investigated Nebraska’s prison system, examining the ongoing staffing shortages, overcrowding and systemic challenges.
We are also celebrating several students and alumni whose work is gaining national recognition. Four Huskers earned national honors from the Society of Professional Journalists at the 2024 Mark of Excellence Awards. Advertising and public relations student Michelle Montenegro received this year’s Bailey Lauerman Fund for Student Opportunity scholarship. Naomi Delkamiller (‘25) was selected as the Midwest Newsroom’s first-ever investigative reporting fellow, and Jessica Meza, a journalism and advertising and public relations double major, is completing a summer internship there as well.
Make sure to also check out stories from our alums in the summer edition of the Nebraska Quarterly magazine—Kevin Warneke (’85, ’12) writes about an impromptu Husker reunion in Iceland, Mekita Rivas (‘12) explores how a simple idea led to one of Lincoln’s most beloved summer traditions and Lauryn Higgins (‘18) checks in with UNL meteorology grads who are making an impact in newsrooms and weather centers across the country.
Congrats to our June Huskers on the Move! If you’re on the job hunt or looking for new opportunities, don’t forget to sign up for our weekly Career Bulletin and take advantage of resume and cover letter reviews from our career development specialist, Natalie Becerra.
Go Big Red,
Shari
