General News 13 | DEV College of Media

Media Career Night virtual panels extend engagement opportunities between students and alumni

Media Career Nights, a college initiative borne out of necessity during the pandemic, has become a successful continuing model for connecting students with alumni from across the nation. Now in its second year, this virtual series has been an innovative and effective way to facilitate panel discussions focused on careers in specific media industries.

Three Media Career Nights were scheduled this semester on careers in entertainment media, especially in Hollywood, in nonprofits, and in media and law. Past panels addressed sports media, politics and public life, science communication, crisis communications, and more.

“Students have enjoyed getting advice from professionals and hearing about panelists’ career paths,” said Daniel Almanza, assistant director of Media Career Services. “Students are also interested in knowing the types of organizations, internships, and other things alumni did while they were students here at Illinois.”

Alumni at the entertainment and Hollywood panel included Stephen Feder (BS ’02, media studies), producer at T-Street Productions; Emma Miller (BS ’08, media studies), senior vice president of scripted development and programming at AMC Networks; and Mike Vainisi (BS ’08, journalism), head of original content at ATTN:.

Students asked the panelists about recommended locations to begin entertainment careers, how to gain experience through summer internships, and how to connect with people in the industry. Panelists also provided advice on how to break into the entertainment industry and navigate the job market after college.

“Every experience that you have is part of the narrative you’re going to create, which is what you’ll use to help sell yourself for potential opportunities,” Feder said.

Alumni at the Media Career Night panel on nonprofits included Isabel Morales (BS ’13, journalism), media relations manager at The Nature Conservancy; Rosie Powers (BS ’12, journalism), strategist at Mission Minded; and Bradley Smith (BS ’18, advertising), program development manager at Children’s Miracle Network.

The panelists addressed what influenced them to work in the nonprofit industry, the resources they used during their time at UIUC, and the importance of resumes and portfolios.

“Our alumni panelists value events like these where they can give back and connect with current students,” Almanza said. “They also enjoy sharing their advice, their story, and are happy to discuss other topics to help students as they prepare for a successful career post-graduation.”

The final Media Career Night this semester, on media and law, will take place on April 12. The alumni panelists include Renee Cogdell Lewis (BS ’90, journalism), legal and HR consultant, private investigator, mediator, and coach at MFR Law Group PLLC; Aura L. Lichtenberg (BS ’06, journalism), partner and divorce and family law attorney at Berger Schatz; David E. McCraw (BS ’76, journalism), lead newsroom lawyer at The New York Times; and Todd Stern (BS ’85, advertising), entertainment attorney and shareholder at the law firm of Weintraub Tobin. Students can register here.

Past Media Career Night panels have been recorded and can be viewed online.

“We are grateful to our Media alumni for their generosity with their time and for their sincere interest in helping our students prepare to be the next generation of leaders,” said Dean Tracy Sulkin.

—Faith Lee, Communications Intern

Directors del Toro, Zwigoff join Ebertfest slate

The 22nd Annual Roger Ebert’s Film Festival, co-founded and hosted by Chaz Ebert and also known as Ebertfest, announced that director Guillermo del Toro will return to the festival in April alongside screenwriter Kim Morgan with a black-and-white version of their Oscar-nominated movie Nightmare Alley. Director Terry Zwigoff also will attend with his cult classic film Ghost World.

Announced last year prior to the festival’s rescheduling to 2022, directors Azazel Jacobs and Ramin Bahrani are also in the Ebertfest lineup. Jacobs will appear with the movie French Exit and Bahrani with The White Tiger—both recent critically acclaimed movies that audiences did not get to watch on the big screen during the pandemic.

Best known for his Academy Award-winning fantasy films Pan’s Labyrinth in 2006 and The Shape of Water in 2017, del Toro is considered among the most creative and visionary artists of his generation, with a distinctive style showcased through his work as a filmmaker, screenwriter, producer and author. The Shape of Water earned the Oscars for best director and best picture.

“Del Toro is a director with a genuine visual sense, with a way of drawing us into his story and evoking the mood with the very look and texture of his shots,” Roger Ebert once wrote. The director appeared at Ebertfest in 2016.

Recalling his last visit to Ebertfest in 2006, Zwigoff said the festival and Roger Ebert’s legacy are important for filmmakers. “Roger was a very wise and enlightened guy,” Zwigoff said. “If the film was a good one, he didn’t care who was in it, or what the budget was, or who made it. If it was good, he embraced it.”

Festival co-founder and host Chaz Ebert, the wife of Roger Ebert—an Urbana native and University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign journalism alumnus who gained a wide following as a film critic until his death in 2013—said she is excited by the return to an in-person festival this year.

“Watching movies during quarantine and then again afterward reinforced for me how totally different it is to watch movies in the cinema,” she said. “There are some movies that you don’t want to watch on a little screen unless you have to and, even if you have streamed some of these movies, you are going to get a very different experience seeing them at the festival.

“This is certainly the case for Nightmare Alley, where we’ll screen the black-and-white version that represents the filmmakers’ original vision for the film.”

Ebertfest organizers aim for variety in its programming by curating a mix of small gems, independent films and classics—old and new—as well as blending musical performances into the schedule.

The alt-country band Clem Snide will open the 2022 festival, and musical presentations will be part of other Ebertfest movies this year. A silent movie screening of Siren of the Tropics, starring Josephine Baker, will be accompanied by 10 musicians from Renee Baker’s Chicago Modern Orchestra. In addition, the festival will follow other movies on the schedule with live musical performances that will be announced shortly.

Ebertfest will also feature an “audience choice” movie, the Alfred Hitchcock film The 39 Steps. Among Roger Ebert’s all-time favorite movies, the 1935 British film is an early work that puts on display all of the style elements that Hitchcock is known for.

The festival will announce more films and filmmaker guests in the next few weeks.

Ebertfest will be held April 20-23 at the Virginia Theatre in downtown Champaign, with related talks and panel discussions at the Hyatt Place in Champaign and at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign.

Passes are available for purchase at $200, including all processing fees. Four passes purchased together are $700. Also available are a small number of University of Illinois student passes priced at $150 each. Passes may be purchased through the festival website or at the Virginia Theatre box office, 203 W. Park Ave., Champaign, 217-356-9063. Updates will be posted on the festival website. Depending on available seating, tickets for individual movies may be available April 1.

Roger Ebert’s Film Festival is an event of the College of Media at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. For additional information, visit http://www.ebertfest.com.

Anyone interested in supporting the event as a festival sponsor may contact Andy Hall, the festival’s project coordinator, at amhall2@illinois.edu.

King to serve as inaugural director of Frank Center for Leadership and Innovation in Media

After a successful run as the executive producer for MSNBC’s The 11th Hour with Brian Williams, Colleen King decided to shift her career focus from broadcast TV news to education, pursuing her master’s in journalism and mass communication.

Her new path has led her to become the inaugural director of the Richard and Leslie Frank Center for Leadership and Innovation in Media and a clinical assistant professor of journalism.

King, who joined the College of Media in February, looks forward to providing students with “front-row seats” to professional journalism today as programming ramps up at the Frank Center.

She hopes that students will be able to hear from high-profile speakers, get connected with internship opportunities, and learn from professionals directly through panels, workshops, and symposia.

“I want to fulfill the Franks’ mission of making Illinois a top choice for all future journalists and I want every media professional to think of UIUC graduates as the best potential talent for their newsrooms,” King said.

King, who spent 17 years at news outlets from CBS News to Fox News, has produced political news about such high-profile events as presidential elections, inaugurations, and Supreme Court nominations, as well as other national news stories such as the Parkland, Florida, school shooting and several devastating hurricanes.

Colleen King in control room — Colleen King works in the control room during *The 11th Hour.*

During her time at The 11th Hour, King helped the show transform from what was supposed to be a six-week, half-hour news digest to a permanent full-hour program that became the number one rated cable newscast in the 11 p.m. time slot.

“I loved my time in television and I am so proud of all of the time and effort I put into that work,” she said. “Some of my most rewarding moments in journalism were working with younger team members and staffers and watching them learn and develop skills that helped them rise through the ranks in journalism, so [the transition] was a natural progression for me,” she added.

After leaving MSNBC in 2019, King earned her master’s degree from Kent State University, concentrating on journalism education. That time allowed her to consider how to apply her newsroom skills in the classroom.

“I can [provide] students with my firsthand experience of being in multiple newsrooms for all hours of the day and all days of the week covering a range of stories,” King said. “I’ve experienced firsthand what they’ll be walking into and I hope that my knowledge and skills can be an asset for them—both in learning how to navigate their roles in journalism and introducing them to professional opportunities that can help them develop their own career paths.”

This semester, King is teaching JOUR 494: Navigating the Job Market. She feels that it is the perfect way to begin her career in education and she is excited to equip and prepare students for their own journalism careers.

“It’s incredibly inspiring to be surrounded by student journalists because they have the drive and passion that makes us remember why we got into this business,” King said.

Students can look forward to more Frank Center programming later this spring. Past panel discussions can be viewed on YouTube:

—Story by Faith Lee, Communications Intern. Headshot of Colleen King by Isabella Pennebaker, Photography Intern.

College of Media announces Roger Ebert Center for Film Studies

February 21, 2022 | Holly Rushakoff

The College of Media at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign is excited to announce that the Roger Ebert Center for Film Studies will officially launch this year, with programming to begin in Fall 2022.

Thanks to gifts totaling more than $5 million from a collection of donors—inspired by a lead gift from Roger and Chaz Ebert (pictured at right)—funding will support robust annual programming, including the Ebert Symposium, Ebert Lecture, and a screening series.

The famed Roger Ebert, who died in 2013, was an Urbana native, a University of Illinois journalism alumnus (BS ’64), a longtime film critic for the Chicago Sun-Times, and co-host of numerous televised movie review shows. He was the first film critic to win a Pulitzer Prize and the first film critic honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

“Unlike many centers on film studies, which focus primarily on the skills of making a film, Roger’s Center will also focus on analysis and study of films, the state of the industry, and the impact of film on individuals and society for personal and social change,” said Chaz Ebert, CEO of Ebert Digital LLC and cofounder of Ebertfest.

“This new center will undoubtedly elevate the University of Illinois and the College of Media in the discipline of film studies,” said Dean Tracy Sulkin. “We are eager to realize the Eberts’ vision of making Illinois the place that inspires generations of students and scholars and are grateful for the generosity of those who are supporting us in making this happen.”

A faculty member from the Department of Media & Cinema Studies will be appointed director of the Roger Ebert Center for Film Studies. The director will coordinate event programming, Ebert research grants and travel grants for film studies, the Ebert Fellows Program for undergraduate students, and equipment and operations support for the teaching of film production.

“Through its support of engaging research, production, and public lectures and discussions, the Roger Ebert Center for Film Studies will enrich experiences and facilitate connections, especially for our students and faculty in media and cinema studies,” said Professor CL Cole, head of the Department of Media & Cinema Studies.

Special kick-off events will be scheduled during the 2022-23 academic year, and, in collaboration with the Spurlock Museum, the Knight Auditorium will be outfitted with new equipment to create a first-rate screening space for campus.

When the Eberts established the endowment for the center in 2009, Roger said: “The University of Illinois is deep in my heart as a great institution. It informed and enriched me. Although there were no film courses when I was an undergraduate, it nevertheless guided me in my lifelong love of film.”

The University of Illinois is honored to celebrate Ebert’s legacy through this new center.

If you wish to contribute to the center, you can give online and select “Roger Ebert Center for Film Studies” under Champion Innovation in Media Research & Collaborations.

For media inquiries, please contact Holly Rushakoff at the College of Media at (217) 333-3949 or media-news@illinois.edu.

$1M gift to College of Media establishes Mark L. Brandt Public Engagement Fellows program

February 7, 2022 | Holly Rushakoff

The College of Media has received an estate gift of just over $1 million to create the Mark L. Brandt Public Engagement Fellows program for undergraduates.

Because of the profound impact that the University of Illinois had on the trajectory of Brandt’s life, his dear friend, fellow Illini, and trustee of his estate, Mary Leyendecker, chose to ensure that his legacy makes a positive impact on students and society. Brandt, a 1986 alumnus of Illinois who retired early from General Electric after a career in finance, passed away in January 2021. His wish was that the funds be used to “do good in the world.”

The funds, endowed in perpetuity, will provide internships to Media students to work with college faculty and staff on public engagement projects, and/or as participants in programs that are designed to support first-generation college students, students from underrepresented groups, and/or students with significant financial need.

“This promises to have a transformative effect on our important efforts in public engagement and will meaningfully influence the lives of students for generations to come,” said Dean Tracy Sulkin.

Beginning Fall 2022, the funds will be available on a competitive basis and will support up to 40 students each year who will work on a variety of college and department initiatives.

For example, Mark L. Brandt Public Engagement Fellows will be able to contribute to faculty-led projects on media literacy and the Chancellor’s Call to Action to Address Racism and Social Injustice, engagement opportunities at Illinois Public Media, and more. Funds will also be used to support students in the New Voices internship program.

The Brandt Fellows will serve as models of engaged leadership and will gain skills and experiences that will allow them to chart a course toward a lifetime of societal impact through their careers in media and through their personal endeavors.

“I feel certain he would enjoy helping those who are going to help society,” Leyendecker said.

College of Education and College of Media team up to help Illinois high schoolers understand the media they consume

February 3, 2022 | Tom Hanlon (College of Education) and Holly Rushakoff (College of Media)

A new state law is requiring Illinois public high schools to teach media literacy. Through IMEDIA, the College of Education and the College of Media are helping teachers prepare to do just that.

When Governor J.B. Pritzker signed a bill into law on July 9, 2021, requiring that media literacy be taught in public high schools, Illinois became the first state in the nation to mandate such instruction.

The instruction, to begin with the 2022-2023 school year, will teach students how to analyze and communicate information from various mediums, including digital, interactive, audio, visual, and print.

Immediately after the bill was passed, the College of Education and the College of Media went into action, planning how to prepare Illinois teachers to be ready to instruct students in an area made critical by the massive amount of misinformation that circulates in cyberspace.

The two colleges collaborated to form the Initiative for Media Education Inquiry and Action (IMEDIA) to help fill educators’ needs for media literacy training and curriculum development. The goal of IMEDIA is to assist high school teachers with integrating media analysis and production into their classes and building a robust critical media literacy curriculum in Illinois schools.

“Many of us in the College of Media have been working on media literacy-related research and teaching in the last several years,” said Professor Stephanie Craft, head of the Department of Journalism. “When we heard about the new law, we wanted to be able to turn that work into action. Teaming up with curriculum and instruction experts in the College of Education seemed an ideal way to do that.”

IMEDIA will launch a pilot program on campus from June 27-29, to both find out what teachers are already doing in the area of media literacy and to help them integrate a media literacy component into their curriculum, said Professor Sarah McCarthey, head of the Department of Curriculum & Instruction. The three-day workshop is for local teachers and potentially for teachers across the state.

“Media literacy is especially important in light of the last presidential election and the amount of disinformation and misinformation that is pervasive in the U.S.,” McCarthey said. “It’s more and more critical that we equip students with the ability to discern what’s factual from what’s not.”

“Preparing Illinois students to successfully navigate an increasingly complex media environment is vital to their well-being and ability to participate in democratic life,” Craft added.

The state is putting together media resources for teachers to download, McCarthey said, “but it’s important to have a professional development component to that, and our workshop is going to provide teachers an opportunity to do some hands-on things as well.”

Early talks between the Colleges of Education and Media include the development of modules that high school teachers could download to use in their classrooms.

“We’ve also talked about in the future taking advantage of some of the credentialing programs that are in process at both the campus and state levels,” McCarthey said. “But the first step is to get this group of teachers ready for the fall.”

IMEDIA has recently received initial funding from the Office of the Chancellor. They are consulting with the Office of Foundation Relations to identify additional potential funding sources. The group also hopes to apply for Spencer Foundation funding to do a statewide survey of the media literacy landscape, to discover who is teaching what across the state.

“The end goal is quite simple,” McCarthey said. “We want all of our students to be prepared to be critical media consumers.”

In addition to Craft and McCarthey, members of IMEDIA include College of Education faculty member Jon Hale; College of Media faculty members Amanda Ciafone, CL Cole, and Michelle Nelson, and doctoral student Sakshi Bhalla; as well as Michael Spikes, a doctoral student at Northwestern University and founder of the Illinois Media Literacy Coalition, of which IMEDIA is a part.

New assistant director to lead Media Career Services

January 10, 2022 | Da Yeon Eom, Communications and Marketing Intern

In his new role as assistant director of career services at the College of Media, Daniel Almanza looks forward to collaborating with departments and faculty to offer a robust set of career-related programming so that students can learn about various media industries, types of job positions available, and top skills sought by media employers.

“I am really interested in combining my public relations and career services experience to help our Media students as they navigate their pre- and post-graduation journey,” Almanza said. “I am also able to share my industry experiences with students as they start their careers.”

For the spring semester, Almanza is continuing the very popular Media Career Night panels, initiated last year via Zoom, that invite alumni to share their professional experiences with Media students. He will also host resume and cover letter review sessions and is organizing networking events to facilitate connections between students and media experts.

“We are really excited to have Daniel join the College of Media,” said Katie Clark, senior assistant dean for student services. “Through programming and events, he will be a great support to College of Media students as they prepare for internships and future jobs.”

Almanza looks forward to advising students and encourages them to think outside the box in finding opportunities. He also underscored that students should attend as many different career-related events as possible, regularly check the Media Career Services newsletter to find work opportunities or alumni mentoring connections, and also seek out their professors for general advice and to ask about job or internship prospects.

“I am passionate about working with students as I had several great mentors who helped me in my career journey,” he said. “I strive to help and mentor students as they begin to identify their career goals.”

Almanza has helped students at the University of Illinois for several years. Previously, he held positions at the Division of General Studies, The Career Center, and the Department of Communication. Most recently, Almanza was an academic learning skills specialist in DGS. In that role, he created the Student Success Toolkit website; worked with students from low-income, first-generation, and/or underrepresented groups in an enrichment experience program; and taught a course called Preparation for 21^stCentury Challenges.

He also has experience serving as a career counselor, managing networking events, teaching public speaking and public relations courses, and advising a PR student organization.

Almanza graduated from Illinois State University with a master’s in communication studies and a bachelor’s in public relations and minors in political science and mass communication.

Illinois Student Newsroom at IPM trains students alongside professionals in new campus collaboration

November 5, 2021 | Liz Westfield, Illinois Public Media

Illinois Student Newsroom students — *Students learn about audio tools in the Illinois Student Newsroom at Illinois Public Media. (Photos by Isabella Pennebaker, photography intern.)*

Illinois Public Media and the Department of Journalism are thrilled to officially announce the founding of the Illinois Student Newsroom at Illinois Public Media—a collaborative place for journalism students to work side-by-side with professionals in all facets of a public media newsroom.

“The Illinois Student Newsroom at IPM is a great reflection of our educational strategic priorities at the College of Media,” said Dean Tracy Sulkin. “We’re bringing together two parts of the college—IPM and the Department of Journalism—to foster experiential learning.”

“Illinois Public Media is proud to support the next generation of upcoming journalists through this new student newsroom initiative, created in partnership with the Department of Journalism,” said Moss Bresnahan, executive director of IPM, which is a non-profit public media service of the College of Media.

“IPM is an ideal space for students to gain experience working in the field, while receiving personal guidance from journalists, and producing content for a professional media organization,” said Professor Stephanie Craft, head of the Department of Journalism.

The program is led by Chris Evans, clinical assistant professor in journalism (pictured at right). His position was created in 2020 to facilitate students gaining real-world experience at IPM. The Illinois Student Newsroom at IPM offers space for students to learn how to report, write, interview, and anchor, as well as build a portfolio of work across audio, video, and multimedia platforms, right in the heart of a dynamic working newsroom.

“Student journalists can now produce segments, create multimedia content, and experiment with a variety of tools, while also gaining a unique experience in a fast-paced professional environment and supporting our public service mission,” Bresnahan added.

In the past year, as the Illinois Student Newsroom was being developed, Evans has connected students with the IPM news team to produce impactful journalism for the greater central Illinois community.

“We have already shown if they’re willing do the work, a first-year student has as much of an opportunity to get on the air as a senior or even a grad student,” Evans said. “And as an educator, it’s been just thrilling to watch the students grow and thrive and begin their careers here at Illinois Public Media. The fact that the students have already started winning state and national awards for their work is awesome, too.”

For example, as an inaugural member of the Illinois Student Newsroom last year, Farrah Anderson—now a sophomore in journalism and senior student producer—reported on University of Illinois athletes’ response to the Black Lives Matter movement and their decision to lead a march in August 2020, which earned her first-place accolades in the Student Spot News category of the Public Media Journalists Association Awards.

“My experience with the Illinois Student Newsroom has been formative in my career as both a journalist and a multimedia storyteller,” Anderson said. “As a reporter, I was plunged into the world of audio storytelling and had the opportunity to report on the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign campus and the surrounding community. By moving into my role as a producer in the student newsroom, I now edit and mentor other students that were in my same position just a year ago.”

Not only do the students learn from the professional journalists and journalism educators, but the program is also structured where they can learn from each other. Both Anderson and fellow inaugural member, Vivian La, a sophomore in journalism, have gone from student reporter to senior student producer in their short tenure.

“I’ve really enjoyed guiding new reporters on the complexities of audio journalism,” La said, “and hearing their stories on the air is so exciting! I’m very honored to be a part of the newsroom and tell stories that impact our local community. With the guidance of Professor Chris Evans and some of the full-time reporters, I’ve learned something new every week that solidifies my interests in the wide world of journalism.”

The newsroom experience also ensures that student reporters receive professional mentorship and feedback along the way.

“The Illinois Student Newsroom at IPM helps put more central Illinois voices on the air,” said Reginald Hardwick, news and public affairs director for IPM. “These talented University of Illinois journalism students help cover the news on-air and online while working alongside some of the best journalists in public media. We’re glad to broaden coverage, but we are also delighted to help guide the careers of America’s next generation of storytellers.”

Follow the students’ work at will.illinois.edu/studentnewsroom and hear their stories on WILL-AM 580 or illinoisnewsroom.org.

New Voices Internship Program pairs Media students with in-house opportunities to build job skills

November 2, 2021 | Holly Rushakoff

As part of a commitment to provide internship opportunities for first generation students and students from underrepresented populations, the College of Media launched the New Voices Internship Program this fall. Interns in the program will gain a variety of media-related skills through in-house projects and career development workshops.

The pilot program, supported by the Office of the Provost, will be coordinated by Media Career Services within the college’s Student Services Center. This year, approximately 10 students, mostly freshmen and new transfer students, will be provided with a year-long paid internship experience.

“This program is designed to provide Media students with career-building experiential learning opportunities from the day they arrive on campus,” said Dean Tracy Sulkin. “The experience will also broaden their network of resources within the college. In turn, we’re benefitting from the interns’ unique perspectives, such as getting feedback on preferred ways to reach and communicate with prospective students who are beginning to research Media majors.”

At their initial meeting, the interns expressed interest in learning more about traditional and non-traditional career options and creating content for an academic institution. For their first project, the interns shared insights and ideas about the college’s communications channels, and offered ways in which they could help.

“We’re excited to match students with faculty and staff within the College of Media to develop skills related to their major and career interests,” said Katie Clark, senior assistant dean for student services. “The students will be able to build their resume quickly with projects that will entail interviewing, writing, photographing, storyboarding, video editing, and more.”

Jackie Barba, a freshman in journalism (pictured at right), is excited to be one of the inaugural interns who can help shape how the program functions and grows.

“I hope to explore other strengths I might have,” Barba said. “For example, some of the projects we’ve already done have helped widen my understanding of what working in communications can be like, and I actually really enjoyed that. I also hope to gain friendships and connections with other College of Media students who are involved in the program!”

Help our students by investing in an endowment

We invite our alumni and friends to help support the New Voices Internship Program and sustain its future. Your gift is an investment in our next generation of media leaders and will give a diverse group of students the opportunity to develop valuable skills applicable to the media industry. To give, visit our Giving page, click on the orange button, and under “Other,” type in “New Voices Internship Program.”

To learn more about this program and how you can help support first generation and underrepresented college students, please contact Deanne Johnson, assistant dean for advancement, at 217-333-0752 or jhns@illinois.edu.

Media Technology Center set to launch for 2022-2023 academic year

October 6, 2021 | Da Yeon Eom, Communications and Marketing Intern

Room 9 Gregory Hall — Gregory Hall Room 9 (circa 2014) was previously used as a collaboration classroom. The space will serve as the Media Technology Center by Fall 2022.

An idea long in the making—a Media Technology Center for students in the College of Media—will finally come to life in the basement of Gregory Hall during the 2022-2023 academic year.

The center was made possible by a generous $50,000 gift from Jim and Amy Schlueter to the College of Media Innovation Fund, and by a $100,000 investment from the Office of the Provost.

“We’re excited to establish a physical space that meets and supports instructional equipment needs for our students,” said Dean Tracy Sulkin. “We will have a variety of technology and resources that students can check out or access online. They can explore equipment that they’d like to use for class projects and receive guidance on how to use it from the staff.”

The project is just getting underway this fall. The college is currently clearing out furniture stored in Greg Hall Room 9, the future location of the center, so a new coat of paint and floor repairs can take place. Then equipment lockers will be added, as well as a workspace for students to experiment with new technology in time for Fall 2022 classes.

“Over the past few years, the College of Media has been taking important steps in pursuing the new technologies and innovative research that will give our students the opportunity to be future leaders in our fields,” said Jim Schlueter (BS ’80, journalism). “We are thrilled to help the college establish a place where our students can get access to the equipment, training, and assistance with using the tools they need. It’s our hope the center will be another special space in the basement of Greg Hall that will prepare our students for their careers and also be a place where they build great memories.”

Meghan Burnett, director of IT and operations for the College of Media, will be the staff lead for the renovation and launch of the facility.

“The Media Technology Center will provide students with a location to get some hands-on experience with different media technology,” Burnett said. “It will be a space where students can come to ask questions about their own equipment or to borrow something they need for an assignment.”

The College of Media is considering each department’s distinct needs in developing the facility. The Media Technology Center will enhance the services available to students, and at the same time, provide departments with flexibility.

Members of the college’s Technology Committee, which will play an important role in shaping the space, will work with their respective department heads to decide how the facility can best serve student and faculty needs.

The College of Media Innovation Fund supports projects like this, contributing to faculty and student research, technology advancements, and cutting-edge pedagogy. To give, please visit the College of Media giving page, click on the orange “Give Online Now” button, and select the College of Media Innovation Fund under “Champion Innovation in Media Research & Collaborations.”