Leona Su’s research examines effects of humor, social media, and new technologies on science communication

Leona Yi-Fan Su, assistant professor in the Charles H. Sandage Department of Advertising, is interested in how humor can help people engage with science. “Science is thought of as serious,” Su said. “So you can think of humor as a way to catalyze that and make people get interested in science and be more willing […]

Media students create documentaries for Spurlock Museum exhibit on AIDS tribute

  Students in journalism and media and cinema studies produced a series of short documentaries chronicling the lives of local men commemorated in AIDS quilt panels, originally made in the 1980s and 1990s for the AIDS Memorial Quilt in Washington, D.C. The students’ short films are featured in the exhibit “Sewn in Memory: AIDS Quilt Panels […]

$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 […]

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 […]

Murillo produces ‘The Disability Minute’ on Chicago’s WBBM Newsradio

Sandy Murillo (BS ’12, journalism) produces and hosts “The Disability Minute,” a weekly segment that debuted on Chicago’s WBBM Newsradio in August 2021. “This is an exciting venture that helps us spread awareness about disabilities to an even wider audience,” Murillo said. “Best of all, the segment is produced entirely by people with disabilities.” Murillo is an associate […]

Min appointed to President Biden’s Advisory Commission on Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders

Sarah Min (BS ’93, journalism) has been appointed by President Biden as one of the commissioners to the President’s Advisory Commission on Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders.  The Commission will advise the President on ways the public, private, and non-profit sectors can work together to advance equity and opportunity for every Asian American, Native […]

Marcotte publishes picture book for children

Alison Marcotte (BS ’15, journalism) will have her first children’s picture book, Seeking Best Friend, published on January 25, 2022, by Beaming Books.  “After graduating, I continued to pursue my passion for storytelling and started a career as a children’s book author,” Marcotte said. “The College of Media was instrumental in developing my writing style and voice […]

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 […]

College of Media faculty receive University funding for projects addressing racism and social injustice

Three faculty members in the College of Media are among the first recipients of the inaugural Call to Action to Address Racism & Social Injustice Research Program. Announced by Chancellor Robert J. Jones in July 2020, the program pledges $2 million annually to prioritize research and new solutions that address racism and social injustice. Angela […]

New book examines the evolution of academic freedom at the U of I

While the topic of premarital sex among college students may seem blasé today, openly expressing an opinion on it in a student newspaper in 1960 was so offensive that it abruptly ended one university professor’s career. Although biology professor Leo Koch would never work in higher education again, his legacy was a reevaluation of First Amendment and […]

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