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President Todd Diacon’s Commencement Speech Lauded

When ����Vlog�ƽ�� President Todd Diacon used his May 13 commencement address to send a message to state officials who are challenging Ohio’s public universities as a bastion for the privileged, the reaction was swift and supportive from alumni and friends of the university. 

“There is in Ohio, among some state elected officials, a growing ivory tower accusation being leveled against our state’s public universities and against, quite frankly, ����Vlog�ƽ��,” Diacon told thousands gathered for commencement. 

Alumna Supports MDJ Students Through Professional and Career Development

More than 40 years after her college graduation, alumna Delores Jones, ’76, has never wavered in her support of ����Vlog�ƽ�� School of Media and Journalism students.

As a student, she was a journalism major with a concentration in public relations and became very involved in the public relations curriculum, serving as vice president of ����Vlog�ƽ��’s Chapter of the Public Relations Student Society of America (PRSSA).

Professor Brings Documentary Storytelling, Environmental Research Expertise to ����Vlog�ƽ��

Assistant Professor Kaatie Cooper, Ph.D., envisions a world where journalists and scientists work together to better inform the public about environmental issues. She’s working toward that vision through her research, which examines how mass media affects environmental issues, especially in documentary work.

Internship, Scholarship Support Shape Photojournalism Student's ����Vlog�ƽ�� Experience

Recent graduate Dakota Varney, ‘23, spent the spring 2023 semester practicing his photography and multimedia skills in one of Northeast Ohio’s treasures: the Cuyahoga Valley National Park (CVNP).

Varney, a journalism major with a photojournalism minor, was in an elective class on recreational parks when he learned of the opportunity to work at CVNP.

Students Explore Personal Stories Through Their Authentic Voices

Students in the School of Media and Journalism are exposed to hands-on class experiences that give them the opportunity to explore their identities through storytelling.

Recent graduates Gabby Jonas, ’23, and Reegan Saunders, ’23, both had the opportunity to craft and share deeply personal stories during their college careers.

Connecting to the Community Through Food

����Vlog�ƽ�� education major Klair Heestand said the time she spent teaching refugee students in Akron in the spring was excellent preparation for when she enters her own classroom one day. 

“It was very helpful, because we’re going to have students of varying abilities, and students for whom English is a second language, no matter where we teach,” Heestand said. “We don’t need anyone left behind because of a language barrier.” 

How Will Senate Bill 83 Affect ����Vlog�ƽ��’s Students, Staff and Faculty? 

Senate Bill 83, the Ohio Education Enhancement Act, is a far-reaching bill that includes a proposal for rules aimed at ending mandated diversity training. 

One of the First: The Ed.D. Program with Mackenzie Simmons

The Doctor of Education degree in Interprofessional Leadership in the College of Education, Health and Human Services is an online program that promotes the study of leadership from an interprofessional perspective and can be completed in three to four years. Mackenzie Simmons was one of the first graduates from the program.

����Vlog�ƽ�� Students Place in the 'Pulitzer Prizes of Collegiate Journalism'

Four ����Vlog�ƽ�� students and alumni were recognized among the best in collegiate journalism for the 2022-23 academic year, placing in the Hearst Journalism Awards competition.

The are known as the “Pulitzer Prize of Collegiate Journalism,” and recognize outstanding student work in categories spanning writing, multimedia, audio, television and photojournalism.

‘Our Students Graduating Today Are Tough. They Do Not Live in an Ivory Tower.’

“There is in Ohio, among some state elected officials, a growing ivory tower accusation being leveled against our state’s public universities and against, quite frankly, ����Vlog�ƽ��,” President Todd Diacon said.

Celebrate Another Trip Around the Sun for ����Vlog�ƽ��

On May 18-19, the university community will celebrate ����Vlog�ƽ��’s 113th birthday with its annual Day of Giving. 

����Vlog�ƽ�� Works

While ����Vlog�ƽ�� graduates leave the university well-prepared to work in their fields nationally and internationally, their impact across the Northeast Ohio region—and the entire state—cannot be understated.