Last December and this January, we celebrated numerous achievements of our students, faculty and staff at the College of Journalism and Mass Communications. Assistant professor Kelli Boling was named the December Professor of the Month; Lance Vie, a senior broadcasting major from Nickerson, was awarded December Student of the Month; Seamus Doyle, a junior broadcasting major from Spring, Texas, was awarded January Student of the Month and assistant professor of practice Kristian Anderson, as well as technical director Jamie Wenz, were selected as the January Not Too Shabby award-winners.
Boling joined the CoJMC in the fall of 2022 after a 12-year career as a marketing and advertising executive in North and South Carolina. She holds a Ph.D. in mass communications from the University of South Carolina. Her research, published in notable journals, focuses on media reception by marginalized audiences, and she is recognized for her work on women in podcast audiences.
Freshman journalism major Emma Bullerman nominated Boling. In nomination, Bullerman said, "Kelli Boling deserves to be recognized for her incredible work as an educator. I have never been in a class so welcoming and genuinely learning-centered. No matter what topic she is discussing, she provides the facts and sources to back them up, which is appreciated. Not to mention, her ability to capture the attention of a 250+ person class is unmatched, and that speaks to her abilities as a speaker and professor. As a student of hers, I look forward to taking in everything she has to say!"
All students can nominate CoJMC faculty for Professor of the Month. The CoJMC Student Advisory Board reviews nominations monthly and selects the recipient.
December Student of the Month, Vie, was recognized for his skill in broadcasting.
Assistant professor of practice Jill Martin said in her nomination, “Your commitment to broadcasting and your outstanding achievements throughout your time in CoJMC have not gone unnoticed. We’ve appreciated your hard work and dedication in Nebraska Nightly and the Experience Lab. Keep shining bright and continue making strides in everything you do.”
January Student of the Month, Doyle, was recognized for his commitment to learning about research.
Assistant professor of practice Sharon Baldinelli said in her nomination, "From day one in my class, Seamus asked for more- volunteering with our Media Training group. He asked for more-- to see research. He handled and learned about being a researcher: He collaborated with the University of Nebraska Medical Center College of Public Health & the UNL Institute of Agriculture and Natural Resources. He learned about how to apply data from our public opinion lab, how to code qualitative data and about intercoder reliability. He worked in MAXQDA with our drought research group, he acquired and compiled state & federal contacts, recorded and attended our focus groups, and worked again with our Media Training group as a resource and even took pictures to document our work together."
The CoJMC Student Advisory Board selects students of the month based on the kudos they received during the previous month. Award winners can choose from three prizes: a college t-shirt, a Starbucks gift card, or lunch with CoJMC Dean Shari Veil.
The Not Too Shabby Awards recognize staff and faculty members whose efforts go above and beyond the call of duty and have earned the appreciation of their peers.
Anderson is an assistant professor of practice in broadcasting and the faculty liaison for the CoJMC student-led photography, videography, and livestreaming agency, Production House. CoJMC associate dean for research and faculty affairs Cory Armstrong and director of business and operations Haley Hamel nominated Anderson.
Armstrong said in her nomination, "Kristian's experience with media is incredible for the University of Nebraska Medical Center College of Public Health's Media Training. His feedback and enthusiasm in these trainings make the program successful. "
Wenz is the college's technical director and oversees our television, audio, and podcasting studies. He received five nominations from director of business and operations Haley Hamel, junior broadcasting major Marissa Lindemann, Gilbert and Martha Hitchcock Professor Barney McCory, assistant professor of practice Kaci Richter and associate dean for Research and faculty affairs Cory Armstrong.
McCoy said in his nomination, "Jamie rolls with the punches better than almost anyone I know at keeping our video and audio student/faculty productions online, on air, and ongoing. He's tireless in his student and faculty technical training and support. He's innovative, too, as he constantly invents new ways to make college productions that are in-house or remote, faster, better and less costly.
The Not Too Shabby Awards are voted on monthly by members of the CoJMC Staff Council. Peer-to-peer kudos submissions serve as the nominations for the awards and winners are presented with a trophy to display in their offices for a month. The trophies move from recipient to recipient when a new award winner is named.
To nominate a CoJMC community member for Student of the Month or a Not Too Shabby Award, recognize their commitment to college values by giving them kudos. To honor a CoJMC faculty member who goes above and beyond to support student learning, nominate them for Professor of the Month. All award recipients receive an email notification and certificate acknowledging their contributions to the CoJMC community.
