Faculty/Staff
2026 Outstanding Seniors Awarded
On April 19, 2026, JMC Department faculty and friends gathered on the first floor of Wilson Hall for the annual celebration of our department’s outstanding seniors, plus several other notable achievements. Department Chair Dr. Kevin Qualls opened the ceremony. Next, each of the Curriculum Coordinators took to the podium to sing the well-deserved praises of […]
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MSU Ads Club Tackles NFL Charities Campaign
After a four-year absence, the MSU Ads Club competed in the National Student Advertising Competition hosted by the American Advertising Federation. The 2025-2026 NSAC assignment asked students to create a branding campaign for National Football League charities. Ads Club members presented their entry in the District 5 preliminary round in Kettering, Ohio (Dayton area), on […]
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A Note From the Chair: A Ballast in the Midst of Change
The president of Murray State is still in his first year. Our VP of finance is in her first year, too. And the new provost will begin on July 1. The JMC department is in its first year of a revised curriculum. One newly minted PhD will join the ranks of the JMC faculty this […]
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JMC Faculty Enjoy Scholarly Pursuits Via Sabbaticals During 2025-26 Academic Year
When faculty contemplate sabbaticals, it is a process. There are rules, agendas, timelines and ashuffling of departmental responsibilities while a professor is absent for a semester. “I felt lucky in the Department of Journalism and Mass Communications as my colleagues all volunteered to take bits and pieces of my responsibilities, so I could take my […]
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The News Wins Big in Kentucky Press Association Winter Awards Conference
The Murray State News won 15 awards, including third-place general excellence, in the student division at the Kentucky Press Association’s winter conference Jan. 23 in Louisville. The contest recognizes the best work across writing, reporting, visual journalism and design for Kentucky newspapers and news sites. The Kentucky Press Association holds contests in advertising and news […]
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A Note from the Chair
It has been an honor to serve on the JMC faculty for 18 years, with the last five as its chair. And I will continue to enjoy that honor until the end of June. But all good things must come to an end, so that other good things can begin. Such as retirement. The department has made […]
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100 Years of Gratitude: PRSSA Hosts JMC Friendsgiving in Wilson Hall
By Jasira Jouett The Murray State Chapter of the Public Relations Student Society of America (PRSSA) hosted a Friendsgiving celebration for the department on November 20, 2025. Students and faculty gathered on the first floor of Wilson Hall to share gratitude with one another and celebrate the centennial of a beloved campus building. Over 20 […]
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Wilson Hall Turns 100: A Century of History
By Harrison Borrenpohl Wilson Hall, one of Murray State University’s most iconic buildings, turned 100 in 2025. When it first opened in 1925, Wilson was one of the university’s first academic buildings. It has stood throughgenerations of students and a remarkable campus evolution. What began as the college’s original classroom and administration building now serves […]
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The Murray State News Wins Big at MediaFest
The Murray State News won seven Pinnacle Awards, including two first places, from the College Media Association during MediaFest in Washington, D.C., Oct. 15-18. The Pinnacle Awards recognize top student media work. The contest attracted more than 3,300 entries across several enrollment divisions, with 1,165 finalists across eight categories. Winners were: The News competes in Division II, […]
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JMC Department Hosts Annual “Meet the Pros” Networking Event
By Reagan Daniel The Murray State Department of Journalism and Mass Communications hosted its annual “Meet the Pros” event this fall, continuing a long-standing tradition that connects students with alumni and other industry professionals. “Meet the Pros” is a networking event that gives graduating seniors a chance to talk one-on-one withexperts from their fields, explore […]
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