Doug Isbell (BS ’87, Grainger engineering; MS ’88, journalism) looks for opportunities to talk directly with the public whenever possible, such as at this NASA JPL exhibit booth at a popular summer air show at Hill Air Force Base in Utah, near where samples from Mars may one day land on Earth.
After 36 years in aerospace communications, Doug Isbell still thanks those lucky stars he’s always admired for the opportunity to create a successful career that combines his passion for science and his love of writing.
Isbell’s fascination with space began when he was eight years old, around the time the last few Apollo missions landed on the moon. From then on, Isbell knew he wanted to be involved in space one day.
“Those [missions] made a big impression on me,” said Isbell, who grew up in the suburbs of Chicago.
Isbell (BS ’87, Grainger engineering; MS ’88, journalism) set his sights on becoming an astronautical engineer, but as he worked his way through the program and the upper-level courses, he started to have some doubts.
“I felt a little like I was not going to be an outstanding engineer and I wondered, how can I still be involved in aerospace? And I thought about writing,” he said.
Isbell did finish his bachelor’s degree in aerospace engineering but went on to get a master’s degree in journalism. Moving to Washington, D.C., to seek a start to his career, his first job was working as a writer for a business technology newspaper, Washington Technology, and then a reporter covering NASA for a weekly newspaper, Space News.
Four years later, he decided to shift from journalism to the communications side and landed a job at NASA headquarters, eventually becoming a public affairs officer for planetary science.
During that time, he helped with communications surrounding the Mars Pathfinder mission and the launch of the legendary mission of the Cassini spacecraft to Saturn.
“That was in the middle of a sort of renaissance of planetary science,” Isbell said. “[The Mars Pathfinder mission] was a huge global hit and kind of the first mission of the Internet age.”
He also served as the United States single-point-of-contact for the International Year of Astronomy 2009—a global celebration recognizing the first astronomical observation with a telescope by Galileo Galilei more than 400 years ago.
Since 2010, Isbell has served as the cross-program risk communication coordinator at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, California, working on issues related to space nuclear power and sample return, including the most recent two ongoing Mars rover missions, Curiosity and Perseverance.
Isbell develops communications materials related to “spacecraft that would carry nuclear materials and nuclear power, and then kind of a growing area of interest is something called planetary protection,” he said.
Planetary protection is the idea of protecting planets from potential biological contamination during a mission so they can be studied in their original state. It also involves protecting Earth’s biosphere when samples are brought back from other planetary bodies.
“A lot of what we’re working on now is planning for Mars sample return,” he said. “Looking at my career overall, I’ll probably spend almost half of it on Mars missions and leading up to this idea of returning samples, and the value that can be provided by bringing them into Earth-based laboratories.”
At the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (which is operated for NASA by Caltech), his group focuses on launch approval engineering, which means helping on the front end with aspects of the environmental reviews needed before a project can proceed and, on the back end, sharing public safety information around the launches and landings of missions.
Whether it’s writing fact sheets about a mission or training spokespeople on how to share information with the public in engaging ways, Isbell said most of his job is behind-the-scenes, preparing for the tough questions and explaining the “why” behind each project.
“A lot of what I do is to try to explain potential hazards and how we’re handling them,” he said. “My job is to frame these things correctly and train people to talk about them effectively, and anticipate what people’s questions might be. It’s a lot of strategy—what might people be concerned about with this mission or this activity, and how can we address those concerns with as much detail as people can absorb.”
It’s been many years since Isbell was a journalism student at Illinois, learning from professors like Bob Reid and Tom Littlewood, but their teachings about investigative reporting and journalism ethics remain useful in his career today. Isbell also credits Michael Lembeck, an associate professor in the University’s Department of Aerospace Engineering, and a graduate student in the department at the time, for helping kickstart his writing career by encouraging a story on a student design project that led to Isbell’s first published story.
Isbell enjoys staying involved with the University, sharing his knowledge with students as a guest panelist for one of the first virtual Media Career Nights in 2020 and consulting with faculty about the structure of the new master’s in journalism track with a focus on science and technology.
His passion for science doesn’t disappear at the end of a workday. Every couple of months, he hosts a family-friendly “space night” at a nearby brewery, where he brings out a telescope to view the moon and planets with the community.
Isbell or a colleague talk about recent scientific accomplishments and exciting developments in space. About 30 to 40 people usually show up, filled with excitement and interest about the various topics.
“I think [space exploration] is inspirational to people. It’s why I have the career that I have, and do what I do,” he said.
Isbell is still captivated by space and feels grateful his job as a science writer allows him to be immersed in that world every day.
“It is amazing to be involved in this stuff,” he said. “The science questions are the biggest ones that we can ask. ‘Are we alone in the universe, or least in the solar system?’ It’s kind of an interesting answer either way.”
Get to know some of our College of Media faculty. Alison Davis is a lecturer in journalism and a seven-time regional Emmy Award winner.
Why did you become a lecturer in the College of Media? When I was working for the Big Ten Network, there were times that different professors would go on sabbatical, and I would fill in, teaching their classes, particularly the television production class. I loved it! I realized how fun it was teaching and working with students, seeing them learn new things, and watching their eyes light up when they understood something. Then, I saw a position opening and thought, “Well, maybe I would like to do this full-time; maybe I should consider teaching.” I ended up applying, and this is my fourth year of teaching in the Department of Journalism.
What courses do you currently teach? I teach JOUR 215: Multimedia Reporting; JOUR 240: Introduction to Documentary Storytelling & Production; JOUR 340: Video Reporting & Storytelling; and JOUR 440: Advanced Documentary Storytelling & Production. For the first time this semester, Professor Stretch Ledford and I are teaching a globally focused documentary class, where we’re taking six students to Sierra Leone over spring break 2024 to produce documentaries about the issue of period poverty in Western Africa.
What did your career look like before returning to the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign? After I received my undergraduate and master’s degrees here, I worked for many years at the local PBS station, making shows and national documentaries. I worked for the Big 10 Network, creating documentaries about the University of Illinois—some sports stories and also stories that told the richness of the University, ranging from a biography on the man who invented the LED to our first African American captain of the basketball team; kind of the full gamut. My background is in filmmaking, and it’s great to teach that to students here.
For the past two decades, you’ve been producing national documentaries, receiving numerous regional Emmy Awards and over 20 Emmy nominations. What sparked your interest in doing such a thing? I remember when I was an undergraduate, we were divided into tracks, and at that point, I was a broadcast journalism major. I loved doing videos and being able to tell stories—being a storyteller is something I have always loved doing since I was little. When I was in the news, I always felt there was more of a story, and I felt limited by doing a 30-second/minute-and-a-half package. I studied abroad in London, where I worked at a film company, and it was a blast, so when I came back, I did more work in video. After I was a freshly graduated person in my 20s, I had a chance to have my own television show and work in all of these different roles, learning what to do within those roles. It was an experience.
How did it feel to know your work was being noticed in a significant way that was shaping people’s opinions? That was an incredible thing. We would enter the regional Emmys and feel like we didn’t have a shot at winning, but whenever I would, I just felt this unbelievable moment of shock and gratefulness. I remember the first time I won in Chicago. It was for a documentary I did about an architect who graduated from the University of Illinois and had built the capital of Australia, Canberra, but had died in obscurity. I recall sitting at this table—and they put you at a table with nominees in your category—and I was young, in my 30s, against older men. I talked to them about what projects they did, and they all sounded incredible compared to mine; then it was announced that I won. I took my mom and sister to that, and they couldn’t believe it; we were ecstatic.
What’s the biggest piece of advice you have for your students and others? Don’t give up. If you’re making a video or any media project, you’re going to get frustrated. It could be technical problems when you’re trying to film. It could be your editing, and you’re sick of looking at this stuff that you don’t think you want to look at again. But don’t give up. Think about the goal of what you’re trying to create and keep working hard. Students, in general, should attend the whole University. Make use of the resources and all the great things here.
Margaret Ng, assistant professor of journalism with an appointment in the Institute of Communications Research, has been selected for 2023-24 James W. Carey Faculty Fellowship. She was also recognized with the Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication Emerging Scholar Grant.
Ng will receive stipends to support her research on social media platform migration, within broader shifts in digital communication culture. The recognitions support her pioneering inquiry into this contemporary phenomenon in journalism.
The James W. Carey Fund for Faculty Excellence, established in 2021 through the generosity of the Carey family, is a prestigious recognition designed to bolster the research activities of faculty in ICR, the world’s oldest program for interdisciplinary research and doctoral education in communication and media studies. At ICR, Carey earned his doctoral degree, was a research professor, and served as director (1969-76); he also served as dean of the College of Media.
Ng said the Carey Faculty Fellowship’s research support will assist her to explore the social and cultural implications of the platform migration phenomenon.
“It would detail, for instance, how circumstances like voluntary and forced platform discontinuance (a platform closing due to financial reasons or the de-platforming of notable figures) are influenced by a complex interplay of factors like culture, economics, and social identity,” she said.
Ng was also recently awarded a $3,500 grant from the Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication. The AEJMC Emerging Scholar Award will enable Ng to study how journalists are grappling with platform migration in the wake of Elon Musk’s Twitter takeover in October 2022.
She will hire a research assistant and administer a mixed-method approach that encompasses computational analysis of activities by 900 journalists on Twitter (now X) and Mastodon and qualitative interviews of 10 to 15 active journalists. The new knowledge helps journalists assess the risks and benefits of platform changes, facilitating smoother transitions and audience maintenance in the future.The results will appear in a journal publication and a chapter in her book, setting the scholarly discourse around the topic.
“Both the James W. Carey Faculty Fellowship and AEJMC Emerging Scholar Award, along with the opportunity to bring on board the Mark L. Brandt Public Engagement Fellows, focus largely on the topic of my scholarly book project—platform migration,” Ng said.
Ng will also team up with a student Brandt Fellow to engage with journalists and the public, potentially through a webinar, to provide a better understanding of the experiences, challenges, and strategies journalists employed following Musk’s Twitter takeover. The Mark L. Brandt Public Engagement Fellows program was established to support Media students assisting faculty and staff with public engagement projects.
Several journalism students wrote investigative pieces that were recently featured in The News-Gazette.
Students in JOUR 315: Advanced Public Affairs Reporting and JOUR 483: Investigative Reporting classes, taught in Fall 2023 by Professor Brant Houston, Knight Chair Professor in Investigative and Enterprise Reporting, had work originally published in CU-CitizenAccess, an online newsroom devoted to community and watchdog reporting. Houston also teaches a Spring 2024 section of JOUR 400: Newsroom Experience that focuses on CU-CitizenAccess.
Articles by Farrah Anderson, Grace Brinkman, Ben Crane, Ethan Holesha, and Stephanie Wayda, all seniors in journalism, had stories picked up and re-published by The News-Gazette.
Based on pieces that originally appeared in the Chicago Tribune, each chapter imparts one person’s experience with abortion. By looking at myriad factors that influence the decision to abort a pregnancy—whether socio-economic, religious, legal, or medical—the accounts collected in this volume challenge the conventional labels of “pro-life” and “pro-choice.”
Leventis Lourgos has been a Chicago Tribune staff writer since 2009. Her work has won two Lisagor awards and one Sarah Brown Boyden award. She previously reported for the St. Louis Post-Dispatch and the News Tribune in Tacoma, Washington.
The late comedy legend brothers Arte Johnson (BS ’49, radio journalism) and Coslough Johnson (BS ’52, radio journalism) made sure to invest in the future of media by preserving part of its past.
(Gisela and Arte Johnson by Michael P. Maron Photography.)
Arte Johnson dressed as his German soldier Laugh-In character, with Dean Martin and Diane Shatz on The Dean Martin Show. (Wikimedia Commons.)
Both have donated artifacts to the University Library from their most famous collaboration, Rowan and Martin’s Laugh-In, which aired 1968-73 on NBC, in which Arte was an actor and Coslough was a writer. They won Emmy Awards and multiple nominations for their roles on the pioneering comedy sketch show that addressed social and political issues, mixed with one-liners, non-sequitur bits, and jump-cuts at breakneck speed, plus a constant stream of Hollywood cameos.
Laugh-In brought in the biggest guest stars of the day: Johnny Carson, Carol Burnett, Bob Hope, John Wayne, and Sammy Davis, Jr. Regular cast members included Goldie Hawn and Lily Tomlin. It paved the way for Saturday Night Live, which debuted two years after Laugh-In ended. It was still cemented in TV history three decades after it ended, making TV Guide’s list of 50 greatest shows of all time in 2002.
The Johnson family’s latest gift comes from Arte’s widow, Gisela (pictured above); the couple were married for 51 years until his death in 2019. Earlier this year, Gisela provided the University Library with a wealth of archival materials from Laugh-In and other TV episodes and movies that featured Arte, plus scrapbooks, photographs, and letters. (Learn more about their latest contributions.)
Coslough Johnson, Dan Rowan, and Cos’s writing partner Chris Bearde. (Photo courtesy of Mary Jane Ferguson Johnson.)
Coslough previously donated 62 Laugh-In scripts to the University Library. The Library’s 1994 Friendscript newsletter noted its cultural significance: “Whether it’s the satirization of the Vietnam War, the fun poked at politicians and government policies, or the songs sung by the entertainers (all the lyrics are in the scripts), each script gives an interesting snapshot of the issues and tastes of the nation at a particularly unsettled period of our history.”
By email, Gisela wrote that Arte “loved his University and his years there, and all the friends he made and stayed friends with, all through his time of being famous—it didn’t matter to him, he always was just ARTE.”
During the ’70s, Arte and Gisela visited campus to cheer on the Illini with Arte’s Sigma Alpha Mu fraternity brother and classmate Larry Stewart (BS ’47, journalism). Stewart was a renowned local sports broadcaster, known as the “Voice of the Illini,” calling games for football and basketball, the creator/host of the call-in talk show Penny for Your Thoughts, and general manager of radio station WDWS.
Stewart’s daughter, Debbie, remembers Arte keeping in touch with her dad, calling him and attending Illinois games together.
“Arte and my dad were great friends till the end of my dad’s life,” Stewart said. “They spoke on the phone frequently and Arte was always sending him postcards. They really enjoyed their friendship.”
Larry Stewart (BS ’47, journalism), center, greets Gisela and Arte Johnson at Arte’s Class of 1949 reunion in 1974. (Photo courtesy of Debbie Stewart.)
Arte, who grew up in Chicago, had considered himself a bibliophile and said, “the [University] Library was for me at once a place to escape to, a place of enlightenment, a place of encouragement,” in a 1979-80 Friendscript. Arte was also quoted for his love of libraries, saying in a 1987 issue: “The legacy of the printed word is still one of the greatest gifts one generation can pass on to another.”
After Arte died, a New York Times obituary described him as “a one-man ensemble on Laugh-In, playing a range of characters with accents, but he was probably best known for the helmeted German soldier who would peer through bushes before slowly uttering, ‘Very interesting.’” He had also starred in episodes of many classic TV shows such as Lost in Space, Bewitched, and Murder, She Wrote, voiced characters in many cartoons such as Animaniacs, The Smurfs, and DuckTales, and narrated dozens of audiobooks including for humor columnist and author Dave Barry.
At the Rare Book and Manuscript Library, historians of popular culture can explore scripts from Laugh-In’s first four seasons, as well as scripts Coslough donated from other 1970s TV variety series that he wrote for, such as the Sonny and Cher Comedy Hour.
Laugh-In is currently available to watch on streaming platforms including Freevee, Roku, Tubi, and Amazon Prime.
Show off your University of Illinois and college pride with branded apparel items featuring the College of Media, Advertising, Journalism, Media & Cinema Studies, and the Institute of Communications Research.
From November 9 through December 4, a College of Media apparel shop will be open with items to purchase including branded sweatshirts, ball caps, T-shirts, beanies, polo shirts, and quarter-zip pullovers.
Orders will be ready to ship or pick up locally by Monday, Dec. 18. Customers can select shipping via USPS Priority Mail or via UPS Ground shipping, or pick up orders from Dixon Graphics at 312 S. Neil in Champaign (open Monday-Friday, 8 a.m.-5 p.m.). USPS International Priority Mail is available as well.
November 9, 2024 | Vivian La, Communications Intern
The 2023-24 Roger Ebert Fellows, pictured with mentor Michael Phillips, are Stephanie Wayda, Caroline Tadla, and Hanna Brazas-Mata.
Three College of Media undergraduate students were chosen for this year’s Roger Ebert Fellows program, named after the late Pulitzer Prize-winning film critic and University of Illinois journalism alumnus Roger Ebert. The fellows will work closely with Michael Phillips, film critic at the Chicago Tribune, to hone their writing and interview skills, sharpen their critical eye, and host a screening in 2024 with the Roger Ebert Center for Film Studies.
This year’s Ebert Fellows are Hanna Brazas-Mata, Caroline Tadla, and Stephanie Wayda.
“With my help, they can learn to be their own best editors, no matter what kind of writing they end up doing in the future. And I hope I can introduce them to at least one or two terrific films they might not otherwise have discovered,” Phillips said.
The Ebert Fellows will participate in various activities throughout the year, such as developing their podcasting skills by working with the producers of the Filmspotting podcast in the studios of Chicago Public Radio. They’ll also cover Ebertfest for Illinois Public Media. And for the third year in a row, the Ebert Fellows will attend and cover the True/False Film Festival in Columbia, Missouri, writing for RogerEbert.com.
Phillips is excited to work with the students’ strengths, making them “better, sharper, more persuasive versions of the writers and thinkers they are already,” he said.
He’ll be paying attention to each fellow’s particular interests, who might be especially valuable for them to meet, and what to experience first-hand.
Meet the 2023-2024 Ebert Fellows
Hanna Brazas-Mata is a junior in media and cinema studies who is looking forward to exploring different career paths through this fellowship.
“I love working with people, production, and writing, and I know all of those aspects of work will be explored in this fellowship,” she said. “Honestly, I see myself having many jobs in many different areas of the industry and this fellowship will give me a taste of that diversity in experience, and work that makes me so excited about my future.”
Brazas-Mata said being an Ebert Fellow is her biggest academic accomplishment and it’s a privilege to work with Phillips and the other fellows.
Her favorite film is Heathers, which reminds her of watching it on her mom’s VHS player.
“Heathers truly never gets old to me; it’s clever, funny, and is a dark twist on classic teen comedies. It also has some great one-liners and costumes,” Brazas-Mata said.
Caroline Tadla is a junior in media and cinema studies. Her dream is to become a screenwriter since she’s always had a passion for writing.
“It’s so encouraging to see the things you’re passionate about manifest into something serious. I’m very excited to gain exposure in the world of film and critical writing,” Tadla said.
After meeting the other fellows and Phillips, she said she’s happy to work with people with similar goals and interests.
She’s also looking forward to attending the True/False Documentary Film Festival in Columbia, Missouri.
Tadla’s favorite film is The Social Network because, as an aspiring screenwriter, “I love how fast-paced and clever the dialogue is as well as the unique narrative structure.”
Stephanie Wayda is a senior in journalism and said she’s interested in the film and entertainment space and this fellowship will help her see what she wants to specifically do.
“It will open the door to meeting new people and sharpen my skills,” Wayda said. “So I think it’ll be a really great, well-rounded experience.”
Wayda is interested in film production and development and is a part of Illini Film and Video Club.
“I am really honored to be a part of the program and uphold all of the history and meaning with Roger Ebert,” she said.
Wayda’s favorite films are those centered around women like Don’t Worry Darling and Promising Young Woman.
Erika Hayasaki (BS ’01, journalism), a writer and associate professor of literary journalism at the University of California in Irvine, won a silver Nautilus Book Award in Journalism and Investigative Reporting for her 2022 nonfiction novel Somewhere Sisters: A Story of Adoption, Identity and the Meaning of Family.
Hayasaki’s book, which was also named one of NPR’s Books We Love in 2022, tells the story of identical twins who were born in Vietnam—one was adopted by an affluent white American family, the other was raised by her maternal aunt. The two eventually meet as teenagers.
The Nautilus Book Awards began in 1998 with a core mission to celebrate and honor books that support conscious living and green values, wellness, social change and social justice, and spiritual growth.
Congratulations to these College of Media students who received campus and college awards and honors, and scholarships and fellowships that were made possible thanks to our donors.
HONORS
Bronze Tablet Inscription on the Bronze Tablets in the Main Library recognizes students ranking in the top three percent of their graduating class.
Enji Erdenekhuyag
Madison Glass
Ethan Grinberg
Elizabeth Kelly
Jacqueline Leveille
Michal Szczepaniak
Megan Wilbur
Catherine Willenborg
Highest Honors For 2023-2024, the Highest Honors status in the College of Media is awarded to graduating seniors with a 3.98 to 4.0 GPA. (Ranges are based on percentages and may change slightly each year.)
Enji Erdenekhuyag
Madison Glass
Ethan Grinberg
Elizabeth Kelly
Jacqueline Leveille
Natalie Meier
Ivana Salto Lopez De Llergo
Joana Salto Lopez De Llergo
Michal Szczepaniak
Yanglu (Viola) Wang
Megan Wilbur
Catherine Willenborg
Kaien Xia
Julia Youman
High Honors For 2023-2024, the High Honors status in the College of Media is awarded to graduating seniors with a 3.94 to 3.97 GPA. (Ranges are based on percentages and may change slightly each year.)
Demi Apostolakos
Joshua Brown
Hailey Cooper
Anneliese Cornejo Garcia
Sizhe (Cynthia) Huang
Vivian La
Matthew Lay
Joanna Lee
Jinghua Liu
Regina Papadatos
Gabriella Spizzirri
Shannon Thornton
Michelle Wang
Mattie Weaver
Joshua Witte
Honors For 2023-2024, the Honors status in the College of Media is awarded to graduating seniors with a 3.86 to 3.93 GPA. (Ranges are based on percentages and may change slightly each year.)
Farrah Anderson
Caroline Azzo
Mary Beaulieu
Julia Blockinger
Brooke Button
Camryn Crowell
Aniya Davis
Chloe Davis
Aidan Finn
Lucy Ganser
Yiru Guo
Natalie Heilmann
Eli Hopkins
Payton Jarzyna
Clarke Jones
Shannon Kelly
Brianna Logvinsky
Isabella Martin
Stacey Mau
Katherine Moy
Jiawei Pei
Clare Regelbrugge
Jane Rogers
Edward Rong
Danielle Rowaiye
William Schermer
Olivia Sims
Maxwell Szykowny
Ziqi Wang
Stephanie Wayda
Brendan Yerkes
James Scholar This university-wide honors program encourages James Scholars to develop skills in leadership and service, research or honors coursework, service learning and global studies, and professional development.
Demi Apostolakos
Elizabeth Cooke
Hailey Cooper
Enji Erdenekhuyag
Aidan Finn
Lucy Ganser
Madison Glass
Ethan Grinberg
Sizhe (Cynthia) Huang
Vivan La
Stacey Mau
Danielle Rowaiye
Ivana Salto Lopez De Llergo
Joana Salto Lopez De Llergo
Carter Smith
Shelby Stajszczak
Shannon Thornton
Megan Wilbur
Catherine Willenborg
Kappa Tau Alpha This college honor society recognizes academic excellence and promotes scholarship in journalism and mass communication.
Demi Apostolakos
Elizabeth Kelly
Vivian La
Joshua Witte
Senior 100 Honorary This campus honor recognizes academics, leadership, service, and engagement at the University of Illinois.
Kelly Colbert Adam
Madison Glass
AWARDS, SCHOLARSHIPS, & FELLOWSHIPS
American Advertising Federation’s 50 Most Promising Multicultural Students Each year, the American Advertising Federation selects the 50 Most Promising Multicultural Students in the nation. Since the program began in 1997, the AAF Illinois chapter has had more winners than any other university or college. Winners participate in a three-day industry immersion program with the highest-level industry executives and companies in New York City. They are also recognized at the annual Building Bridges for Our Future awards luncheon with top industry professionals and organizations.
Aniya Davis
Lauren Jenkins
Naomi Muuzic
Olivia Wallace
Anthony J. Petullo Endowment in Design and Advertising Fund This fellowship, established by Anthony J. Petullo (BS ’61, Gies Business) in 2007, encourages and promotes continued scholarship related to the changing methods of reaching and delivering messages to consumers/society on every level.
Michelle Garcia
Barton A. Cummings Graduate Assistantship / Richard and Audrey Christian Graduate Assistantship The late Margaret K. Cummings provided funding for advertising graduate assistantships in honor of her late husband. Barton A. Cummings, the retired CEO of Compton Advertising, was a member of the American Advertising Federation Hall of Fame and served as chair of the James Webb Young Board at the University of Illinois. One of the awards is named the Richard and Audrey Christian Graduate Assistantship.
Paris Baptiste
Xinyue Dong
Naufil Faisal
Masashi Fukada
Michelle Garcia
Yujin Lee
Chao-Yang (Janice) Lin
Mackenzie Lyerla
Zoe Randolph
Betty Hinckle Dunn Memorial Fund for Journalism Mr. Lyman Dunn, a graduate of the University of Illinois, established this scholarship in memory of his wife at the time of her death. Mrs. Dunn was a journalism graduate and a longtime officer of Women in Communications. Mr. Dunn died in 1986. The fund supports experiential learning, funding for undergraduate and graduate journalism students, and an annual public lecture by a distinguished journalist.
Dalila Divanovic
Margaret “Maggie” Knutte
Faith Lee
Rheanna Lewis
Nour Longi
Piper Pascarella
Bill Geist Broadcast Journalism Writing Prize This endowment was established in 1998 by alumnus Bill Geist, CBS correspondent and best-selling author. This award is presented to an undergraduate student majoring in broadcast journalism who demonstrates extraordinary ability and creativity in writing and reporting news for radio and television.
Michal Szczepaniak
Brett Lerner Memorial Scholarship in Journalism This scholarship celebrates the life of Brett Lerner whose untimely death in 2015 lead to an outpouring of support from the campus community and across the country. Brett was a junior studying journalism who inspired many with his tremendous talent, professionalism, and drive to succeed. Those closest to Brett knew him as a very bright young man with an amazing future ahead of him in the sports broadcasting field. His parents, Richard and Susan Pomerantz, were instrumental in establishing the fund and providing a way for family members, friends, and Brett’s many professional and personal connections to honor his legacy. The Lerner Scholarship is awarded to a talented undergraduate student with a passion for journalism and demonstrated experience working for a high school or college newspaper or other journalism work experience.
Jacqueline Barba
C&U Poster Advertising Company Scholarship This scholarship is awarded to a senior majoring in advertising. It was created by Kip Pope to honor Robert P. Pope and Barbara G. Pope and in memory of Fred and Bertha Gillingham. Mr. Pope is the former president of C&U Poster.
Isabella Martin
C. Arthur and Eleanor Hemminger Scholarship The late Eleanor Garm Hemminger was a 1939 graduate of the University, and established this endowment through her estate. Arthur Hemminger was a 1930 journalism graduate. Scholarships are presented to deserving undergraduate media students.
Hanna Brazas-Mata
Anjana Gulapalyam
Sofia Kanda
Edward Rong
Leopold Smat
Gabriella Spizzirri
Atlas VanZanten
C.O. “Doc” Erickson Scholarship in Journalism This scholarship was established in 2006 by the late University of Illinois alumnus and film producer C.O. “Doc” Erickson, who worked with many Hollywood directors, including Alfred Hitchcock on “To Catch a Thief” and “Vertigo,” and with John Houston on “The Misfits.” The scholarship is presented to undergraduate students enrolled in journalism.
Emily Huffman
Calvin Hugy Scholarship This endowment was established from the Calvin E. Hugy estate. Mr. Hugy was a 1950 journalism graduate. He retired as vice president of Pacific Eurpac Service, Inc., of Greenwich, Connecticut. The scholarship is presented to deserving undergraduate media students.
Gabriella Blangiardo
Kris Modi
Bo Ravanh
Charlotte Watson
Emily Wajcik
Cardiss Collins Scholarship for Diversity in Advertising Established by the American Advertising Federation in 1996 to honor Illinois’ first black congresswoman, Rep. Cardiss Collins, this scholarship is awarded to a minority student intending to pursue advertising studies.
Evan Walker
Joshua Watson
Carl and Ruth S. Stephens Scholarship The Stephens family bequeathed a farm to the College of Communications in the mid-1980s. Proceeds from its operation and eventual sale in 1990 have been used to endow this scholarship for journalism students who demonstrate academic merit and/or financial need.
Jacqueline Barba
Brendan Gallian
Stephanie Mosqueda
Charla Krupp Journalism Student Support As a 1975 journalism graduate, Charla Krupp was an inspiration to students, faculty, and professionals alike with her ambition, enthusiasm, and accomplishments. She had a strong desire to help students establish careers in major media markets, such as New York City. It was Ms. Krupp’s wish that the College of Media develop a valuable and practical internship program on her behalf, delivering a rich, diverse multimedia learning experience to allow students to gain hands-on skills for a successful career in journalism. In 2024, this fund expanded its scope to provide scholarship and experiential learning support of Media students. Internship and experiential learning support shall be in the journalism industry.
Jacqueline Barba
Anneliese Cornejo Garcia
Emilio Reyes
Charles G. Sotir Journalism Scholarship This scholarship is made possible from funds donated by alumnus Charles G. Sotir and his wife, Mary, of Evanston, Illinois. The award is given to a journalism undergraduate student with academic merit.
Lillien Salas
College of Media Alumni Scholarship Established in 1943 by alumni donations, this endowment provides awards to outstanding College of Media students, based on scholarship, character and professional achievement.
Francesca Dumitrescu
Vanessa Murillo
College of Media Annual Fund Scholarship These scholarships are funded through contributions to the College of Media Annual Fund from alumni and friends. They are awarded to students based on their scholarship, character and professional achievement.
Demi Apostolakos
Felipe Arrequen Nunez
Evelyn Cabrera
Danielle Mitchell
Sofia Pulido
Nicolas Roacho
Emma Shepherd
Mary Sloan
College of Media Dean’s Honors Scholarship These scholarships are awarded to incoming students based on their prior academic achievements and extracurricular involvement. They are funded by contributions from donors to the College of Media Annual Fund.
Ava Castle
Tony Chan
Emily Chen
Natalie Circolone
Emily Huffman
Kate Lamb
Jennifer Lee
Kalie Lomeli
Ashleigh Rappaport
Benjamin Shlau
Faiz Siddiqi
Lillian Walk
Megan Wilbur
Ella Yoder
College of Media Endowed Scholarship This scholarship is made available each year to outstanding undergraduate students within any college degree program and is based on financial need, academic merits, or both. Alumni and friends make gifts to the fund annually.
Ayesha Baweja
College of Media Underrepresented Scholarship Fund Endowed in 2020 by alumni donations, this scholarship provides awards to outstanding College of Media underrepresented students, based on scholarship, character, and financial need.
Lucy Ganser
Cynthia Browne Placek Endowed Scholarship The Cynthia Browne Placek Endowed Scholarship was established in November 2022 by Cynthia to benefit students who demonstrate financial need in the Department of Journalism at the University of Illinois.
Daniel Branand
Daily Illini Journalism Scholarship Fund This fund was established in 2020 by Sarah Min (BS ’93, journalism) and Matthew Pincus of the Sarah Min and Matthew Pinkus Foundation, to benefit undergraduate journalism students who are committed to working at least one semester at The Daily Illini. Sarah Min is a digital media consultant in New York City.
TBD
Dana M. Ewell Memorial Placement Awards Established in 2003, this award honors Dana M. Ewell in name and legacy. Ms. Ewell was an instructor, lecturer, academic programs coordinator, and placement/internship coordinator in the Department of Journalism. Whether in the classroom teaching a course on editing or reporting or in her office providing information and guidance on internships or job placement, Ms. Ewell was always accessible to students. She became a mentor and friend to many. This award is presented to a junior, senior, or graduate student who is studying journalism.
Shawn Sloan
Daniel and Nancy Balz Endowed Fund in Journalism In 2013, Dan and Nancy Balz brought their love of an Illinois education to life by establishing their first scholarship. Dan received both a bachelor’s and master’s degree in journalism and went on to be an internationally recognized correspondent for The Washington Post. Nancy has degrees from the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences and Library and Information Science. The fund from their endowment will be used for either scholarship or internship support for journalism students in the College of Media.
Stephanie Mosqueda
David Shaul Endowed Scholarship in Journalism David Shaul (BS ’63, journalism), personified what local television news should be. He was an integral part of Champaign-Urbana, as a professional broadcaster and citizen, for more than five decades. He was an ethical journalist known for his experience, professionalism and rich knowledge of central Illinois. He set the standard for quality television journalism and was honored by several friends and family who created this scholarship in his honor in 2018. The scholarship honors an undergraduate journalism student based on academic merit.
Rolando Mendez
Dawn M. Turner and Kim D. Turner Endowed Scholarship in Media Dawn M. Turner (BS ’87 journalism) a former columnist and reporter for the Chicago Tribune, established this scholarship in 2018 in honor of her late sister Kim. The fund supports undergraduate scholarships and experiential learning opportunities for College of Media students with a demonstrated financial need, giving preference to African American students. Dawn hopes to inspire students to seek out untold stories to counteract the negativity we often see in the media.
Selena Adetunji
Deanna Frautschi and Alan Bedell Scholarship This scholarship fund was established in 2018 by Deanna Frautschi (BS ’70, Advertising) and her husband Alan Bedell, to benefit College of Media juniors and seniors, regardless of their major. Deanna retired after a 33-year career as executive vice president of communications and human resources for COUNTRY Financial and wants College of Media students to reap the benefits of an Illinois education, just as she did.
Alexander Gallegos
Department of Journalism Scholarship This fund was established in 1982 by alumni donations to the Department of Journalism Scholarship Fund. It provides awards to outstanding College of Media students, based on scholarship, character and professional achievement.
Benjamin Fader
Donald E. Chamberlain Journalism Scholarship This award is presented to outstanding journalism students on the basis of academic performance and promise of success in the field. The award was established in 1956 by the Illinois Legislative Correspondents Association in memory of Mr. Chamberlain. The ILCA dates back to 1946. Mr. Chamberlain worked with state and legislative leaders to establish modern pressroom facilities for the association in 1947.
Adrian Carrasco
Donald P. Mullally Internship at Illinois Public Media A scholar and true visionary for public radio and television, Don Mullally served as General Manager at the NPR and PBS stations licensed to the University of Illinois from the early 1970s until his retirement in 2005 – well into the Internet age. The Donald P. Mullally Endowment was established with gifts made in his honor at the time of his retirement. Mullally passed away in early 2015. Interest from the endowed fund supports a paid internship at WILL in the fall and spring semesters each year.
Eldon Jones
Earl M. Cummings Advertising Education Research Award These are academic research awards given to Master’s in Advertising students who demonstrate great promise in research.
Zoe Randolph
Ed Wilks Memorial Scholarship in Journalism This scholarship was established in 1988 by the Ambassadors, a St. Louis charitable and civic organization. Mr. Wilks graduated from the University of Illinois in 1950 and went on to a fine career in journalism. He worked with The Associated Press and for the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, where he was executive sports editor for most of his 34 years in the business. This scholarship is for undergraduate journalism students interested in newspaper careers.
Jude Rivero Panlilio
Florence Hood Miner Scholarship in Journalism This endowment was established in 1998 by Florence Hood Miner of Castle Rock, Colorado. Scholarships are awarded to undergraduate students in journalism, with a preference to students working for The Daily Illini or a similar student newspaper.
Nathalie Murillo
Florence J. Johnson Scholarship The Florence J. Johnson Endowed Fund was created in July 2014 in memory of Florence J. Johnson, a 1945 journalism graduate who gifted the fund to the College of Media from her estate.
Sofia Cesarone
Grace He
Nathaniel Murphy
Megan Wood
Forsyth Family Endowed Scholarship Created in 2014 by Illinois alumni Bill and Martha Forsyth, this renewable scholarship is awarded based on academic merit. The Forsyths know that media is a rapidly changing industry. This scholarship will help students gain the experience they need to make an impact in the industry and be innovative leaders.
Olivia Sims
George Will Endowed Scholarship The George Will Endowment Fund was created in 2014 in honor of George Will, a local University Laboratory High School graduate and a 1977 Pulitzer Prize-winning political commentator for The Washington Post. Will was named a member of Uni High’s “Class of the Century” in 2022. The scholarship is awarded to an outstanding College of Media student.
Emily Hong Chen
Gerald P. Johnson Scholarship A 1951 graduate of Illinois, Gerald Johnson was an engaged community member and great enthusiast of local sports. To honor Gerry and his lifelong interest in sports broadcasting, his family established the Gerald P. Johnson Endowment Fund in the fall of 2013. The fund provides merit-based awards for either scholarships or internships to undergraduates with an interest in broadcast journalism.
Madison Holcomb
Jakob Stutz
Gerald Robert Bland Scholarship Established by Wilma R. Bland from her estate to honor her late husband, Gerald Robert Bland, this scholarship is presented to students in journalism.
Jonathan Mathew
Glenn Hanson Scholarship in Visual Communication Presented in honor of longtime journalism faculty member Glenn Hanson, this scholarship is awarded to a journalism student studying graphic arts.
Sijie (Jenny) Lin
Glenn Holman Roberts Journalism Scholarship This award was established by the late Glenn H. Roberts, a 1947 University of Illinois journalism graduate. Mr. Roberts retired after 39 years as the vice president of research for The Des Moines Register and then was the head of his own research firm. The fund provides scholarships to juniors or seniors who have proven ability in journalism courses, have extracurricular journalistic experience and demonstrate a particular interest in print journalism.
Enkhjin (Engi) Erdenekhuyag
Goldie Maxine Cord and Marcus Franklin Cord Scholarship This scholarship was established in memory of Goldie Maxine Cord, a 1936 journalism graduate. The scholarship is presented to a third-year journalism student.
Emilio Reyes
H. Maxine Gladding Greenwood Scholarship This award was established in 2001 by James Greenwood to honor his wife, Maxine, a 1938 journalism graduate. Mrs. Greenwood was a feature writer for the Moline Daily Dispatch and was the first woman on its display advertising staff. The fund provides scholarships, fellowships and teaching awards as appropriate. Students receiving scholarships are chosen for academic achievement and financial need.
Dalila Divanovic
Harold E. and Dorothy Johnson Sortor Journalism Scholarship This scholarship was established in 1988 by Harold E. and Dorothy Johnson Sortor of Savannah, Georgia, who wished to acknowledge their appreciation to the University of Illinois by providing financial recognition to outstanding journalism students. The scholarship is based on academic merit.
Eunsung (Anna) Koh
Vivian La
Harold Gustave Roettger Memorial Award This award is presented to outstanding graduating seniors in Media and is based on academic performance and membership in Kappa Tau Alpha, a national communications honorary society.
Ethan Grinberg
Jacqueline Leveille
Harold R. Bruno Jr. Fund in Journalism The Bruno Fund, created in 2011, provides unrestricted support for the College of Media. This year the income from the fund is being used to support internships. A 1950 graduate of the college, Bruno began his journalism career working for Chicago area news services and papers. At Newsweek he served as foreign correspondent and political editor before joining ABC News in 1978 where he retired a political director.
Evan Delong
Helen C. and Theodore B. Peterson Scholarship This scholarship was established in 1998 in memory of Theodore B. Peterson, former dean of the College of Communications, now the College of Media. Dean Peterson’s wife, Helen Peterson, passed away in 2007, and the scholarship now bears both of their names.
Zeno Jo
Hugh Hough Memorial – Media This fund was established in 1986 by Hugh Hough’s wife Ellen Wasemann Hough and other donors to honor Hugh Hough, a 1951 journalism graduate. Hugh Hough was an author who received a Pulitzer Prize for Breaking News Reporting with Art Petacque for uncovering new evidence that led to the reopening of efforts to solve the 1966 murder of Valerie Percy. The scholarship is awarded to a journalism student, who, based on professional interest and academic achievement, shows promise of continuing Hugh Hough’s legacy as a journalist.
Megan Harding
Hugh M. Hefner First Amendment Scholars Graduate Fellowship In honor of the late Ted Peterson, former Dean of the College of Communications and magazine journalism giant, this fellowship is awarded based upon academic merit and professional promise to graduate students enrolled in the Department of Journalism.
Noah Nelson
Ian Fleming Foundation Undergraduate Research Scholarship The Ian Fleming Foundation (IFF) Undergraduate Research Scholarship has been donated by the Ian Fleming Foundation to honor the late Ian Lancaster Fleming, a journalist, critic, travel writer, and author of the James Bond novels. The IFF was formed in 1992 by Dr. Michael L. VanBlaricum, John Cord, and Douglas Redenies, and this scholarship was established by the IFF in 2014. The purpose of this scholarship is to provide incentive and support to outstanding undergraduate students to become involved in primary media and/or film research with College of Media faculty. Funds are offered each year to undergraduate students who possess an outstanding track record of academic achievement along with independent research potential.
Eve Cabrera
Trent Miles
Yuhan Zhou
Illinois Broadcasters Association Scholarship in Broadcast Journalism This scholarship was established in 2004 by the Illinois Broadcasters Association for an undergraduate journalism student majoring in broadcast journalism who demonstrates talent, commitment, excellence, and professional ambition in broadcasting. The student must have a superior record of academic performance and be the top student preparing to enter their senior year.
Vivian Lee
Iris Chang Journalism Award This award was established in memory of Iris Chang by her family and friends. Ms. Chang was born in Princeton, New Jersey, and grew up in Champaign-Urbana, where she earned a bachelor’s degree in journalism at the University of Illinois in 1989. She established herself as an invaluable source of information about Asia, human rights and Asian American history with her international best seller, The Rape of Nanking. Seniors in journalism are eligible.
Kayla Henry
Shawn Sloan
Stephanie Wayda
J. Christopher and Robin N. Kaler Scholarship This scholarship was established by Jon “Chris” and Robin Kaler in July 2005 and is split between the College of Media and the Main University Library. It provides unrestricted support to the journalism broadcast sequence in the Department of Journalism, awarded to undergraduate journalism students. Robin is a double alumna of the College of Media, with a B.S. in Journalism in 1983 and a M.S. in Journalism in 1992, and currently serves the Associate Chancellor for Public Affairs for the University of Illinois.
Liliana Rodriguez
James Webb Young Travel Fund James Webb Young was one of the great pioneers and most honored figures in advertising. Mr. Young, a self-educated man who authored four textbooks on advertising, enjoyed a distinguished career that lasted six decades and bridged two centuries. It began with the writing of direct response advertising and continued to include, among other achievements, the creation of several now-classic ads and the founding of the Advertising Council. The fund was established at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign in 1959. One of its main goals is to improve advertising by attracting talented graduate students from all over the world.
Paris Baptiste
Jiyeon Chang
Alyssa Xinle Du
Masashi Fukada
Namita Gupta
Woo Jin Kim
Floria Yujin Lee
Ruiheng Sun
Nini Zhou
Jay Lin Scholarship Jay Lin (MS ’89, advertising), the first mainland Chinese student to receive a master’s degree from oversees, created the Jay Lin Scholarship Fund in 2018. It was his dream to someday give back to the University of Illinois’ next generation of advertising students after receiving support via the James Webb Young Scholarship when he was a student. This scholarship honors an advertising student in the college.
Ivana Salto de Llergo
Jenny Lenzini Memorial Scholarship in Journalism The family of Jenny Lenzini (BS ’16, journalism) established a scholarship to help make education more affordable for University of Illinois students, to fund their passions, and to honor her legacy. Jenny passed away tragically on November 15, 2020, at the age of 26. At Illinois, Jenny worked for The Daily Illini, was a member of Chi Omega sorority, and helped lead UI-7 News to a NATAS Crystal Pillar Award for the best college newscast in Mid-America. This scholarship supports an undergraduate junior or senior journalism student with undergraduate scholarships or experiential learning opportunities.
Darryl Norwood
Joe Sutton Honorary Scholarship This award was established by the late June Sleeman, University of Illinois journalism alumna, and her late husband, Tom Sleeman, who was president of Unocal Chemicals in Los Angeles, to honor Joe Sutton, former assistant dean, associate professor in journalism and editor of Illinois Alumni News. Joe was a key person in the instructional program of the Department of Journalism and had the responsibility for the core of news writing and editing courses. The award provides a scholarship to a female print journalism student enrolled in the College of Media—who is or has been on the staff of The Daily Illini—on the basis of academic performance and promise of success in journalism.
Ashley Gilbert
Joel D. and Analee Weisman Scholarship Established in 1999 by Joel D. Weisman and Analee Rudich Weisman, this scholarship is given to an undergraduate student who is working, either part-time or full-time, at a job that involves journalism, marketing or management. Students with financial need are given preference. Joel Weisman is an attorney, talent representative and Emmy Award-winning Chicago television host and commentator. While a student he met his wife, Analee, and worked as a sportswriter columnist for The Daily Illini and The News-Gazette.
Katherine Ratke
John H. and Sylvia N. Schacht Memorial Scholarship John Schacht was a longtime journalism faculty member who was an editor of The Daily Illini as an undergraduate. His father was previously editor-in-chief of the paper. Sylvia N. Schacht taught English at the University for 25 years. This scholarship was created by the Schacht family in honor of their parents. It is presented to an undergraduate student who is a staff member of The Daily Illini.
Lauren Barjami
John Russell Heitman Fellowship Mildred Yates Heitman (B.A., LAS General Studies, ’26) of Rantoul, Illinois created this fund in 1992 in honor of her husband, John Russell Heitman, who taught journalism at the University of Illinois in the 1930s. Mr. Heitman owned the Lake Forester newspaper and Heitman Printing Plant in Lake Forest. The fund supports graduate fellowships and assistantships in journalism.
Alexander Winton
John T. Trebilcock Memorial Award This memorial fund was established to honor the late John Trebilcock, a journalism teacher. The award recognizes a Daily Illini reporter judged to have done the year’s best investigative reporting. The Daily Illini staff chooses the recipient and matches the College of Media award.
Lillien Salas
Jonathan Laxamana Award in Student Filmmaking Established in 2024 by Joseph Laxamana plus friends and family, this award is given in honor of his younger brother, Jonathan Laxamana (BS ’92, English, LAS) who was passionate about film and film festivals. The recipient of this award is a student who demonstrates outstanding foregrounding representation in front of and behind the camera, as well as their skills as a filmmaker.
Wuxing Warriors: An Asian American Epic by Daniel Zhang
Judy Blasdell Bligh Endowed Journalism Scholarship Judy Blasdell Bligh was a 1969 University of Illinois Advertising graduate who worked in journalism, primarily in copy editing and proofreading. She worked for University of Illinois Press, The Library at 190 S. Lasalle in Chicago, Fearon-Pitman Publishers in California, and Apple in Seattle, Washington, during her long career. The scholarship was named in Judy Blasdell Bligh’s honor upon her passing in April 2020. It recognizes outstanding students in the Department of Journalism.
Elizabeth Fawley
Jules and Jody Anne Becker Scholarship This scholarship was established by the late Jules Becker and Jody Anne Becker to assist journalism or advertising students. Mr. Becker, of Becker & Company Public Relations-Advertising in San Rafael, California, attributed his outstanding journalistic education and solid foundation for life to the college.
Emily Huffman
Karen Lucas Petitte Endowed Scholarship in Journalism Karen Petitte holds both bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Illinois. While at Illinois, Karen was among the first women selected as editor-in-chief of The Daily Illini. She has worked for the Chicago Tribune, the Chicago Daily News, Consumers Digest, Modern Healthcare, and Modern Physician, the latter two published by Chicago-based Crain Communications, Inc. She has served as the first woman president of the Chicago Newspaper Guild and as Chicago’s consumer affairs commissioner under Mayor Jane Byrne. In 2007 she was inducted into the Chicago Journalism Hall of Fame and the Illini Media Hall of Fame. The award is given to a student majoring in journalism based on academic merit and financial need.
Megan Krok
Mallory Miller
Klues Scholars In 2015, the Jack M. Klues and Elizabeth F. Klues Family Foundation established an endowment in the Charles H. Sandage Department of Advertising to fund scholarships and experiential learning opportunities for underrepresented students with significant financial need. The gift was initiated by Jack Klues, a 1977 advertising alum, who began his career as an account executive in the media department at Leo Burnett. In 1996, he was part of the management team that created Starcom, and in 2003, following the acquisition by Publicis Groupe, he served as global CEO for Publicis Groupe Media. From 2007 until his retirement in 2012, he served as global CEO and Directoire member with oversight of media agencies, as well as Digitas and Razorfish under Publicis’ holding company’s digital and media agency, Vivaki. Mr. Klues has served in many volunteer leadership roles for the College of Media, including the James Webb Young Board, and has served on the board of directors for the Off the Street Club in Chicago for more than 25 years. His family’s gift will assist the college in its goal of building a more diverse student population, which ultimately improves diversity within the advertising industry.
Gabriella Blangiardo
Aniya Davis
Sumer Hazeen
Alessandra Lopez
Kayla McLurkin
Bavya Sri Sai Inti
Alejandro Villa
Caitlyn Volsansky
Ivette Zuniga
Lulu Kelly Nardine Awards Three awards are given to journalism students who have demonstrated excellence in writing. The late Gretchen Nardine Doris of Tampa, Florida, established this scholarship in memory of her mother.
Farrah Anderson
Ethan Holesha
Anulika Ochuba
Marian and Barney Brody Creative Feature Article Writing Awards in Journalism These awards were established in 1996 through the generosity of Marian Boruck Brody, a 1937 journalism graduate, who passed away in 2016. The awards are presented to journalism graduate or undergraduate students judged to have reported and written the best student feature articles during the academic year.
1st place: Hannah Lonergan for “Notes on resistance: Claudia Lennhoff and the motivations of an activist”
2nd place: Madison Holcomb for “He used education to escape a violent childhood. Today, he wants to help kids in similar situations”
3rd place: Humza Qazi for “UIUC Beekeeping Club president says goodbye to her hive”
Marilyn Miller Kaytor Scholarships Established from the estate of Marilyn Miller Kaytor, one of the first journalists to make a career of writing about food for a mass audience, this endowed fund supports scholarships for undergraduate students enrolled in the Department of Journalism.
Felicity Abbott
Siona Ahuja
Chloe Barbarise
Patricia Bradford
Andrew Burkey
Kathryn Dalton
Talia Duffy
Elizabeth Fawley
Ryan Hastings
Kaylee Hill
Michael Kupiec
Vivian La
Kiel Ledin
Faith Lee
Hannah Lonergan
Nour Longi
Haley Maser
Nathalie Murillo
Matthew Murphy
Cooper O’Kelly
Ethan Oskroba
Humza Qazi
Mariana Quezada Marquez
Julissa Reyes
Sam Rink
Luliana Rodriguez
Adam Rosen
Thomas Rot
Angel Saldivar
Gwyneth Skiles
Julia Youman
Murray Kalis Awards for Creativity in Advertising Murray Kalis (BS ’61, advertising) had a long and successful career in the advertising business, creating Kalis, Inc. He spent most of his career as a creative director and established this fund in 2020 to emphasize to students the importance of creativity in advertising. The awards are given to students majoring in advertising in recognition of excellence in creativity in advertising. The criteria for these awards includes smart positioning, outstanding creative concept, strong execution, and a “wow” factor.
William Horvath – Best Single Ad
Hailey Cooper – Best Campaign
Ayden Van Harlingen – Best Portfolio
Nancy Ronald and Ronald L. Hartshorn Internships Nancy Ronald (BS ’70, journalism) and Ron Hartshorn (BS ’69, ACES) established this endowment in 2013 to support students pursuing internships in media. Preference is given to students with an interest in broadcast journalism.
Eve Cabrera
Elissa Eaton
Piper Pascarella
Yuhan Zhou
Neil and Lynn Gissler Experiential Learning Fund This experiential learning fund, created in 2023 by D. Neil Gissler (B.A. Economics, ’87) and Lynn A. Gissler (B.A. Communication, ’86), supports College of Media undergraduate students with experiential learning and industry immersion opportunities. Preference is given to students majoring in Advertising.
Alyla Ditiangkin
Mary “Bekah” Douglas
Ethan Kopec
Macy Miller
Rebekah Phaiboun
Benjamin Riseman
Nelio A. Florio and Patricia M. Florio Scholarship in Journalism Patricia Florio established this scholarship in honor of her husband, the late Nelio Florio, a 1938 journalism graduate. Nelio was a sports writer on The Daily Illini and served as sports editor of Trans-Radio News, the Southtown Economist, the Garfieldian, and the Austin News. Later he joined Western Electric and served for 31 years as editor of its newspaper and then at the Oak Park Journal as sports editor. The award is presented to an undergraduate journalism student.
Zeno Jo
Paul C. Fulton Scholarship This scholarship fund was created by Mrs. Ester Fulton to honor her late husband, Paul, a longtime advertising executive with the Chicago Tribune. The scholarship is awarded to juniors or seniors who maintain academic excellence and demonstrate proficiency in their field.
Brianna Logvinski
Yanglu (Viola) Wang
Raymond Clamage Prize in Journalism In 1947, Mr. and Mrs. Edward Clamage established a fund with the University in memory of their son, Raymond, who served on The Daily Illini staff from 1942 to 1943 and was killed in action in World War II. This award is presented to the member of The Daily Illini staff not holding a senior position who has contributed the most to the progress and quality of the newspaper during the year.
Jacob “Jack” Larson
Raymond O. Torr Memorial Scholarship in Journalism Illinois Journalism alumnus Raymond Torr was the public relations director for the National Fund for Medical Education. Upon his death, his colleagues established this memorial to honor his legacy. The award is presented to a graduating senior who shows promise of a successful professional career in journalism.
Ashleigh Kendrick
Richard Hildwein Memorial Photojournalism Award Presented in honor of longtime faculty member Richard “Dick” Hildwein, this scholarship is awarded to a journalism student with an interest in photojournalism.
Emily Ritchie
Richard Tuttle Orr Scholarship This scholarship was established in 1993 by Richard Tuttle Orr of Chicago, a University of Illinois journalism graduate. He was a Chicago Tribune staff member, and served as president of the Chicago Press Club and the Newspaper Farm Editors of America. The award provides scholarships based on academic merit and/or financial need to undergraduate students who are majoring or intend to major in journalism.
Farrah Anderson
Grace Bernstein
Ehkhjin (Engi) Erdenekhuyag
Katherine Ratke
Emilio Reyes
Mariah Trujillo
Samuel Yohnka
Robert N. and Lorraine M. Wilt Scholarship Robert and Lorraine Wilt were journalism graduates and later co-publishers of the Muncy Luminary in Muncy, Pennsylvania. Initially Robert Wilt established this scholarship in memory of his wife. After Mr. Wilt’s death, an additional bequest was added to the original fund, and now the scholarship honors them both. The scholarship is presented to an outstanding female journalism student.
Kelsie Choy
Robert O. Endres Endowed Internship at Illinois Public Media Robert O. Endres created this fund in 2017 to support internships with WILL. He earned both his bachelor’s and master’s degree from the College of Media and during his time at Illinois he worked at both WPGU and WILL. Endres had a long, distinguished career as a projectionist including 25 years at Radio City Music Hall.
Farrah Anderson
Roger Ebert Fellows in Media Criticism In recognition of Roger Ebert’s career in journalism, the Roger Ebert Fellows program was established in 2015 to provide learning experiences that focus on critical thinking and interpretative journalism. As a key component of the Roger Ebert Center, a select group of Illinois students experience in-depth mentoring by professional critics as they attend film festivals and write for Illinois Public Media and The Daily Illini—Roger’s beloved student newspaper.
Hanna Brazas-Mata
Caroline Tadla
Stephanie Wayda
S. Watson and Elizabeth S. Dunn Fellowship Samuel Watson Dunn was the first PhD graduate from the University of Illinois with an advertising focus. He later returned to the University of Illinois to head the Department of Advertising from 1966-1977. Dr. Dunn was a major force in advertising education, especially in the graduate arena. This fellowship program was created by Dr. and Mrs. Dunn to honor his legacy.
Woo Jin Kim
Schlueter Family Endowed Fund for Internships in Journalism James E. Schlueter is a 1980 graduate of the College of Media School of Journalism. A native of Edwardsville, Illinois, Schlueter was a sportswriter and columnist for The Daily Illini, and was a sportswriter and editor for five years before joining The Boeing Company. He is the second member of his family to earn a degree from the University of Illinois. He and his wife, Amy, are both grateful for the opportunities they have received as alumni from Big Ten universities and are proud and privileged to help future students secure future career success through internships.
Katie Dalton
Katie Ratke
Suzanne Bates and Drew Yanno Experiential Learning Fund This scholarship fund, created in 2021 by Suzanne Bates (B.S. JRN, ’77) and her husband Drew Yanno, supports College of Media undergraduate students with scholarships, internships, and/or other experiential learning opportunities. Preference is given to journalism students with financial need and academic merit.
Stephanie Wayda
Veronica Ponterelli Toussaint and Dr. Paul Toussaint Scholarship Fund Veronica Pontarelli Toussaint (BS ’92 and MS ’93, Advertising) and her husband, Dr. Paul Toussaint, a physician at Amita Health Medical Group, established this scholarship in 2016. Veronica was formerly Vice President of Scholarship for the Chicago North Shore Alumnae Panhellenic Association and started her career as an Account Executive at Shaker Advertising. This fund provides scholarships to outstanding undergraduate students in the Department of Advertising, with preference for residents of the State of Illinois.
Ethan Kasdan
Wilkey Scholarship for Print Journalism This scholarship was established by the Wilkey family in 2007 to reward a junior or senior enrolled in print journalism who displays good mentoring abilities, among other worthy attributes.
Hannah Lonergan
Wilma M. Haist Journalism Memorial Scholarship This memorial fund was a bequest by Wilma M. Haist to honor her late husband, Lt. Col Glade F. Haist, United States Air Force, Class of 1936. The scholarship is to assist journalism students in need of aid and who strive to report news as it really is.
