Dear Alumni and Friends of CoJMC,
I am delighted to write to you for the first time as dean of the College of Journalism and Mass Communications. I am grateful to Interim Dean Amy Struthers for her leadership the last two and a half years and am thankful for her partnership during the transition. Amy’s steady hand and dedication to all members of the CoJMC family guided the college through a time of great uncertainty.
I didn’t expect to start my tenure as dean in the middle of a pandemic and civil unrest, but my experience thus far has filled me with hope and optimism for the future of the college. I joined the college meetings via Zoom just after classes moved online in the spring, so my first impressions were of faculty and staff coming together to share ideas and resources to ensure a safe and engaging learning environment for our students. The summer internship program highlighted in this newsletter is just one example of CoJMC creativity and commitment to students. Thank you to all the alumni who donated to our scholarship fund to help make it happen!
Over the last few months we have engaged in conversations about race and social justice and what we can do as a college to take responsibility for the change we want to see in the world. We are sharing resources, engaging in book club discussions, and working with our ambassador team on initiatives to create a sense of belonging for our students. If you are interested in joining these important conversations, please let me know.
We have also been busy this summer getting Andersen Hall ready for the fall. Faculty and staff have put an incredible amount of time and effort into redesigning classrooms and student spaces to allow for physical distancing and developing plans for safely continuing our hands-on, experience-based curriculum. You can learn more about our Forward to Fall plans here.
I have enjoyed getting to know some of you through the “Drinks with the Dean” virtual happy hours. We will add additional dates as we move into the fall, but please reach out if you want to meet separately, have questions about the college, or just want to chat about what’s happening in the industry. I think the best way for me to get to know the college is to see it through the eyes of our alumni.
In September we will begin a comprehensive strategic planning process, and we want you to be involved. Participants will be asked to attend at least two meetings each month via Zoom, so we are not restricted by geography. All materials and drafts will be posted to our website, and you will have the opportunity to provide feedback on the plan even if you cannot attend the meetings. We want this process to be inclusive and transparent. If you are interested in helping us create a shared vision for the future of the college, please email me to sign up.
Finally, I want to thank everyone who sent me a note of welcome as I arrived on campus. I am truly excited to be working with this great college and look forward to working with you to ensure our commitment to the core principles of journalism and mass communication education while growing and evolving with our changing industries.
