Mikhayla Hughes-Shaw graduated from the Journalism School in May 2020 and accepted a position as a Reporter and Multimedia Journalist for WHBF TV. She is now the Show Host for "Loving, Living, Local."

School of Journalism and Mass Communications alumni Thomas Fensch (M.A., 1967) has recently published his 42nd book. The book, Chronicles from Past Plague Years, covers the Bubonic Plague in London, all the way to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Students in the Fall 2021 Environmental Communication class, taught by Associate Professor Kajsa Dalrymple, kicked off this amazing partnership by working with Coralville City Councillor, Hai Huynh, to understand public knowledge of and experience with water quality in the community.

Through the first 15 years of her career, Professor Martell worked as a reporter and copyeditor in the newspaper industry. The topics she covered ranged from government, business, healthcare and higher education. Being able to see the ins and outs of the industry provided her with valuable experience – an important perspective she can offer to her students. 

School of Journalism and Mass Communication Alumna Alison Baker Jensen is an Attorney Guardian Ad Litem (GAL) in Denver, Colorado. Jensen recently visited SJMC classes to speak with students about her experiences at SJMC and beyond.

The month of November is Native American Heritage Month. The month is dedicated to celebrating and acknowledging the contributions and culture of Native American and Indigenous Peoples. The dedication of the new Native Nations Room in the IMU took place on November 5.

This semester, students in Professor Melissa Tully’s Audio Production class are producing a daily news show. Working in groups, they will release one 15- to 20-minute daily news episode per day for the week of November 15-19, 2021.

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, students had a chance to learn about what it is like to work in these industries.

Jordyn Reiland (B.A. 2015) lives in Chicago but works remotely as the editor of Skilled Nursing News doing healthcare-based reporting and writing on a digital platform. “The network that the School of Journalism and the Daily Iowan have built is very strong. I’m very grateful to have been given the opportunity I had to get my foot in the door,” added Reiland.

Associate Professor Melissa Tully is co-principal investigator of a research team that has recently published a report regarding media literacy in the U.S. The report titled “Equity and Impact in Media Literacy Practice: Mapping the Field in the United States,” consists of findings from a year-long research effort. The research team also published “Field Guide for Equitable Media Literacy Practice,” based on the findings in the report.