Welcome from the Director

Journalism is a major that prepares its students to work in newspapers, broadcast and online, as well as in other professions, such as public relations, teaching and law. Our students come to us wanting to make a difference in the world, and we strive to prepare them to do just that. We believe that good journalism is essential to democracy, and we are committed to communicating that not only to those students who will work in the field but to all students who as citizens of this society will rely on journalism to understand their government and the world around them. Journalism students take about 75 percent of their coursework in the humanities and social and natural sciences, which further broadens and deepens their intellectual perspective and curiosity.

Our Journalism program has always emphasized the teaching of good writing, as well as a range of other necessary skills. Our courses include writing for print, broadcast and the Web, and our students are introduced to convergence journalism—the notion of telling stories not only through the written word but through podcasts, vodcasts and mash-ups. Still, the hallmark of all of our courses is a focus on clarity of thought and critical inquiry. Students study the foundations of our field--history, law, media criticism and ethics—which are even more essential in this new world of the 24/7 deadline. We also encourage our students to do local, regional and national internships and to be involved with campus media.

Our highly accomplished faculty is committed to teaching. We pride ourselves on our student-centered major: teaching small, interactive classes, knowing our students personally and maintaining relationships with our alumni, who work in newsrooms from the New York Times to the Boston Globe, from NBC to NPR, from Yankee Magazine to stateline.org to the Associated Press. Among our six fulltime faculty members are winners of the Pulitzer Prize, the Freedom Forum Journalism Teacher of the Year Award and two winners of the UMass Distinguished Teaching Award. All of us have been working journalists, and we continue to do both journalism and scholarly research. Our scholarly interests range from literary journalism to new media to community journalism to women in journalism history. We work with more than a dozen adjuncts who include editors, reporters and anchors at regional newspapers, magazines, radio and television stations and new media.

We are a program that is dedicated, innovative and engaged. Check out our Web site and get to know us. Come by for a visit too.

All the best,
Karen List
Director/Professor

News

ATTENTION ALL JOURNALISM MAJORS & FACULTY: COME TO JOURNALISM'S FIRST ANNUAL END-OF-YEAR SOFTBALL TOURNAMENT & PICNIC. Saturday, May 10, 5 pm until dark at the Boyden Fields across from Boyden Gym. It's the end of the year and time for softball and grilling as we celebrate the end of another great year. RSVP to Eric Athas, Amber Vaillancourt, or Courtney Smith. Feel free to bring food and drink.

GRADUATING SENIOR LUNCH, 11:30-1:30, TUESDAY, MAY 13, BARTLETT 107. Come & get your Journalism t-shirts!

CONGRATULATIONS TO NANCY COHEN FOR RECEIVING an Arctic Fellowship for Science Writers. Read more...

Student Investigative Journalism Workshop June 8-14, Middletown, CT

Deadline: May 12. Read more...

Associated Press Scholarship for Collegiate Sports Journalists. Deadline: June 1. Read more...

CONGRATULATIONS TO VENUZA LAVEAUX FOR RECEIVING THE 2008 BACHERMAN AWARD AND DEVON COURTNEY FOR RECEIVING THE CROWLEY COLUMN AWARD!

CONGRATULATIONS TO JOURNALISM MAJORS FOR RECEIVING THE FOLLOWING AWARDS:

Katie Huston, Senior Leadership Award; Louis Harris and Shaneka Davis, the William Field Alumni Scholarships; Michael Phillis, the Chester Weinerman Award; Adam McGillen and Christina Cernak, the "Red" Curtin Award.

CONGRATULATIONS TO THE TOP 10 SENIORS INDUCTED INTO THE KTA HONOR SOCIETY:

Katie Huston, Kathryn Bergquist, Joseph Modugno, Kristen Forrelli, Meghan Murphy, Heather DiMaio, Charles Thompson, Julie Halpin, Lauren Proctor, and Masa Pozar.

If you are doing an internship over the summer for credit, be sure to talk to
B.J. Roche about getting your academic contract signed and credits paid for
before you leave campus. Summer Internship credits are awarded through Continuing Education. BJ has office hours on Thursdays, so stop by.

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