College of Media students interview Bruce Lang in a studio at Illinois Public Media in Fall 2021. The interview was one of many conducted by Media students as they produced video biographies of the men represented by quilt panels from the "Sewn in Memory" exhibit at Spurlock Museum. (Photo by Professor Charles "Stretch" Ledford.)
Students in journalism and media and cinema studies produced a series of short documentaries chronicling the lives of local men commemorated in AIDS quilt panels, originally made in the 1980s and 1990s for the AIDS Memorial Quilt in Washington, D.C.
The videos were created as part of the course JOUR 280: Specialized Skills and Practices, taught in Fall 2021 by Charles “Stretch” Ledford, associate professor of journalism, in collaboration with Kimberlie Kranich, Illinois Public Media’s Director of Community Content & Engagement. In one special video, Stories Untold, the students shared their experiences attempting to find or verify eight of the men.
“It’s important that this project allows people to be exposed to something like this to catalyze deeper exploration,” Ledford said.
“I hope that this project helps to personalize and illuminate a part of our history that’s rarely talked about or taught,” said Owen Henderson, junior in journalism.
Watch a UI-7 Live report on this student project by journalism senior Amanda Brennan:
Journalism student Gwyn Skiles adjusts a camera while fellow journalism student Olivia Welshans prepares for an interview in a studio at Illinois Public Media. (Photo by Professor Charles "Stretch" Ledford.)
Additional collaborators for the exhibit include the Greater Community AIDS Project of East Central Illinois, which holds the panels and assisted in exhibit research and creation, and History Harvest, a course at UIUC, which seeks to gather historical stories and documents from local communities.
The College of Media has received an estate gift of just over $1 million to create the Mark L. Brandt Public Engagement Fellows program for undergraduates.
Because of the profound impact that the University of Illinois had on the trajectory of Brandt’s life, his dear friend, fellow Illini, and trustee of his estate, Mary Leyendecker, chose to ensure that his legacy makes a positive impact on students and society. Brandt, a 1986 alumnus of Illinois who retired early from General Electric after a career in finance, passed away in January 2021. His wish was that the funds be used to “do good in the world.”
The funds, endowed in perpetuity, will provide internships to Media students to work with college faculty and staff on public engagement projects, and/or as participants in programs that are designed to support first-generation college students, students from underrepresented groups, and/or students with significant financial need.
“This promises to have a transformative effect on our important efforts in public engagement and will meaningfully influence the lives of students for generations to come,” said Dean Tracy Sulkin.
Beginning Fall 2022, the funds will be available on a competitive basis and will support up to 40 students each year who will work on a variety of college and department initiatives.
For example, Mark L. Brandt Public Engagement Fellows will be able to contribute to faculty-led projects on media literacy and the Chancellor’s Call to Action to Address Racism and Social Injustice, engagement opportunities at Illinois Public Media, and more. Funds will also be used to support students in the New Voices internship program.
The Brandt Fellows will serve as models of engaged leadership and will gain skills and experiences that will allow them to chart a course toward a lifetime of societal impact through their careers in media and through their personal endeavors.
“I feel certain he would enjoy helping those who are going to help society,” Leyendecker said.
February 3, 2022 | Tom Hanlon (College of Education) and Holly Rushakoff (College of Media)
A new state law is requiring Illinois public high schools to teach media literacy. Through IMEDIA, the College of Education and the College of Media arehelping teachers prepare to do just that.
When Governor J.B. Pritzker signed a bill into law on July 9, 2021, requiring that media literacy be taught in public high schools, Illinois became the first state in the nation to mandate such instruction.
The instruction, to begin with the 2022-2023 school year, will teach students how to analyze and communicate information from various mediums, including digital, interactive, audio, visual, and print.
Immediately after the bill was passed, the College of Education and the College of Media went into action, planning how to prepare Illinois teachers to be ready to instruct students in an area made critical by the massive amount of misinformation that circulates in cyberspace.
The two colleges collaborated to form the Initiative for Media Education Inquiry and Action (IMEDIA) to help fill educators’ needs for media literacy training and curriculum development. The goal of IMEDIA is to assist high school teachers with integrating media analysis and production into their classes and building a robust critical media literacy curriculum in Illinois schools.
“Many of us in the College of Media have been working on media literacy-related research and teaching in the last several years,” said Professor Stephanie Craft, head of the Department of Journalism. “When we heard about the new law, we wanted to be able to turn that work into action. Teaming up with curriculum and instruction experts in the College of Education seemed an ideal way to do that.”
IMEDIA will launch a pilot program on campus from June 27-29, to both find out what teachers are already doing in the area of media literacy and to help them integrate a media literacy component into their curriculum, said Professor Sarah McCarthey, head of the Department of Curriculum & Instruction. The three-day workshop is for local teachers and potentially for teachers across the state.
“Media literacy is especially important in light of the last presidential election and the amount of disinformation and misinformation that is pervasive in the U.S.,” McCarthey said. “It’s more and more critical that we equip students with the ability to discern what’s factual from what’s not.”
“Preparing Illinois students to successfully navigate an increasingly complex media environment is vital to their well-being and ability to participate in democratic life,” Craft added.
The state is putting together media resources for teachers to download, McCarthey said, “but it’s important to have a professional development component to that, and our workshop is going to provide teachers an opportunity to do some hands-on things as well.”
Early talks between the Colleges of Education and Media include the development of modules that high school teachers could download to use in their classrooms.
“We’ve also talked about in the future taking advantage of some of the credentialing programs that are in process at both the campus and state levels,” McCarthey said. “But the first step is to get this group of teachers ready for the fall.”
IMEDIA has recently received initial funding from the Office of the Chancellor. They are consulting with the Office of Foundation Relations to identify additional potential funding sources. The group also hopes to apply for Spencer Foundation funding to do a statewide survey of the media literacy landscape, to discover who is teaching what across the state.
“The end goal is quite simple,” McCarthey said. “We want all of our students to be prepared to be critical media consumers.”
In addition to Craft and McCarthey, members of IMEDIA include College of Education faculty member Jon Hale; College of Media faculty members Amanda Ciafone,CL Cole, and Michelle Nelson, and doctoral student Sakshi Bhalla; as well as Michael Spikes, a doctoral student at Northwestern University and founder of the Illinois Media Literacy Coalition, of which IMEDIA is a part.
Sandy Murillo (BS ’12, journalism) produces and hosts “The Disability Minute,” a weekly segment that debuted on Chicago’s WBBM Newsradio in August 2021.
“This is an exciting venture that helps us spread awareness about disabilities to an even wider audience,” Murillo said. “Best of all, the segment is produced entirely by people with disabilities.”
Murillo is an associate producer at Chicago Lighthouse Media where she oversees and runs CRIS (Chicagoland Radio Information Service) Radio, a reading service for the blind and visually impaired. She was recently featured in a video to share her experiences at Chicago Lighthouse Media.
Sarah Min (BS ’93, journalism) has been appointed by President Biden as one of the commissioners to the President’s Advisory Commission on Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders.
The Commission will advise the President on ways the public, private, and non-profit sectors can work together to advance equity and opportunity for every Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander (AANHPI) community. The Commission is also charged with advising the President on policies to address anti-Asian xenophobia and violence, ways to build capacity in AANHPI communities through federal grantmaking, and policies to address the intersectional barriers that AANHPI women, LGBTQ+ people, and people with disabilities face.
Min is an advocate and former media executive. From 2013 to 2019, Min was an independent consultant, working with clients such as HBO, Penguin Random House, and other nonprofits. Previously, she served as executive vice president for marketing and corporate development for ScrollMotion, an enterprise software company. Min also was the managing editor of Vibe and Domino magazines, a director at media company Bertelsmann, as well as president of literary publishing company McSweeney’s. She serves as a director on nonprofit boards, including Color of Change and EMILY’s List, and has been engaged in grassroots organizations, including the Korean American Community Foundation and the Asian American Power Network.
Alison Marcotte (BS ’15, journalism) will have her first children’s picture book, Seeking Best Friend,published on January 25, 2022, by Beaming Books.
“After graduating, I continued to pursue my passion for storytelling and started a career as a children’s book author,” Marcotte said. “The College of Media was instrumental in developing my writing style and voice and building my confidence as a writer.”
In her humorous picture book, a child sends out an open call for a best friend and the most unlikely candidates apply for the job. Her book will be available at independent bookstores, Barnes & Noble, Target, Walmart, Amazon, and other retailers.
Marcotte is a Chicago-based picture book writer. She’s passionate about writing stories that are authentic, funny, hopeful, and filled with heart. She’s a member of the 12 x 12 Picture Book Writing Challenge, SCBWI, Chicago Writers Association, and Off Campus Writers’ Workshop, and a freelance writer for American Library Association’s American Libraries magazine.
January 10, 2022 | Da Yeon Eom, Communications and Marketing Intern
In his new role as assistant director of career services at the College of Media, Daniel Almanza looks forward to collaborating with departments and faculty to offer a robust set of career-related programming so that students can learn about various media industries, types of job positions available, and top skills sought by media employers.
“I am really interested in combining my public relations and career services experience to help our Media students as they navigate their pre- and post-graduation journey,” Almanza said. “I am also able to share my industry experiences with students as they start their careers.”
For the spring semester, Almanza is continuing the very popular Media Career Night panels, initiated last year via Zoom, that invite alumni to share their professional experiences with Media students. He will also host resume and cover letter review sessions and is organizing networking events to facilitate connections between students and media experts.
“We are really excited to have Daniel join the College of Media,” said Katie Clark, senior assistant dean for student services. “Through programming and events, he will be a great support to College of Media students as they prepare for internships and future jobs.”
Almanza looks forward to advising students and encourages them to think outside the box in finding opportunities. He also underscored that students should attend as many different career-related events as possible, regularly check the Media Career Services newsletter to find work opportunities or alumni mentoring connections, and also seek out their professors for general advice and to ask about job or internship prospects.
“I am passionate about working with students as I had several great mentors who helped me in my career journey,” he said. “I strive to help and mentor students as they begin to identify their career goals.”
Almanza has helped students at the University of Illinois for several years. Previously, he held positions at the Division of General Studies, The Career Center, and the Department of Communication. Most recently, Almanza was an academic learning skills specialist in DGS. In that role, he created the Student Success Toolkit website; worked with students from low-income, first-generation, and/or underrepresented groups in an enrichment experience program; and taught a course called Preparation for 21st Century Challenges.
He also has experience serving as a career counselor, managing networking events, teaching public speaking and public relations courses, and advising a PR student organization.
Almanza graduated from Illinois State University with a master’s in communication studies and a bachelor’s in public relations and minors in political science and mass communication.
November 5, 2021 | Liz Westfield, Illinois Public Media
Students learn about audio tools in the Illinois Student Newsroom at Illinois Public Media. (Photos by Isabella Pennebaker, photography intern.)
Illinois Public Media and the Department of Journalism are thrilled to officially announce the founding of the Illinois Student Newsroom at Illinois Public Media—a collaborative place for journalism students to work side-by-side with professionals in all facets of a public media newsroom.
“The Illinois Student Newsroom at IPM is a great reflection of our educational strategic priorities at the College of Media,” said Dean Tracy Sulkin. “We’re bringing together two parts of the college—IPM and the Department of Journalism—to foster experiential learning.”
“Illinois Public Media is proud to support the next generation of upcoming journalists through this new student newsroom initiative, created in partnership with the Department of Journalism,” said Moss Bresnahan, executive director of IPM, which is a non-profit public media service of the College of Media.
“IPM is an ideal space for students to gain experience working in the field, while receiving personal guidance from journalists, and producing content for a professional media organization,” said Professor Stephanie Craft, head of the Department of Journalism.
The program is led by Chris Evans, clinical assistant professor in journalism (pictured at right). His position was created in 2020 to facilitate students gaining real-world experience at IPM. The Illinois Student Newsroom at IPM offers space for students to learn how to report, write, interview, and anchor, as well as build a portfolio of work across audio, video, and multimedia platforms, right in the heart of a dynamic working newsroom.
“Student journalists can now produce segments, create multimedia content, and experiment with a variety of tools, while also gaining a unique experience in a fast-paced professional environment and supporting our public service mission,” Bresnahan added.
In the past year, as the Illinois Student Newsroom was being developed, Evans has connected students with the IPM news team to produce impactful journalism for the greater central Illinois community.
“We have already shown if they’re willing do the work, a first-year student has as much of an opportunity to get on the air as a senior or even a grad student,” Evans said. “And as an educator, it’s been just thrilling to watch the students grow and thrive and begin their careers here at Illinois Public Media. The fact that the students have already started winning state and national awards for their work is awesome, too.”
For example, as an inaugural member of the Illinois Student Newsroom last year, Farrah Anderson—now a sophomore in journalism and senior student producer—reported on University of Illinois athletes’ response to the Black Lives Matter movement and their decision to lead a march in August 2020, which earned her first-place accolades in the Student Spot News category of the Public Media Journalists Association Awards.
“My experience with the Illinois Student Newsroom has been formative in my career as both a journalist and a multimedia storyteller,” Anderson said. “As a reporter, I was plunged into the world of audio storytelling and had the opportunity to report on the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign campus and the surrounding community. By moving into my role as a producer in the student newsroom, I now edit and mentor other students that were in my same position just a year ago.”
Not only do the students learn from the professional journalists and journalism educators, but the program is also structured where they can learn from each other. Both Anderson and fellow inaugural member, Vivian La, a sophomore in journalism, have gone from student reporter to senior student producer in their short tenure.
“I’ve really enjoyed guiding new reporters on the complexities of audio journalism,” La said, “and hearing their stories on the air is so exciting! I’m very honored to be a part of the newsroom and tell stories that impact our local community. With the guidance of Professor Chris Evans and some of the full-time reporters, I’ve learned something new every week that solidifies my interests in the wide world of journalism.”
The newsroom experience also ensures that student reporters receive professional mentorship and feedback along the way.
“The Illinois Student Newsroom at IPM helps put more central Illinois voices on the air,” said Reginald Hardwick, news and public affairs director for IPM. “These talented University of Illinois journalism students help cover the news on-air and online while working alongside some of the best journalists in public media. We’re glad to broaden coverage, but we are also delighted to help guide the careers of America’s next generation of storytellers.”
As part of a commitment to provide internship opportunities for first generation students and students from underrepresented populations, the College of Media launched the New Voices Internship Program this fall. Interns in the program will gain a variety of media-related skills through in-house projects and career development workshops.
The pilot program, supported by the Office of the Provost, will be coordinated by Media Career Services within the college’s Student Services Center. This year, approximately 10 students, mostly freshmen and new transfer students, will be provided with a year-long paid internship experience.
“This program is designed to provide Media students with career-building experiential learning opportunities from the day they arrive on campus,” said Dean Tracy Sulkin. “The experience will also broaden their network of resources within the college. In turn, we’re benefitting from the interns’ unique perspectives, such as getting feedback on preferred ways to reach and communicate with prospective students who are beginning to research Media majors.”
At their initial meeting, the interns expressed interest in learning more about traditional and non-traditional career options and creating content for an academic institution. For their first project, the interns shared insights and ideas about the college’s communications channels, and offered ways in which they could help.
“We’re excited to match students with faculty and staff within the College of Media to develop skills related to their major and career interests,” said Katie Clark, senior assistant dean for student services. “The students will be able to build their resume quickly with projects that will entail interviewing, writing, photographing, storyboarding, video editing, and more.”
Jackie Barba, a freshman in journalism (pictured at right), is excited to be one of the inaugural interns who can help shape how the program functions and grows.
“I hope to explore other strengths I might have,” Barba said. “For example, some of the projects we’ve already done have helped widen my understanding of what working in communications can be like, and I actually really enjoyed that. I also hope to gain friendships and connections with other College of Media students who are involved in the program!”
Help our students by investing in an endowment
We invite our alumni and friends to help support the New Voices Internship Program and sustain its future. Your gift is an investment in our next generation of media leaders and will give a diverse group of students the opportunity to develop valuable skills applicable to the media industry. To give, visit our Giving page, click on the orange button, and under “Other,” type in “New Voices Internship Program.”
To learn more about this program and how you can help support first generation and underrepresented college students, please contact Deanne Johnson, assistant dean for advancement, at 217-333-0752 or jhns@illinois.edu.
Congratulations to all of the College of Media faculty and teaching assistants who were ranked as excellent by their students!
This list is based on Instructor and Course Evaluation System (ICES) questionnaire forms completed by students during the Spring 2021 semester. Only those instructors who distributed ICES forms at least once during this time period and who released their data for publication are included in the list. View the complete list.
Note: * denotes that the instructor ratings were outstanding.
Alison Marcotte (BS ’15, journalism) will have her first children’s picture book, 
