Dear Alumni and Friends,
Over the weekend, we added 210 CoJMC graduates to the alumni family! On Friday, 27 graduate students received their master of arts degrees or a graduate certificate at the Bob Devaney Sports Center. On Saturday, 183 undergraduate students crossed the stage at Memorial Stadium. We had beautiful weather throughout the weekend as Chancellor Ronnie Green presided over his final commencement at Nebraska. On Monday, University of Nebraska President Ted Carter named Rodney D. Bennett as the priority candidate for our next chancellor.
As we move into summer internship season, five our students have a little extra support thanks to generous donors and alumni. Sophomore advertising and public relations major Mallory Comley from Schuyler was awarded $1000 from the Kris Malkoski Fund to support her internship with the Lincoln Saltdogs baseball team. Senior broadcasting major Victoria Baker of Papillion received a $2,500 internship award from the Deb Fiddelke Fund to support her copywriting internship at Ogilvy in Los Angeles. Junior broadcasting major Evelyn Mejia of Norfolk was awarded the Rural Fellowship to support her internship covering rural Nebraska for Flatwater Free Press. Junior advertising and public relations and graphic design double major Valeria Uribe from Le Mars, Iowa, received a $1,000 award from the J. Steve Davis Jump Start Fund to support her account service internship at Fresh Produce in Sioux Falls. Junior sports media and communications major Cole Peterson of Elkhorn received the $1,000 Dana and Lynn Roper internship award to support his season-long public relations internship that starts in January with the Texas Rangers in Arlington, Texas. If you remember what it’s like to try to make ends meet during an internship, you know how important these funds are to our students. Please let me know if you are interested in learning more about establishing an internship award.
In addition to the internship awards, our students also racked up big awards this month from the National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences, Nebraska Press Association, National Student Advertising Competition, Public Relations Student Society of America, Omaha Press Club, Nebraska Alumni Association and UNL Student Leadership, Involvement and Community Engagement.
Our alumni are also on the move. Angel Jennings (’08), Lauryn Higgins (’18) and Kelly Ann Scott (’98) recently won Pulitzer Prizes for journalism excellence. Jackie Ostrowicki (’98), Christine Weeks (’01), Jordan Snader (’18) and Katie Ripa (’01) were recognized with American Marketing Association PRISM Awards. Also, the May 18 episode of “Nebraska Stories” on Nebraska Public Media chronicled Beverly Deepe Keever’s (’57) experience as a war correspondent in Vietnam. The incredible story was produced by Gilbert and Martha Hitchcock Professor Barney McCoy.
Professor McCoy was recently awarded Best of Competition at the Broadcast Education Association’s Festival of Media Arts, two regional Edward R. Murrow Awards for 90.3 KRNU and a grant from Humanities Nebraska to continue his documentary work on war correspondents. Professor McCoy was recognized by the college for Excellence in Industry Engagement at the 2023 CoJMC Family Reunion on May 17.
Other CoJMC award winners included Associate Professor of Practice in Journalism Michelle Hassler (Excellence in Teaching), Assistant Professor in Advertising and Public Relations Ciera Kirkpatrick (Excellence in Research/Creative Activity), Check-out Room Manager Susan Oestmann (Student Support and Advocacy), Academic Advisor Karez Hassan (Staff Excellence Award), Assistant Professor of Practice in Advertising and Public Relations Jemalyn Griffin (Inclusive Excellence Award), Technical Director Jamie Wenz (To Infinity and Beyond Award), Administrative Associate Tiffany Groteluschen (Dean’s Award) and Experience Lab Professional-in-Residence Beau Poleman (Friend of the College).
I’m heading to San Francisco in a couple weeks to support senior broadcasting major Hallie Gutzwiller who will be competing in the Hearst National Audio Competition. Let me know if you are in the Bay Area and want to connect. I’ll also be hosting Drinks with the Dean in Lincoln, Chicago and Kansas City next month. If you live in one of these areas, I hope you’ll join me and your fellow alums to celebrate the start of summer and reconnect with the J-School!
Go Big Red!
Shari
