| Note from the Director | The last 18 months have been incredibly difficult for all of us. This said, the SJMC has much to be proud of. I thought I would devote my note for this edition of the Iowa Journalist to celebrating some of our accomplishments.
First, our students are winning awards! In the past year, they won Hearst awards in the areas of photography, breaking news, multimedia, profile writing, and feature writing. In addition, with SJMC student Sarah Watson at the helm, the Daily Iowan once again won the Iowa Newspaper Association Best Overall Newspaper Award. To give you some sense of the scope of this accomplishment, DI staff won 48 total INA awards this year, 24 of them first place awards. The DI has won the best newspaper of the year award two years in a row for the first time in its history.
In addition, in the 2021 Great Plains Journalism Awards competition, the DI swept awards for best newspaper, website, and broadcast. Sarah Watson won Student Editor in Chief of the Year, Julia Shanahan won Writer of the Year, and Kate Doolittle won Student Designer of the Year. All three are SJMC students.
Finally, the DI was also named the 2021 Best All-Around Newspaper by the Society for Professional Journalists.
Second, even during the pandemic, our students continued to get jobs. The school now boasts a 96% six-month placement rate, meaning that 96% of our students are employed within six months of graduation. Partly, this is due to the great work of Paul Jensen, the School’s internship and career placement coordinator. It is also due to new mentorship programs we have put in place.
In a first, juniors and early career seniors are placed with SJMC alumni mentors, who help them with everything from course selection and informational interviewing, to portfolio building and resume development. If you have an interest in participating in this program, simply contact Paul at: paul-w-jensen@uiowa.edu.
The School’s Professional Advisory Board (PAB) also launched a new “Gateway Program” for graduating seniors. Twenty-two graduating seniors worked with PAB members to fine-tune their job search and interviewing skills. Recently, I heard from one of our board members that he worked with a student for several months preparing to interview for a job as a content creator for Uber at its Chicago office (the company’s second largest office in the country). After several rounds of interviews, the student got the job!
It is alumni commitment like this that makes our School so special. I want to send a big thank you to all alumni who take the time to work with our current students!
Our faculty continue to excel as well. This past year, Professor Kajsa Dalrymple won a Collegiate Teaching Award and Professor Venise Berry was a 2021 recipient of the Michael J. Brody Award for Faculty Excellence in Service. In addition, Professor Berry and Professor David Dowling each earned promotion to full professor this year.
We are so happy to be welcoming students back to campus this coming academic year. Part of this job will entail helping them reconnect—or connect for the first time—to campus and the School. To accomplish this, we are in the midst of developing new programs like early-semester welcoming events for freshman and sophomores, and year-long faculty-led mentorship groups.
In the past year, we learned a great deal about how virtual tools can better enhance the student experience. For instance, even though we are returning to campus, we will retain the virtual bootcamps and career webinars established last year. In the fall semester, we will host a bootcamp on the subject of search-engine optimization. We will also host three career webinars each semester, on topics as diverse as “communication careers in NYC,” and “writing careers in the digital age.” Like last year, we will rely on our alumni community to speak to students about their experiences and expertise on these topics.
These opportunities will be in addition to our traditional professional-in-residence program, which invites two or three professionals each semester to visit classes and work with students.
To keep it as relevant and up-to-date as we can, we are also constantly working on the undergraduate curriculum. This past year, we established new minors in media literacy and media entrepreneurialism, and this coming year we will propose two new minors, in digital media and sports media.
As I say, we could not accomplish any of this work without the generous support of our alumni. Thank you for all you do for the school. It makes us proud to work here and determined to provide our students with the absolute best experience we can.
Sincerely,
David Ryfe, Director
School of Journalism and Mass Communication
| | | | SJMC Alumni Mentorship Pilot Program Successful Seven SJMC students partnered with alumni in a pilot Mentor-Mentee match program this past semester. The program paired upperclassmen and alumni with similar experiences and interests. Students and mentors then met as needed to accomplish individual goals. Carson Stoga Communications President Susan Stoga was one of the program mentors and Mary Hartel (pictured) was one of the students who participated. “To be a good mentor you need to not only have technical skills but you’re part teacher, you’re part coach, you’re part cheerleader depending on what the person needs,” Stoga said. “It’s overwhelming to look for a job and even more overwhelming when you’re doing it for the first time.”
While the program was intended to build relationships between alumni and students, some students landed employment opportunities through mentor guidance.
The Mentor-Mentee program contributed to the SJMC’s year-long focus on students connecting with professionals through conversation. All j-majors were invited to the “Finding Your Starting Point” webinar series where professionals talked candidly about their careers. Professionals from CBS Sports to Cosmopolitan to CNN to Snap, Inc. volunteered to speak to current students. Additionally, Speed Networking continued for its 11th year. Students rotated around Zoom breakout rooms instead of the third floor of the Adler Journalism Building. In a year filled with isolation and online classes, the SJMC achieved its goal of keeping students engaged and connected.
The SJMC Mentor-Mentee program will return this fall. This time the program will run for the full academic year and target third year students. SJMC Internship and Placement Coordinator Paul Jensen says they are grateful for the alumni who piloted the program and to continue the program’s success, more volunteers are needed. If you are interested in volunteering, please fill out this survey. | | | Cloudy Skies and Bright Smiles On May 14, the SJMC hosted our own graduation event in front of the Adler Journalism Building to honor the graduating class of 2021.
Though skies were cloudy with a light drizzle throughout the day, the smiles of the graduates and their family members were more than enough to make it an ideal day for a celebration.
“I was just so glad I was able to go and watch my son walk across the stage,” said Cathy Martin, mom of graduating student Jack Martin. “It may not have been a normal graduation experience, but it meant a lot to be able to attend this.”
From 9 a.m. to 5:15 p.m. staff members, faculty, current students, and family members cheered as students walked across the stage while their families took photos. Afterwards, each student received a "swag bag" for their accomplishments.
Held outside and timed to ensure that large groups did not gather, the event was held with everyone's safety in mind. "We organized the event in a way that conformed with the University’s COVID policies,” said graduate program coordinator Jennifer Cooper. “By hosting the event outdoors, controlling the number of people who would be present at one time, and by having treats for the graduates that were individually wrapped, we were able to have a safe and meaningful event.” With these precautions, families were able to celebrate the accomplishments of their graduates, and graduates are now able to say that they "walked" for their college graduation.
Read the full story. | | | | Dilon Goncalves (B.A. 2019, pictured) received a 2021-2022 Fulbright English Teaching Assistant (ETA) award to Estonia! The Fulbright U.S. Student Program provides grants for individually designed study/research projects or English Teaching Assistant Programs.
Nicole Kilmer (B.A. 2003) spent over 15 years as a televised news anchor throughout the Midwest before transitioning into public relations and marketing. Recently, Nicole has started a new position in Iowa City with the CommUnity Crisis Services and Food Bank where she will serve as the marketing and communications manager. "It's a great fit, as I feel I can give back to the community where I received my degree."
Tianna Torrejon (B.A. 2021) was a part of the 2021 SJMC graduation class. Starting this summer she will intern as a Communications and Legal Aid at the Iowa State Capitol in downtown Des Moines, and will begin studying for the LSAT. Tianna plans to attend law school in the Fall of 2022.
Amy Lee Lillard (B.A. 2000) worked as a copywriter and marketer for over twenty years before transitioning to become an author. As an author she was shortlisted for the 2017 Berlin Writing Prize and named one of Epiphany’s Breakout 8 Writers in 2018. This fall, Amy will be releasing her debut short story collection, DIG ME OUT.
John Chenoweth (B.A. 2021) recently graduated with a Journalism and Mass Communication degree along with minors in cinema and military science. John attended college on an Army ROTC scholarship and is now commissioned as an active duty officer. He began his new career in Georgia. | | | Kyle Moody (Ph.D. 2014, Mass Communication, pictured) is an associate professor at Fitchburg State University. He and fellow former Hawkeye, Nicholas Yanes (Ph.D. 2014, Philosophy and American Studies) are co-editors of a recent anthology, Hannibal for Dinner: Essays on America’s Finest Cannibal on Television. Learn more.
Will Silverstein (B.A. 2019) was hired by Vision Wyoming, LLC to be the evening anchor in Cheyenne, Wyoming for the ABC/FOX local newscasts. He's also the Cheyenne Bureau Reporter for the station in Casper, Wyoming.
Brian Finley (M.A. 2009) currently works as an application developer for the University of Iowa. What started out as a way to find available vaccines for he and his family unexpectedly helped thousands of people in the state of Iowa get vaccinated! Learn more.
Nichole Shaw (B.A. 2021) landed as a Staff Reporter at The Chicago Sun-Times following her summer internship. She covers news in and around the city of Chicago, writing daily stories for both digital and print.
Andrew Altenbern (B.A. 2011) has 10 years of experience in news production. Andrew has been a Multimedia Content & Newscast Producer, Broadcast Producer, Executive Producer, and is now the Assistant News Director for KFSM Channel 5 in Springdale, Arkansas.
| | | | PhD student Patrick Johnson (pictured) was awarded the Top Student Paper award from the Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication (AEJMC) LGBTQ Interest Group. Patrick is a Graduate Student as well as Teaching Assistant at the University of Iowa School of Journalism and Mass Communication. Patrick will also serve as the Graduate Committee Student Representative for 2021-2022 and a graduate student liaison on the committee and a member of the Recruitment and Retention Subcommittee.
Rachel Schilke is a third-year student anticipating graduation in May 2022. She is majoring in both Journalism and International Relations with an interest in Conflict and Foreign Policy. Over the summer, Rachel served as Editor for The Daily Iowan and is actively pursuing a Young Professional Journalism Fulbright in Germany to study social justice and protests in smaller neighborhoods in Germany.
Mia Knapp just completed her second-year in the SJMC program and has plans to graduate in the fall of 2023 with a double major in Journalism and Mass Communication and Business Management.
Ayrton Breckenridge is a first-year student studying Journalism and Cinema to pursue the art of Visual Storytelling. He currently works in the Daily Iowan Visuals Department where he creates photo slideshows and video content. | | | Senior Bailey Cichon (pictured) was awarded a scholarship by the Iowa Broadcast News Association at their annual convention in April. Learn more.
Senior Josie Fischels placed 14th out of the top 20 finalists in the Personality/Profile Writing Competition of the Hearst Journalism Awards Program. When asked to describe her experience in this journey, Josie said, "It’s been a dream to have a piece of mine even nominated for Hearst Journalism Award! I didn’t realize how easy the process would be."
Sarah Watson (B.A. 2021) won Student Editor in Chief of the Year Award in the 2021 Great Plains Journalism Awards. Additionally, Julia Shanahan (B.A. 2021) won Student Writer of the Year for the second consecutive year. Two other students were named finalists in the program: Student Photographer of the Year went to Katie Goodale (B.A. 2021) and Student Broadcaster of the Year went to Bailey Cichon.
Grant Glover (B.A. 2021) served as co-editor of NURU, the National Association of Black Journalists’ Iowa publication. On top of his editing duties for NURU, Glover also wrote for the publication. Through his second area of study, Critical Cultural Competence, Glover studied gender and racial equality, which helped his writing. Read his story. | | | | As a professional school, helping students explore careers is a valuable part of the School of Journalism and Mass Communication’s undergraduate mission.
The pandemic made fulfilling this mission more difficult—but not impossible.
Director David Ryfe and Internship & Placement Coordinator Paul Jensen worked out this issue right away. They came up with a series of webinars they called “Finding Your Starting Point,” beginning in the fall of 2020. During these webinars, students met alumni and visiting professionals who have forged careers in various industries with their Journalism and Mass Communication degrees. In discussions with these alumni—35 of whom participated during the spring 2021 series—students had a chance to learn about what it is like to work in these industries.
Each event was an hour-long and featured three or four alumni. Current student and intern, Bailey Cichon served as a host for the series.
Students curious about career options were invited and encouraged to attend any or all the webinars. View the recorded webinars on our website. | | | Chat From the Old Cap is a series of virtual engagement sessions featuring Iowa alumni and friends sharing stories from their careers, backgrounds, and the university that unites us. Last semester, we were fortunate to have quite a few of our alumni speak virtually:
Malcom Christie (B.A. 1997) (pictured), a former football player at the University of Iowa shared his unlikely journey full of pitfalls and redemption, with a fair share of humor —a candid and provocative conversation. Christie also discussed an endowment he created in Hayden Fry’s honor.
Dana Roberson (B.A. 1987) and Isaiah Scales (Professional Advisory Board Member) discussed the state of diversity in their industries and their experiences working as a person from a underrepresented or marginalized community, and how well their education prepared them for their successful careers in these industries. Dana Roberson is an Executive Producer at WNET PBS NewsHour Weekend and Isaiah Scales is a Creative Services Manager at Walt Disney Television.
David Ryfe, Director of SJMC, participated in a virtual discussion in March on Renewing a Human Rights Agenda: Defending Democracy in the U.S. The Role of Journalism and Social Media. The panelists examined the impact of misinformation and disinformation on democratic process in the U.S. context. | | | | Six SJMC Professors (pictured) were selected to present research at the 2021 International Communication Association Conference this year! In May, the 71st Annual ICA Conference was held virtually and our faculty presented their research! Learn more on our website.
Judy Polumbaum joined Iowa faculty in 1989 and became professor emerita in 2015. Her forthcoming book, "All Available Light: The Life and Legacy of Photographer Ted Polumbaum," relates the story of her social activist photojournalist goofy Greatest Generation dad, who raised her on chemical fumes in a wet darkroom. Learn more.
David Dowling was interviewed this spring by The Daily Vonnegut about his book, "A Delicate Aggression: Kurt Vonnegut at the Iowa Writers' Workshop" (2019 – Yale University Press)," which explores the history of America's preeminent creative writing program. Read the full interview.
Recent research by both Melissa Tully and Brian Ekdale was published in "Journalism Research That Matters" (2021 - Oxford University Press), a comprehensive overview of the most pressing and exciting areas for journalism research, from news and data literacy to changing news audiences and shifting business models for news. The book includes contributions from academics and journalists to understand the most pressing problems facing the news industry today and overcoming the research-practice gap. | | | The University of Iowa Faculty Council selected Venise Berry (pictured) as a 2021 recipient of the Michael J. Brody Award for Faculty Excellence in Service.
On July 1, 2021 Meenakshi Gigi Durham became the faculty ombudsperson in the Office of Ombudsperson. The role of the faculty ombudsperson is to provide confidential, neutral, informal, and independent resolution services to ensure all members of the university community receive fair and equitable treatment.
The College of Liberal Arts & Sciences Teaching Awards Committee selected Kajsa Dalrymple to receive a 2020-2021 Collegiate Teaching Award in recognition of her exemplary performance as a teacher. This designation reflects the high esteem with which her colleagues and students regard the quality of her teaching.
Director David Ryfe coordinated a once-in-a-life time opportunity for students in April. Pulitzer-Prize winning photographer Deanne Fitzmaurice hosted a three-day bootcamp on advanced visual storytelling. Participants brought an existing project, or project idea to the course, and were able to work with Deanne to complete it over an intensive week of class time and 1-on-1 instruction. Deanne introduced techniques to enhance any visual story, and worked with each student to apply these techniques to their work. It was an excellent opportunity to learn from one of the best visual storytellers in the United States! | | | |
