First-year Orientation has begun in Meredith Hall. Welcome to our new students as they begin their Drake adventure!
Broadcaster Soledad O’Brien to speak at Drake
Broadcast journalist Soledad O’Brien will meet with faculty and students in a question-and-answer session on Thursday, June 14, 5-6 p.m. in Sussman Theater. The session will be moderated by KCCI anchor Rheya Spigner. O’Brien and Spigner will later be featured speakers at the Iowa Juneteenth Celebration community banquet to be held in Olmsted Center. Tickets to the banquet can be purchased at https://www.catchdesmoines.com/event/iowa-juneteenth-observance/10535/
SJMC alums win primary races
SJMC alums made history during the June 5 Iowa primary elections. Abby Finkenauer, JO’11, a public relations alumna, became the Democratic nominee for U.S. House in Iowa’s first district. If elected, Finkenauer, 28, would become the youngest woman ever elected to Congress. She has been a state legislator since she was 24.
Deidre DeJear, JO’08, a broadcast alum, is the first black woman elected by a major party in Iowa as a candidate for statewide office. She won the Democratic primary for Iowa Secretary of State.
Both women are facing incumbent Republicans in the fall elections.
Volunteers needed for Des Moines World Refugee Day
Volunteers are needed for Des Moines World Refugee Day. World Refugee Day is a United Nations event celebrated worldwide on or around June 20. The Des Moines celebration includes a soccer tournament, cultural celebration and film screening, among other events. For more information and to volunteer, see http://dsmworldrefugeeday.weebly.com/
More alumni news
Public relations alumna Blair Nelson, JO’10, has been recognized as a member of the Leadership Dallas class of 2018. Leadership Dallas is a 10-month educational program in which as many as 55 area professionals are selected for their leadership potential. Nelson is brand manager for WFAA-TV in Dallas.
Networking event for D.C. interns, alums
The Drake alumni chapter in Washington, D.C., is hosting its annual networking event for alums and for students interning in the nation’s capital. This year’s social is Tuesday, June 19, 6-8 p.m. at Sudhouse DC. See the University Advancement website to register and for more information.
Enter your work in Social Media Club contest
The Social Media Club Des Moines’ annual Hashie awards are open for entries. There are both professional and student categories. Students can enter either, and there is a special student discount. Deadline for entries is July 15.
Have a news item for the Memo?
The SJMC Monday Memo is a weekly newsletter to keep members of the wider SJMC community updated on School news, achievements, events and opportunities. If you have an item for the Memo, please send it to Dean Kathleen Richardson (kathleen.richardson@drake.edu) or SJMC webmaster and multimedia professor Chris Snider (christopher.snider@drake.edu). SJMC alums and other professionals can also contact Chris to have the Memo delivered via weekly email.
The School of Journalism and Mass Communication strives to create a community of scholars that represents the complexity of the human experience in regards to race, ethnicity, sex, sexual orientation, economic status, gender identification, religion, age and physical abilities. We are committed to creating a welcoming and supportive environment for all our faculty, staff, students and visitors, and celebrating our differences through the lens of the First Amendment value of freedom of expression.