Alumni Accomplishments

Jim Burress, ‘07, is a senior producer and host for “All Things Considered” at WABE-FM, an NPR affiliate in Atlanta. Burress and WABE placed first in the Nielson rankings for afternoons in Atlanta recently. He is celebrating his 15th year with WABE

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Tab Brockman, ‘82, was honored as the state’s Employee of the Year by the Kentucky League of Cities. He was selected from among 20,000 municipal employees working for cities throughout the state.  The award was presented at the KCL Annual Conference in October in Owensboro.

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Heather Mix, ‘17, is the internal communications specialist for Amazon.

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Eric Walker, ‘05, is the communications director for Graves County Schools in Mayfield, Kentucky.

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Jennifer DeMarsh Cline, ‘97, is the associate director of branding and marketing at Murray State University.

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Olivia Beal, ‘21, is a Tri-Brand Management trainee for Enterprise in Louisville.

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Sarah Burden Slayton, ‘20, is the photographer/videographer and influencer for Prima Coffee Equipment in Louisville.

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Rob Wilkerson is the assistant manager of graphic design for the Villages Media Group in the Villages, Florida.

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Karen Trevarthen Lencki, ‘18,  is a development coordinator for Murray State. She also completed the Leadership Murray program and has started her own business, Nora Jane & Co., an online children and teen clothing store. 

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Darryl Anderson, ‘89, is the chief technology officer for the City of Hopkinsville, Kentucky.

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Brad Darnell, ‘01, is the assistant principal of Benton (Ky.) Elementary School.

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Korrie Purcell, ‘98, is the business teacher at Ballard Memorial High School and serves as a member of the Region 1 Kentucky Future Business Leaders of America board of directors.

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Alicia Sawitoski,’05, is vice president of growth marketing for the Goodway Group.

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Elizabeth Johnson Sellers, ‘12, is the U.S. digital communications and marketing officer for Humanity and Inclusion.

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Sam Blake, ‘16, is the director of integrated media for Empower. 

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Kelsey Watznauer, ‘18, is the city editor of the Pantagraph in Bloomington, Illinois. 

Want to let us know about your alumni accomplishments, drop us a line at msu.jmc@murraystate.edu.

Megan (Summers) Haneline (ADV '13)
Alumni Featured JMC Dept. Uncategorized

I Never Wrote A Slogan – My Journey from Murray State to Spotify

By Megan (Summers) Haneline (ADV ’13) Too many years ago, I was sitting among the cluttered bookcases in Professor Welsch’s office, daydreaming of having my own office someday, when he asked where I saw myself after graduation. I’m sure my answer was something like writing catchy slogans at an ad agency in New York City. […]

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Lisa Crites (JMC '85)
Alumni Featured JMC Dept.

The Lisa Crites Story: Broadcast Journalist to Breast Cancer Survivor, Patented Inventor and Author

Lisa Crites began her studies at Murray State in 1985 as a music major scholarship recipient. While expanding her talent as a classical pianist during her freshman year, she was drawn to journalism. “The music department was on the 3rd floor, and journalism was on the 6th, of the same building. Once I began hanging […]

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Natalie Sturgeon, PR '25.
Alumni Featured JMC Dept.

JMC Alum Roars with 2025 Detroit Lions

By Natalie Sturgeon (PR ’25) What originally sold me on Murray State was the clear dedication that the Department of Journalism and Mass Communications faculty members had for their students. Even as a prospective public relations major, it was obvious that the professors and administrators cared for each student’s education – and their dreams. Once […]

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