Journalism 2 | College of Media

Take 5 with Media Alumni: Alex Hedlund

May 15, 2026

Los Angeles-based film and television producer Alex Hedlund (BS ’05, media studies; MS ’06, journalism) knew he wanted to make movies at a young age. When he was just 10 years old, he wrote a letter to Stephen King’s publisher seeking the famed author’s autograph. Hedlund still has his signed copy of Needful Things to this day.

Hedlund has three major projects set to premiere this year, including a 10-episode remake of Cape Fear for Apple TV starring Javier Bardem and Amy Adams; a feature adaptation of Verity starring Anne Hathaway, Dakota Johnson, and Josh Hartnett; and the independent horror film River.

Learn more about this College of Media alum who has empowered writers and directors for the last two decades, and find out which film or TV show he will champion next.

1. What first drew you to filmmaking and production, and how did that evolve into your current role today?

Ever since I was a kid, I told people, “I want to make movies,” before I even knew what that meant or how that would even be possible. All I knew is that I craved escapism through movies, TV, novels, and video games, and for my 10th birthday, I only wanted one thing—Stephen King’s autograph. I wrote a letter to his publisher with this request and received a hard copy of Needful Things signed by the man himself! (I still have and cherish it.) That moment subconsciously unlocked something for me that became a big part of my career, which is identifying uncompromising stories and reaching out to connect with world-class storytellers. As a career producer, I’m constantly looking to empower writers and directors who have a story to tell.

2. What do you consider your biggest career accomplishment? Is there one project that has felt especially meaningful to you?

I’m celebrating 20 years in Los Angeles this year, so I consider my survival in this industry a tremendous accomplishment as a baseline. Project-wise, 2026 is a very meaningful year for me with the premiere of three projects I produced (all of which are seven long years in the making!). The first is a 10-episode series reimagining of Cape Fear for Apple TV in June that stars Javier Bardem and Amy Adams. As a fan of the novel and having seen the Martin Scorsese film as a child (long before I should have!), being a producer on this one was a full-circle moment for me. I also have a feature adaptation of Colleen Hoover’s best-selling erotic thriller Verity that drops in theaters October 2. The film stars Anne Hathaway, Dakota Johnson, and Josh Hartnett, all of whom are fantastic in the film and incredible to work with personally. That’s a big-budget studio film, whereas my next film River is a low-budget indie debut from a writer-director that I discovered and championed. The horror film will premiere this fall, and I couldn’t be prouder.

3. In addition to two degrees at Illinois, you then earned your MFA in the producers program at UCLA. What advice would you give to students who want to break into directing or production but don’t know where to start?

I used to say you absolutely need to move to Los Angeles, though I don’t believe that’s essential anymore. YouTube, MasterClass, Zoom, and social media has democratized everything so you can make a lot of connections and gain knowledge that way. If you want to be a director, you can now shoot a film on your iPhone and upload it online for the world to see. Just create something and get it out there! Or try to get an entry-level job on set or intern at a production company. No matter what, check your ego at the door and be unabashed about your desire for mentorship.

4. The media landscape is constantly changing—how do you keep your work both current and true to your vision?

I always internalize that the only certainty in entertainment is uncertainty, and not to stress about external factors that I cannot control. What I can control though is my taste and what I want to see. If I’m not first in line for a film on its opening night, I know that I’m not the right producer to advocate for it. I think it’s a huge mistake to try and “chase the market” or pursue something for cynical, surface-level reasons—for me, it has to be love at first sight. I need to lose sleep thinking about a project. I’m constantly gut-checking myself to see if this is something my 10-year-old self would have wanted to see—and most likely have to beg my parents to let me see it!

5. What’s one dream project you’d love to direct or produce in the future?

Too many to name, though one of my “white whales” I actually just set up as a feature at Netflix! It’s an adaptation of an award-winning graphic novel called Torso by the brilliant artists Brian Michael Bendis and Marc Andreyko. It’s a true story about Elliott Ness hunting America’s first serial killer in the 1930s. You might say it’s The Untouchables meets Zodiac. [It’s an] incredible, stranger-than-fiction story that was first published decades ago and I’ve been tracking it ever since. I always thought it would make an amazing film, so I’m pinching myself that I was finally able to get my arms around it and hopefully champion it into finally getting made!

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CU-CitizenAccess team wins two Lisagor Awards

May 14, 2026

CU-CitizenAccess, a community online news and information project overseen by Professor Brant Houston, the Knight Chair in Investigative and Enterprise Reporting in the Department of Journalism, was part of a team that won two Lisagor Awards for exemplary journalism from the Chicago Headline Club on May 8.

The team received both “Best Reporting on Race and Diversity” and “Best Reporting on Crime and Justice” in the student category for their submission titled “At Illinois public universities, campus cops pull over Black drivers at higher rates.”

The student team included Maia McDonald, Nicole Jeanine Johnson, Khadija Ahmed, Isabelle Senechal, Amilia Estrada; Investigative Project on Race and Equity, Chicago Public Media, WBEZ, Chicago Sun-Times, CU-CitizenAccess, Saluki Local Reporting Lab, and The Daily Egyptian.

University of Illinois students who contributed to the project through CU-CitizenAccess included Molly Hughes (MS ’25, journalism), Jordan Butler (BS ’25, journalism), and Courtney Dillon (BS ’25, journalism; BA ’25, LAS).

“Managing editor Dylan Tiger (BS ’19, journalism; MS ’20, iSchool) did an excellent job wrangling difficult data and interviews with local officials and helping to coordinate our part,” said Houston. “It was a great experience for students to be involved in the collaboration.”

CU-CitizenAccess is devoted to investigative and enterprise coverage of social, justice, and economic issues in east central Illinois.

The Lisagor Award entries were judged by an impartial Society of Professional Journalists chapter outside Illinois.

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Rikkie Gunawan

Get to know some of our College of Media students! Rikkie Gunawan is a class of 2027 journalism major.

What excites you most about being a journalism major at the University of Illinois?

The most exciting part is how many opportunities there are as a journalism major. Students can get involved in The Daily Illini, WPGU 107.1, UI7 Newsroom, and even Illinois Public Media. Since it’s a small college, you end up getting to know other journalism students and your professors. I like that and the fact that I’ve gotten to meet several of the upperclassmen in journalism and connect with others who have similar interests as myself, which has made my time here at Illinois a great experience.

What sets the journalism program here apart from other schools?

After doing lots of research on schools, I decided to apply to Illinois because their journalism program is versatile. Illinois is inclusive and offers more options of paths to take in the industry. I originally only wanted to do print, but after taking some of the more broadcast-focused classes offered here, I realized broadcast could be pretty fun as well and I could also see a future in that area.

How early on did you realize journalism was the general career path you wanted to take?

My older sister was working for my high school’s newspaper, and they were in need of graphic artists. She knew I liked drawing and encouraged me to join the newspaper team, so I was involved for all four years.

In the beginning I knew I liked writing and drawing, but I didn’t know much about newspaper writing, or really journalism in general. I ended up taking a journalism course in high school and became an editor for the newspaper, and the intersection between reporting and visuals was really fascinating to me. I know a lot of people take in information visually, so that aspect of journalism always really interested me.

What goals have you already accomplished or hope to accomplish at Illinois?

I had this really cool opportunity last year to do an independent study with associate professor of journalism Charles “Stretch” Ledford. He did a global documentary trip to Sierra Leone, West Africa. Although I didn’t go on the trip, I was able to work alongside him to produce a comic for it.

I adapted the story they had already shot into a comic form that focused on the topic of period poverty. Professor Ledford sent me pictures of girls from Sierra Leone holding my comic, and it was just one of the coolest things I’ve been able to do.

What advice would you give to incoming freshmen?

It’s important to put yourself out there. There are so many opportunities at this school to take advantage of. At the same time, don’t always say yes to everything, as it’s very important to set those boundaries and figure out how to manage your time and prioritize what you really want to do. Some things just come your way and it’s important to take the chance.

—Interview by Jaedynn Clark, New Voices Intern

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Journalism and advertising students amplify female head porters’ stories through global course experience in Ghana

April 29, 2026 | Giuliana Means, Communications Intern

Through the course “Globally Focused Advanced Documentary Filmmaking,” five journalism students and three advertising students explored the lives of female head porters, called kayayei, in a faculty-led trip to Accra, Ghana, over spring break.

Group of journalism students and faculty in Ghana

“I know from my experience that traveling and working abroad, especially in Africa, can be an inflection point in one’s life and globally contextualize values,” said Charles “Stretch” Ledford, associate professor of journalism, who has visited more than 55 countries throughout his career. “It was incredibly gratifying to be in a position to provide students this kind of opportunity.”

The course focuses on the labor of the kayayei, young women and girls—some barely in their teens—who migrate from Ghana’s rural north to the country’s urban centers, primarily Accra and Kumasi, in search of work. That work consists of carrying loads that can exceed their own body weight through the city’s sprawling markets, earning the equivalent of less than a dollar per load while exposing themselves to exploitation, musculoskeletal injury, chronic anxiety and depression, and other health and wellness risks.

Focusing on Accra’s Kantamanto used clothing market, the class is producing a documentary focusing on three narratives about kayayei who work there: a day in the life of Sahada Shehabu, a 22-year-old kayayoo; the risks of the work, described by Muhammad Salifu, founder and director of the Kayayei Youth Association; and the role the kayayei play within the market’s economy, explained by Edward Atobrah, deputy general secretary of the Ghana Used Clothing Dealers Association.

You’re dealing with something that has a real impact, and you’re seeing change happen and immersing yourself in a community that you may not have had an opportunity to [otherwise visit].

Tomi Dugbo

Senior in Advertising

The journalism students will also create a 360º-immersive video, photo essays, an audio segment, and social-media friendly short vertical videos. They are sharing their initial work at the campus Undergraduate Research Symposium on Thursday, April 30, in a poster presentation titled “They Want to Go Home: Ghana’s Kayayei.”

Kaitlyn Devitt, a senior in journalism who worked primarily on the documentary film and 360º-immersive video, says the team worked an average of six hours a day over seven shooting days in three locations.

Devitt wants to pursue international journalism after she graduates, especially after this project, because of how rewarding it was.

“This project was perfect to get my feet wet,” Devitt said. “The topic itself was interesting because these women are my age, and who’s to say this couldn’t be me if I hadn’t had the privilege of growing up in America?”

During the trip, the advertising students worked with the Kayayei Youth Association to amplify their mission. They also communicated the journalism students’ reporting processes on social media and documented their experience through a blog site.

“This experience taught me the importance of collaboration where you’re not only working with advertising students, but journalism students,” said Tomi Dugbo, a senior in advertising. “You’re dealing with something that has a real impact, and you’re seeing change happen and immersing yourself in a community that you may not have had an opportunity to [otherwise visit].”

Advertising students with Marisa Peacock outside Innova DDB Ghana

Advertising students also spent time visiting global ad agencies, such as Innova DDB and Ogilvy Africa Ghana, to analyze cross-cultural campaign approaches. They also plan to develop strategic communications campaigns for partner NGOs.

For all the students, it was their first time producing journalism and strategic communications in a foreign country.

“Don’t let perfection be the enemy of good,” advised Marisa Peacock, senior lecturer of advertising. “There’s always time to refine, edit, and evolve it, but you can’t let the perfect shot stand in the way of getting the work done.”

With only a week to conduct interviews, collect footage, and produce the strategic communications deliverables, the team persevered in an environment that demanded that they adapt quickly.

Adelyn Mui, a senior in journalism, dove headfirst into the project to capture an authentic representation of the women’s stories and overcome the challenges of not having the connections she does when reporting on campus.

“Doing global journalism taught me a lot about journalism in general because those same skills I learned in Ghana, I can apply here locally on campus; they were just amplified since I was in a different country,” Mui said.

Students from Fourah Bay College in Sierra Leone and the University of Media, Arts and Communication in Ghana were partners in the project under the umbrella of the Illinois Partnership for African Women’s Health Narratives, spearheaded by Ledford. It is a continuation of his 2023 collaboration with Dr. Francis Sowa, Dean of Faculty of Communication, Media and Information Studies at Fourah Bay College, and new collaborator, Dr. Stephen Tindi, a lecturer at University of Media, Arts and Communication in Accra.

Alison Davis, senior lecturer of journalism, said the Illinois students naturally fell into the role of technological mentors for their West African peers.

“Students from the other countries were able to pick up our equipment and run with it; that’s the collaboration I like to see,” Davis said. “People are not that much different. You get a group of college students together, and they’re all similar. I love that.”

This course continues a broad focus on global women’s health narratives. Ledford and Davis have previously led students to report on local solutions to period poverty in Sierra Leone.

Next year, Ledford hopes to continue the story with reporting in Ghana’s Northern Region, examining how climate change may be accelerating the “push” of young women from Ghana’s rural and relatively poor north to work as kayayei in the country’s more developed south.

See more photos

Major funding was provided by the University of Illinois through the BRIDGE Program, Vision 2030 Global Strategy Implementation Grant, Campus Research Board, Illinois Global Institute, Department of Journalism, the College of Media, and the Karin and Folke Dovring Endowment Fund, with additional support from Lisle International and Sony Electronics.

Photos by and courtesy of Charles “Stretch” Ledford and Marisa Peacock.

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Nina Issel 

Get to know some of our College of Media Students! Nina Issel is a Class of 2027 journalism major.

What made you choose journalism at the College of Media?

I realized I enjoyed opportunities to dive deeply into specific topics whether it was researching global conflicts or exploring complex issues in detail and presenting the information. That curiosity and desire to investigate stories led me to journalism. I saw it as a way to engage with meaningful topics and share them in a more impactful way. Journalism allows me to explore ideas more actively and share them with others.

What has been your favorite journalism class so far, and why?

My favorite class so far has been Journalism 215: Multimedia Reporting. While it’s a required course, I think it’s incredibly valuable because it introduces students to the wide range of skills needed in modern journalism. Before taking the class, I primarily saw myself as a writer. However, JOUR 215 reintroduced me to photography and exposed me to video storytelling, which has since become one of my favorite formats. It helped me realize how essential visual storytelling is in journalism, not just for informing audiences, but for engaging them in the work too.

The class also gave me the confidence to continue developing those skills, which led me to take more advanced courses like video reporting and storytelling. Additionally, the feedback I received was very practical and reflective of real-world journalism, which made the experience even more meaningful. The course helped me discover what I enjoy most about journalism and the direction I want to pursue.

What resources within the College of Media have been most helpful to you as a journalism student?

Through the Media Technology Center and Richmond Studio, students can check out professional-grade cameras, microphones, and other equipment. Access to that equipment and hands-on resources have been incredibly helpful. As someone who initially found the technical side of journalism intimidating, being able to use the tools and connect with knowledgeable staff made a big difference in my work on campus. Being given opportunities to experiment, make mistakes, and learn in a supportive environment has been invaluable. It allows you to build practical skills that are essential in the field, especially when working with multimedia.

What has your experience been like writing for The Daily Illini?

My experience with The Daily Illini has been extremely valuable. I write for the Arts & Entertainment section, where I often focus on topics related to sustainability, technology, and innovation on campus. One of the most impactful aspects has been learning how to manage multiple assignments at once. There are days when I’m attending events, conducting interviews, and working on different stories all within a short timeframe. That fast-paced environment has helped me develop stronger organizational skills and adapt to the rhythm of journalism. It has also given me opportunities to expand my multimedia skills, including photography, especially when covering my own stories. It’s been a great way to gain real-world experience and understand the demands of the profession.

Tell me about your internship experience with Sunugal 24. 

I recently began my internship with Sunugal 24, and it has already been a very insightful experience. Initially, I expected to work at a traditional radio station, but I quickly learned that the organization primarily operates as a digital media platform, focusing on YouTube and social media. This has been especially exciting because I’m very interested in multimedia and social media journalism. I’ve had the opportunity to observe how content is created, analyzed, and distributed, including reviewing audience engagement through analytics and participating in discussions about partnerships and content strategy.

Additionally, working in a multilingual environment where French and Wolof are primarily spoken has given me a new perspective on journalism in a global context. It has challenged me to adapt and think more critically about how information is communicated across different cultures. The experience has strengthened my understanding of digital media and reinforced my interest in pursuing journalism through social and multimedia platforms.

What are your plans after graduation?

I’m particularly interested in pursuing a career in explanatory journalism, especially within multimedia and social media platforms. While I’m still exploring specific opportunities, I’m drawn to organizations that focus on breaking down complex issues and providing meaningful context for audiences. I believe that much of the current mistrust in media stems from a lack of context and depth in reporting. In today’s fast-paced, attention-driven environment, stories are often delivered quickly without fully explaining the broader background. I’m interested in helping address that gap by creating content that not only informs but also provides historical and social context. By doing so, I hope to help audiences better understand complex issues and form more informed perspectives.

What advice would you give to College of Media students interested in journalism?

My biggest piece of advice is to make sure journalism aligns not only with your interests, but also with your personality and working style. It’s one thing to value sharing information, but journalism involves a fast-paced, constantly changing workflow. You need to be comfortable diving deeply into a topic and then moving on quickly to the next story. It also often pushes you outside of your comfort zone. If you enjoy that kind of dynamic environment and are curious about a wide range of topics, journalism can be incredibly rewarding. Ultimately, it’s about finding a balance between your passion for storytelling and the type of work environment that motivates you.

—Interview by Andrea De La Torre, New Voices Intern

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Liliana Rodriguez

Get to know some of our College of Media students! Liliana Rodriguez is a Class of 2026 journalism major.

What led you to your decision to major in journalism at Illinois?

Since high school, I knew I wanted to be in front of the camera and behind the mic. I’ve always been drawn to storytelling and connecting with people. Although my high school didn’t offer journalism or broadcasting classes, I took initiative by contributing to the school newspaper and reporting on football games. At the time, I didn’t fully understand what journalism was, but that experience confirmed my interest to pursue journalism as a career path. Choosing journalism at Illinois felt like a natural next step.

During freshman orientation, I toured Richmond Studio and saw firsthand the professional resources available to journalism students. The newsroom and industry-standard equipment reassured me that I would have the opportunity to gain real, hands-on experience early on. Ultimately, Illinois stood out because of the opportunities it offered and the experiences I knew I could gain here.

What journalism course has been the most valuable to you?

The most valuable course I’ve taken is JOUR 340: Video Reporting and Storytelling with senior lecturer Alison Davis. In this class, I developed practical skills in writing, producing, and presenting video content in a way that is both informative and engaging. Overall, the class helped me grow as both a communicator and storyteller. More importantly, the course reinforced my confidence in pursuing journalism as a career.

What has your experience been like in Fighting Illini Productions?

I currently hold a video production internship at Fighting Illini Productions. Through this internship, I’ve gained hands-on experience in television production and had the opportunity to work with the Big Ten Network’s StudentU, where I was able to serve as an analyst for Illinois softball and provide live commentary during games. Through Fighting Illini Productions, I’ve strengthened my skills both on and off camera within my area of interest in sports media production. I also had the opportunity to intern with the Chicago Sky this past summer, which further expanded my professional experience and network.

What are your career goals after graduating from Illinois, and how has the College of Media helped prepare you for them?

After graduating, I plan to continue pursuing a career in sports and entertainment media, ideally in a role that allows me to be on camera and engage directly with audiences. While sports media has always been my primary interest, my experiences in the College of Media have encouraged me to explore other areas of journalism, including science journalism, media law, and business reporting. Opportunities to interview music and entertainment groups helped me realize that my interests extend beyond sports and into the broader entertainment industry. My long-term goal is to work in a role where I can interview celebrities and influential figures, particularly at major events such as award shows.

The College of Media has prepared me for this path by providing hands-on experience in video production, editing, and storytelling. I’ve developed technical skills using Adobe platforms, as well as experience in photography and audio editing. Just as importantly, I’ve grown more confident in my ability to communicate with others and navigate professional environments. Overall, Illinois has played a key role in shaping both my development as a journalist and my growth as an individual. I’m truly so grateful.

What advice do you have for incoming journalism students?

My biggest piece of advice is to enjoy the moment and to not get too caught up in the pressure. It’s easy to become overwhelmed trying to find the perfect story, secure sources, or worry about whether your work will be accepted. It’s important to remember that professors are there to support you, whether helping you find a new angle or reaching out to a source. The College of Media really tries to understand and engage with their students. Because the College of Media is relatively small, students have many opportunities to build relationships with professors and receive one-on-one support. Sometimes all you need to do is take a step back and breathe. Time goes by faster than you think—I can’t believe I’m already a senior preparing to graduate. Make the most out of your undergraduate experience and have fun!

—Interview by Alexa Camacho Villicana, New Voices Intern

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Take 5 with Media Alumni: Kavitha Cardoza

April 13, 2026

Kavitha Cardoza (MS ’02, journalism) is an assistant professor of journalism at the University of Richmond, and an award-winning reporter, recently being awarded the prestigious American Mosaic Journalism Prize for exemplifying excellence in reporting on underrepresented communities in the United States.

About Kavitha Cardoza

Her work has been seen, heard, and read by millions on outlets like NPR, BBC World News, The Washington Post, The Guardian, and The Atlantic. She was also the host of Breaking Ground with Kavitha Cardoza, a documentary series on education that aired on more than 150 public radio stations.

Originally from India, Cardoza earned bachelor’s degrees in English literature, economics, and psychology, as well as a master’s degree in communication, before coming to the United States. Cardoza says her decision to get a master’s degree in journalism at the University of Illinois College of Media completely changed her life. Read more about this Media alum who has been passionately elevating stories on “the last, the least, and the littlest,” for the past 20 years.

*Q&A transcribed from Zoom interview and edited for length and clarity.

1. Most of your reporting focuses on underrepresented communities and giving voices to vulnerable populations. Why are you drawn to these stories?

When I came to the U.S., I was very surprised because you don’t see poverty the way you see it in India. Over here, sometimes we pretend it isn’t happening, or it’s not around us, when, in fact, there’s deep, deep poverty. I worked for many years for the local NPR affiliate in Washington, D.C., and my beat was education and poverty, and I would see children who didn’t have food, [living] in terrible poverty in our nation’s capital.

There’s this American [sentiment] of pulling yourself up by your bootstraps and the belief that if you haven’t gotten out of poverty, you haven’t tried hard enough. That’s just not the case. There are all kinds of systemic issues that can impact poverty and so, I really felt strongly about bringing these stories to light and showing these struggles, and how people internalize them—thinking it’s their fault or they’re not good enough—when really there are much bigger forces at play.

There are people really, really hurting, and we need to tell their stories. Journalists can elevate those voices because of the platform we have. I cannot imagine doing anything else. I cannot imagine anything else giving me more meaning. I really do wake up every morning feeling like I’m doing something that matters, and I feel so lucky.

2. You’ve covered education, health, and poverty for decades, but you’ve said a story you wrote as a College of Media student about a roadkill collector stands out. Why?

My very first story for audio was to do a profile of someone, and at that time, I was driving from Springfield to Urbana-Champaign and noticed these marks on the road that I later learned were from roadkill. As an international student, I had never heard of roadkill so when I found out, I thought, ‘Oh my gosh, wouldn’t it be cool and interesting to profile the roadkill man? Like, who does this for a job?’

I think this guy thought I was totally crazy when I first called and asked to do a ride along. He was this 6’4 African-American guy from the South and I’m this 5-foot-nothing brown girl from India—you couldn’t get further apart in terms of our backgrounds, and there we were, spending the whole day in the truck and talking and trying to learn about each other, because for every question I had, he had questions for me as well. They dig a kind of grave, usually at the side of the road, and bury the roadkill there, so he had got out to do that, and I had gone with him. We were at the side of the highway, waiting to cross to get back into this big orange truck and when you’re outside your car on the highway, the noises are so loud, the cars are just whizzing by, and it’s totally overwhelming and feels so much more dangerous than when you’re inside your car.

Both of us had to cross the road, and without thinking, we instinctively just held hands and ran across the road together. I thought to myself, that is such a metaphor for what we’re doing in life, right? It’s like we’re so different, and all we’re trying to do is get support from each other and understand each other and try and cross the road and not have something hit you. It just became this beautiful lesson to me that taught me to never say or think to myself that a person and I have nothing in common. I always believe we have common ground—I can understand someone, and they can understand me. All it takes is the willingness to start a conversation.

It’s also how I got my first job. Another professor had us ask a news director anywhere in Illinois to critique our work. So, I took my roadkill story to the news director of the public radio station in Springfield, Illinois, and I said, ‘This is a class assignment, do you mind critiquing it for me?’ He said he was born and raised in central Illinois and never thought of doing a story like this. Then he offered me a job. I really owe my career to that little story.

3. What led you to pursue a graduate degree in journalism at Illinois, and what was your experience like?

I came to the U.S. and I thought I’d get a degree and work for one year as a reporter and then start on my PhD. I did my master’s at Illinois, and the journalism bug just bit me and never left!

Illinois changed my life. I would not trade it for anything. When I was a student, I felt like people went out of their way to help. I feel like my professors poured into me, and they have been my educators for life. When I had to negotiate my first salary, I called a professor. When I moved to a bigger market in D.C., I called a professor. When I got married, I invited my professors. They are such a part of my life, and I’m so, so grateful to them.

4. How does your experience as a working journalist shape your teaching?

Most of my students are getting their news from social media. They’re not consuming and creating news the way I did, and so I wanted to keep up. I felt if I’m going to be someone’s teacher, I want them to have the most up-to-date kind of way of doing things. And when we talk about ethics, which I talk about in almost every class, I wanted up-to-date examples. I never want to stop practicing journalism so I can feel like I can bring my experience back to the classroom and my students and keep discussions relevant.

5. With journalism constantly evolving, what remains constant for you?

When I was at the U of I, we were still using something called carts—they’re like bulky cassettes you don’t even use anymore for broadcast journalism—and the format has changed several times over since then. I’ve already seen so many changes, and with AI, there are going to be many more. But I always tell my students, you can write with your finger in the sand, or you can write on the latest Mac computer. It doesn’t matter what you’re writing on, if you don’t have something to say. And that is my job—to help students figure out what they have to say. To me, that is most important, and so I’m sure by the time these students graduate, or by the time they are mid-career, AI will probably be old, and they will be wrestling with technology we haven’t even heard of or thought of yet. But really, learning how to think is why they’re in my classroom and that is what I focus on.

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‘Hot Ones’ host and Illinois alumnus Sean Evans named 2026 Commencement speaker

March 12, 2026 | Thomas Bruch, University of Illinois News Bureau

Daytime Emmy® Award-nominated talk show host and Illinois alumnus Sean Evans will serve as the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign’s Commencement speaker on Saturday, May 16, at 9:30 a.m. in Gies Memorial Stadium. Evans graduated with a degree in broadcast journalism from the College of Media in 2008.

Sean Evans, host of "Hot Ones" and University of Illinois College of Media alum — (Photo by Fred Zwicky / University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign)

Evans is the co-creator and host of the popular YouTube show Hot Ones, where musicians, professional athletes, and television and movie stars join Evans in eating chicken wings doused in progressively spicier hot sauces within the format of a talk-show interview. He notched a Daytime Emmy® Award nomination in 2021 for Outstanding Entertainment Talk Show Host and has won multiple Internet entertainment awards. Evans also was named to TIME magazine’s inaugural “Time100 Creators” list last year, heralding the most influential digital voices of the modern media industry.

“Sean Evans defined his own path and reimagined the role of a journalist and a talk show host in the modern media landscape,” said Illinois Chancellor Charles L. Isbell, Jr. “We encourage Illinois students and alumni to be innovative, and Sean created something no one else had. His work inspires us to continue to push boundaries, to challenge convention, and to develop new ideas instead of just adopting old ones.”

Sean’s career is a wonderful illustration of where an Illinois education, one that nourishes creativity and confidence, can take you. We are so proud of his accomplishments and know that he will inspire students with his story.

Tracy Sulkin

College of Media Dean

Evans forged an affinity for the university long before he arrived at Illinois as an undergraduate student. His mother attended the U of I, and Evans’s favorite holiday haul to this day was the morning he found a Sega Genesis and an orange-and-blue Illinois Starter jacket underneath his Christmas tree as a boy.

Once he stepped on campus as a student, a lasting imprint was left almost immediately.

“You walk out on the Quad, and it looks so quintessentially college,” said Evans, a native of Crystal Lake. “It looks like a college out of a film. There’s a scale and a history to it that really smacks you in the face. Walking onto the Main Quad for the first time, I had this feeling of being in a totally different place in my life and feeling a lot of comfort in it.”

Evans said he “trusted the incubation period” of the journalism program in the College of Media to build up his skill set. He recalled the high standards the professors expected out of students, and the meaningful experience he gained cycling through each production role on WPGU-FM student news broadcasts.

Alum Sean Evans, *Hot Ones* host, visits with students in Journalism 340: Video Reporting and Storytelling, taught by College of Media senior lecturer Alison Davis. The class was one Sean remembered taking when he was in school.
(Photo by Fred Zwicky / University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign)

“Sean’s career is a wonderful illustration of where an Illinois education, one that nourishes creativity and confidence, can take you. We are so proud of his accomplishments and know that he will inspire students with his story,” said Tracy Sulkin, dean of the College of Media.

But like many young people entering the workforce in 2008, he found a flagging job market upon graduation. Evans returned to his old summer gig: a Chicago architecture tour guide.

“I remember feeling so hopeless,” Evans said. “There was this existential feeling to it. But even at that time, I had a passion for what I wanted to do. I would take every freelance project I could get. I knew I had a passion for this work and needed an outlet for it.”

His meteoric rise began after successfully pitching and developing Hot Ones in 2015, when he was working at Complex magazine. He wasn’t even the biggest fan of chicken wings. At best, Evans thought it could be a fun idea he and his co-creators would program on a quarterly basis. But the format of humanizing celebrities—and making them forget their media training—by putting them through blistering hot wing sauces worked in capitalizing on the attention economy. Notable guests have included Will Smith, Stephen Curry, Billie Eilish, Justin Timberlake, Gordon Ramsay, Neil deGrasse Tyson, Dua Lipa, and many more across the show’s 400 episodes.

Sean Evans in Illinois regalia — (Photo by Fred Zwicky / University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign)

“I certainly never thought it would be my own media company,” Evans said. “We were working in cubicles at Complex and ended up making something that became bigger than these giant, hulking media companies it was incubated in.”

Evans remains deeply involved in the preparation for each Hot Ones episode and works late into the night formulating precise questions and perfecting his delivery of those queries to his guests. These nocturnal work sessions always transport Evans back to his time at Illinois, where he would sign up for the latest availability in the basement of Gregory Hall to edit his broadcast journalism projects.

“I always really liked going down there, having my headphones on, being the only person in the building, and just lost in the basement of Gregory Hall cutting packages,” Evans said. “I still to this day work like that. I’ve written my best interview questions—and probably the most interview questions—after 10 p.m.”

As his own celebrity stature has grown, Evans has eagerly returned to his alma mater. He has attended sporting events, spoken to students, and even hosted a special edition of Hot Ones with Illinois men’s head basketball coach Brad Underwood as the guest. It’s all a part of giving back to a place that has been special to him for most of his life, and Evans can’t wait to add to that legacy with his role as Commencement speaker.

“As somebody who loves this school, went to this school, and now has this crazy pop culture platform, it’s fun to bring that energy back to Illinois,” Evans said.

Watch Chancellor Charles L. Isbell, Jr. interview Commencement speaker and Illinois Media alumnus Sean Evans:

For more information regarding the universitywide ceremony—including the stadium’s clear-bag policy, student regalia, and parking instructions—visit commencement.illinois.edu.

Editor’s note: To request a media interview with Sean Evans, contact Kovert Creative at fwfpr@kovertcreative.com. For media requests related to Commencement, contact Patrick Wade, director of executive communications and issues management, 217-333-5010, pwade@illinois.edu. For information about Commencement, contact commencement@illinois.edu.

See original press release.

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College of Media launches new bachelor’s degree in sports media

Illini Sports Night pregame show at women's basketball game

March 9, 2026 | Holly Rushakoff

After years of planning, a new bachelor’s in sports media is ready for prime time.

Illini Sports Night hosting live pregame show before Illinois women's basketball game.

In response to a growing interest from students—and with a proven track record of successful alumni across the sports media industry—the College of Media is expanding its roster to offer a Bachelor of Arts in Sports Media.

The program will prepare students for a variety of careers in sports media, including as PR and strategic communication managers, content creators and digital storytellers, social media and data analysts, sportscasters and producers, and more.

The new undergraduate degree received official approval from the Illinois Board of Higher Education in Spring 2026.

This is an area of high interest from students and employers alike, and, together with our campus partners, we are prepared to offer students a first-rate experience marked by the innovation, rigor, and personalized attention that defines all of our degree programs in the College of Media.

Tracy Sulkin

College of Media Dean

Starting April 27, current University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign students may apply to transfer into the BA in sports media for Fall 2026. Transfer students from outside the University of Illinois can apply to the program for Spring 2027. First-year students can apply for Fall 2027 entry.

Courses from all three departments in the College of Media—Advertising, Journalism, and Media & Cinema Studies—will make up the core curriculum for the sports media degree.

“We’re excited to offer this interdisciplinary degree to prepare students for exciting career paths within sports media. This is an area of high interest from students and employers alike, and, together with our campus partners, we are prepared to offer students a first-rate experience marked by the innovation, rigor, and personalized attention that defines all of our degree programs in the College of Media,” said Dean Tracy Sulkin.

As streaming, podcasting, and multi-screen sports viewing continue to reshape how teams, fans, and brands interact, graduates who understand these evolving dynamics will have an advantage in the job market.

Illini Sports Night interviews sports anchor alum Cassie Carlson

The College of Media already offers sports-focused courses, including “Sports Public Relations,” “Sports Journalism,” “SportMedia, Technology & Culture,” and just this spring, “Sports Advertising & Branding” debuted. Students can also gain firsthand production and reporting experience through Illini Sports Night, a program covering Illinois Athletics, through the course “Newsroom Experience.”

Sports media majors will be able to take elective courses within the Department of Recreation, Sport, and Tourism in the College of Applied Health Sciences, such as “Sport Analytics: Data-Driven Decision Making,” “The Foundations of Sport Management,” and “Issues in Intercollegiate Athletics: The Big Ten Conference.”

To expand experiential learning opportunities, the College of Media plans to collaborate with alumni working in the sports industry to create additional immersion and internship opportunities. These efforts will build upon past programs that included tours of athletic companies like Nike and Adidas. Alumni currently hold top positions across sports media such as producing, anchoring, and writing for national networks and publications; leading communications and videography for professional sports leagues; working with celebrity athletes, athletic brands, and sports teams; and some have even competed as Olympic athletes.

Students will also benefit from the extensive opportunities that come with the University of Illinois’ premier athletics program and its membership in the Big Ten Conference. For example, students have produced live pregame shows for Illini Sports Night in collaboration with the B1G+ network, and many intern at Fighting Illini Productions, the video team for the University’s Division of Intercollegiate Athletics. Additionally, DIA colleagues serve as adjunct instructors in the College of Media, and both local and national sports personalities frequently visit classes, including Brian Barnhart, the Illinois football and men’s basketball play-by-play announcer, and Gus Johnson, the lead college football and basketball play-by-play announcer for FOX Sports.

The BA in sports media is the sixth undergraduate degree offered by the College of Media, along with advertising, computer science + advertising, journalism, media and cinema studies, and an online degree in media for transfers. Learn more about Media’s academic programs.

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‘New York Times’-bestselling authors on presidential campaigns to visit University of Illinois for Q&A

Fight book cover with headshots of Jonathan Allen and Amie Parnes

February 17, 2026

Jonathan Allen and Amie Parnes, co-authors of the New York Times bestsellers, “Fight,” “Shattered,” and “HRC,” will be on the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign campus to discuss their recent reporting, Donald Trump, and a preview of the 2026 elections on Monday, April 20, from 5-6 p.m.

This event is free and open to the public and is presented by the Richard and Leslie Frank Center for Leadership and Innovation in Media at the University of Illinois College of Media.

Attendees may join the event in the Illini Union, Room B, 1401 W. Green, Urbana, or register to join via Zoom. The conversation will be led by Colleen King, director of the Frank Center and clinical assistant professor of journalism.

Allen is an award-winning senior national politics reporter for NBC News. He covers presidential campaigns, the White House, Congress, and national political issues.

Parnes is a senior political correspondent covering national politics at The Hill. She previously worked as a staff writer at Politico, and during the first Trump administration, she was a CNN political analyst.

Their newest book, Fight: Inside the Wildest Battle for the White House—which provides an inside look at the Biden, Harris, and Trump camps during the 2024 battle for the White House—has been optioned for TV and film by Aline Brosh McKenna.

For more information, please contact Colleen King at cck@illinois.edu.

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