Missouri School of Journalism

Welcome to RJI: Eden Dinneen is the new Innovation in Focus editor at the J-School's Reynolds Journalism Institute, effective July 1. Her role includes working with J-School students, who — through Innovation in Focus — help news organizations nationwide experiment with new strategies and resources while also contributing articles to the series and its monthly newsletter.

“Something that really drew me to this job is all the work we’re doing to invite the next generation of journalists to be part of the solution,” she said. “We’re testing, we’re learning, we’re refining, and then we’re sharing that with others. I think that’s so valuable for students. I’m excited to support them in their growth.”

Dinneen comes to RJI from The Kansas City Star, where she served as an audience development strategist in her hometown of Kansas City.

Introducing Eden Dinneen, RJI Innovation in Focus Editor Eden Dinneen is the new Innovation in Focus Editor at the Missouri School of Journalism’s Reynolds Journalism Institute.

Meet high school student Carsyn Coleman, who's taking over the High School Summer Workshop's Instagram today at the J-School:

"Hi! I’m Carsyn Coleman from Rogers, Arkansas, with a passion for sports journalism. Over the past three years, I’ve managed my high school’s athletic social media accounts, helped launch our sports broadcasting program, and served as the aports media manager for PrepSportsArkansas.

"MUHSJW has already been an incredible experience, and I’m excited to continue building connections, learning from industry professionals, and growing my skills as I pursue a career in sports media."

Follow along: https://www.instagram.com/stories/mizzouhsjw/3925936594780020546/?hl=en.

Congratulations to Maurine Beasley, BJ BA '58, the 2026 recipient of the Lewis L. Gould Award from the First Ladies Association for Research and Education.

Beasley is professor emerita of journalism at the Philip Merrill College of Journalism - University of Maryland. She's known for her research on Eleanor Roosevelt and for her studies on the history of women in journalism, including Eleanor Roosevelt.

The Gould Award recognizes distinguished contributions to the field of first lady research and education and a commitment to excellence while furthering the study of U.S. first ladies.

Beasley was recognized last night during FLARE's fifth anniversary celebration. Watch the presentation: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wzONUdA9bTY.

🎥 Matt Clark, BJ ’26, right, and his dad, Jon Clark, BJ ’94, made lasting father-son memories on May 16, 2026. The duo shared the KOMU 8 anchor desk during the station’s open house celebrating graduates and their families.

But the family roots go even deeper:

— Three generations: Matt’s grandfather, Gary Clark, BJ ’68, MA ‘72 (History), was a J-School instructor and long-time sports and business editor at the St. Louis Post-Dispatch.
— The anchor desk legacy: Jon was a morning-weekend anchor and reporter at KOMU.
— Cut from the same cloth: Matt’s twin sister, Emma Clark, is also a member of the J-School Class of ’26. Both were inducted into Kappa Tau Alpha, the national honor society founded at the J-School in 1910. Emma studied MU Strategic Communication.
— An in-studio proposal: Jon proposed to Emma and Matt’s mom, Robyn Clark, BA ’95, on the KOMU news set by faking an audition tape while she ran the teleprompter. Robyn was an intern and a communications major.

“To have both of our twins, Matthew and Emma, graduate from the School of Journalism is something that my dad — who passed away a few years ago — would have been over the moon about,” said Jon.

From fake air checks to real graduation milestones, the Clark family legacy lives on at the J-School. Happy Father’s Day, J-School Tigers! Mizzou Alumni Association 📷 Nate Brown

Remembering Minerva Spalding Howard, BJ '52, who died June 18, 2026, in Kansas City, Missouri. She was 94.

After graduating, she became news editor for Missouri's Louisiana Press-Journal. She later wrote features for Texas's Nacogdoches Daily News and wrote fashion copy for Macy's in Kansas City.

Howard spent 25 years teaching journalism at Hickman High School in Columbia, Missouri, before retiring in 1996. She received Columbia University's national CSPA Gold Key Award — recognizing excellence in teaching journalism and student press advising — in 1983.

In the early years of her career at Hickman, she used a textbook written by Earl English, who was dean of the J-School when she graduated.

Minerva Howard Obituary - Kansas City, MO Celebrate the life of Minerva Howard, leave a kind word or memory and get funeral service information care of Neptune Society.

Senior Jake Ciancio is the first recipient of the J-School's Missouri Regional Reporting Fellowship, which places J-School students in local newsrooms to report on under-covered communities across the state. This summer, Ciancio is based in the state's 8th Congressional District, reporting for Cape Girardeau's Southeast Missourian.

Laura Barnitz, BJ '86, now a published novelist, is a donor to the new program. In giving back to her alma mater, she sought to serve an area increasingly at risk of news deserts as local publications shutter.

“I wanted to do something that would help support journalism students and the university, but I also wanted to help my home district,” she said. “This has always been a fairly impoverished part of the state, and our newspapers are disappearing — our community fabric is fraying. I think you could say that for a lot of the country, but I feel it very, very strongly here in the 8th. So I wanted to find a way to support the vital information that journalism provides to the community.”

To learn more, including how to support the Missouri Regional Reporting Fellowship, visit the link below.

New Missouri Regional Reporting Fellowship sends Missouri School of Journalism student to the Ozarks By Austin Fitzgerald COLUMBIA, Mo. (June 18, 2026) – Senior Jake Ciancio is the first recipient of the Missouri School of Journalism’s Missouri Regional Reporting Fellowship, a new internship program…

Associate Professor Joy Jenkins has once again authored the U.S. page of the annual Reuters Institute Digital News Report, now in its 15th edition.

The U.S. section included detailed breakdowns of news consumption trends across brands and mediums, showed how much the public trusts specific news brands as reported in a national survey, ranked social media networks by usage and featured a page of analysis interpreting the data in the context of current events and trends.

"Although the U.S. and countries around the world are seeing some distressing patterns in terms of news use, the report also reveals important opportunities for re-engaging and building trust with audiences, such as through online video and news-focused creators and influencers,” Jenkins said.

Joy Jenkins co-authors U.S. page of 2026 Reuters Institute Digital News Report By Austin Fitzgerald COLUMBIA, Mo. (June 17, 2026) — Missouri School of Journalism Associate Professor Joy Jenkins has once again co-authored the U.S. page of the annual Reuters Institute for the…

The "arts" look different in rural Missouri. In towns under 5,000 people, the arts scene isn’t about monumental museums or cavernous galleries. It lives in grassroots folk groups, community theater and children’s fashion shows.

“The arts act not only as a creative outlet for residents, but also a strong source of connection between community members,” writes Cayli Yanagida, MA ’26, in an article for the Reynolds Journalism Institute based on the findings of her master’s thesis.

Her interviews with 12 local editors and publishers of weekly newsrooms show they’re doing more than just traditional reporting by covering events like festivals and plays.

“These newsrooms also create culture by participating in events, promoting local art and even hosting events using the influence of their local newspaper,” writes Yanagida. Mizzou Graduate School

JOB OPENING: General Manager, KOMU 8

The University of Missouri School of Journalism seeks an experienced, forward-looking leader to serve as General Manager of KOMU-TV, a distinctive role at the intersection of public service, commercial success, and hands-on journalism education. KOMU 8 is a full-powered NBC and CW affiliate owned by the University of Missouri, serving the Columbia–Jefferson City DMA.

For more than 70 years, KOMU 8 has launched graduates of the nation’s most renowned journalism program into professional careers while competing successfully for ratings and revenue leadership. The station is part of the Missouri News Network, a collaborative group of community-facing journalism outlets that includes the Columbia Missourian, Vox Magazine, KBIA 91.3 FM (NPR), the Boone County Journal, and Missouri Business Alert. Together, these outlets cover mid-Missouri across platforms while maintaining strong individual brands.

This is a rare opportunity to lead a respected NBC affiliated television station while shaping the future of local journalism and media education. The General Manager is responsible for creating an effective, professional working environment for staff, faculty, and students, and for setting a clear strategy for growth amid rapid change in journalism, technology, audience behavior, and revenue models.

At its core, the role balances three priorities: serving mid-Missouri viewers and communities, growing KOMU’s commercial viability, and advancing the educational mission of the Missouri School of Journalism. The successful candidate will bring strong communication skills, a collaborative leadership style, and an eagerness to innovate, experiment, and adapt.

To learn more, click the link and search for job ID 59610. https://erecruit.umsystem.edu/psc/tamext/COLUM/HRMS/c/HRS_HRAM_FL.HRS_CG_SEARCH_FL.GBL.