Helping students explore careers is a valuable part of SJMC’s undergraduate mission. Throughout the semester the student support team organizes several “Finding Your Starting Point” career webinars. During these webinars, students meet alumni and professionals who have forged careers in various media industries. Recent webinars have focused on careers in strategic communication, technology and startups, politics, visual media, digital media and writing. Students have a chance to learn what it is like to work in these industries.. Each event is an hour-long and features three or four panelists. All webinars are free and open to all SJMC students.

2023-2024
Careers in Photography and Videography
Brooke Bierhaus, Documentarian
John Richard, Documentary Films Coach at The Daily Iowan
Lily Smith, Staff Photojournalist at The Des Moines Register

Careers in Feature Writing
Tom Daykin, Reporter at Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
Bryn Lovitt, Visiting Assistant Professor and Freelance Journalist
Rebecca Morin, White House Reporter at The Messenger
Conrad Swanson, Climate Change Reporter at The Seattle Times 

Careers in Sports Media
Wayne Drehs, Former Senior Writer at ESN & SJMC Adjunct Professor
Lucy Rohden, On-Air Talent/Producer at Meadowlark Media
Travis Varner, Global Marketing Communications at EA Sports

2022-2023
Careers in Strategic Communications
Carla Keppler, Director of Internal Communications at Humana
Maddie Bro, Strategic Communications Professional, Change & Project Manager for Howard Hughes Medical Institute
Shawna McDonald, Global Brand Development and Strategic Marketing Leader at Google
Elianna Novitch, Strategic Communications Specialist at Two Rivers Marketing

Digital Media Careers
Jenny Earl - Director, Growth & Engagement at CBS News
Katelyn Weisbrod - Audience Director at Inside Climate News
Jake Mayer - Student Success and Engagement Coordinator UIowa SJMC

2021-2022
Tech and Start-ups
Brian Albert - Head of Editorial at Twitch
Emily Busse - Director of Communications at Loom
Faith Wagner - Analyst Relations and Market Strategy at MuleSoft
Matt Starns - Partnerships at Google

Washington and Politics
Andrew Bohn - Grassley's Office
Brittany Caplin - U.S. Department of Commerce/White House Press Office
Seung-Min Kim - Washington Post
Matthew Summy - Comcast

Telling Stories Outside the Newsroom
Maggie Banker - Country Music Hall of Fame
Lindsay Crittendon - Hippo Insurance
Jaime Spencer - Magid

Visual Media Careers
Joshua Housing - Associated Press
Alicia Kramme - mySidewalk
Sam Lane - PBS Newshour
Lily Smith - Omaha World Harold

Digital Media Careers
Jenny Earl - Director, Growth & Engagement at CBS News
Matthew Ericson - New York Times
Molly Georgia - RealTime Media
Mallory Hughes - Twitter

Writing Centric Careers
Lauren Coffey - Tampa Bay Business Journal
Alisa Hrustic - SELF
Rebecca Morin - USA Today
Brian Stewart - af&Co

2020-2021

Working in the Media: Industries in LA
Isaiah Scales - Disney Media & Entertainment Distribution
Tom Tyrer - Circle Change Media

Writing for Sports
Ken Aagaard - Operations EVP CBS Sports
Ken Kerschbaumer - Sports Video Group
Jeff Pearlman - Author

Strategic Communication in Chicago: Agencies and Companies
Kelsey Cunniff - Door Dash
Casey Levigne - August Jackson
Krystal Loewe - Abbvie
Lauren Phelps - Fleishman Hillard

Sports Careers: Operations and Engineering
Ken AaGaard - Operations EVP CBS Sports
Debra Honkus - Co-founder NEP Group
Susan Stone - SVP Operations & Engineering MLB

TV Careers in Chicago
Kelly Davis - WGN-TV
Anna Theodosis - ABC7
Rachel Weyers - UNIVision

Strategic Communication in Chicago
Ricky Brandt - Havas
Jim Heiniger - Dixon James
Carla Kepper - Golin

Careers in Sports Journalism
Austin Bramley - Project Director at Sioux Falls Sports Authority
Taylor Brooks - Sports Multimedia Journalist at KWGN
Anne Costabile - Sports Multimedia Journalist at The Chicago Sun-Times
Scott Miller - Executive Editor at The Action Network in New York

Careers in Writing Journalism
Jake Abrams - Founder at Bram
Dora Marquez - Digital Editor at TriStar Event Media
Ashley Oerman - Deputy Lifestyle Director at Cosmopolitan
Lauren Smiley - Independent Tech Journalist

Careers in Visual Journalism
Brooke Bierhaus - Brooke Bierhaus Film
Ryan Jones - Malone Media Group
Mary Mathis - Outside Magazine

Careers in Social and Digital Media
Mallory Hughes - CNN
Cole Johnson - KCEN
Brianna Sudrla - Snapchat