Open house planned for Meredith Hall basement

Des Moines-area electronic media alums especially are invited to an informal open house on Sunday, March 10, 1-3 p.m., to showcase the refreshed Meredith basement audio-visual facilities. The work was  supported by a gift from Al McCoy, FA’54, the “voice of the Phoenix Suns,” and the estate of  James Feaster, JO’58. It includes a renovated TV studio, control room, DBS headquarters, audio booths and podcasting room. Alums who aren’t able to make it are encouraged to drop in anytime or attend the SJMC’s annual alumni Drake Relays reception on Saturday, April 27, 5-7 p.m. in Meredith Hall.

Pulitzer-winning photographer visiting SJMC this week

Pulitzer Prize-winning photojournalist Jose Galvez will be on campus this week as part of the inaugural Global Citizen Forum on migration. Galvez has spent his career documenting Latino life in America through black-and-white photography. He will deliver a multimedia lecture on Wednesday, March 6, at 7 p.m. in Sussman Theater. He will also visit classes and an exhibit of his work will be in Meredith Hall all week.

Other events in the Global Citizen Forum:

  • “A Little Salsa on the Prairie,” documentary and discussion, Thursday, March 7, at 6:30 p.m. in Sussman
  • Symposium, Friday, March 8, 8:30 a.m.-4 p.m., Upper Olmsted (concurrent sessions in the morning, keynote speaker at lunch 11 a.m.-1:30 p.m.,  workshop on activism 2-4 p.m.)

SJMC hosting annual alumni event during Drake Relays

What’s made the last century of Drake’s School of Journalism and Mass Communication great? It’s alumni, of course!

Over the decades, hard-hitting journalists, creative advertisers, savvy public relations professionals, meticulous magazine writers, and more have emerged from Meredith Hall with the skills and tools they need to succeed. Now we’re asking you to come back and celebrate the 100th anniversary of the SJMC, 2019-20.

Join us for the annual SJMC alumni reception on Saturday, April 27 from 5-7 p.m. in Meredith Hall. There will also be an SJMC history exhibit open in Cowles Library in honor of the centennial.

Tinker event draws enthusiastic crowd

A standing-room-only crowd of more than 150 people attended the SJMC-sponsored “Stand Up, Speak Up! Tinker v. Des Moines Turns 50” event at Cowles Library last week. Siblings Mary Beth and John Tinker, plaintiffs in the landmark student free speech case, led the audience and a panel of Drake students through a conversation about the  values and challenges posed by free speech on a college campus. Audience members included Drake students and faculty, community residents and area high school students and their teachers. The event was the last stop on the Tinkers’ weeklong series of events celebrating the 50th anniversary of the Tinker decision.

January Term Fair scheduled

Learn more about course offerings, both off-campus and on-campus, during the J-Term Fair on Tuesday, March 12, from 4-6:30 p.m. in Parents Hall of Olmsted.

Prospective students enjoy Innovation Studio

Multimedia professor Chris Snider entertained a group of prospective students last week with a tour of the Meredith Hall Innovation Studio and demonstration of the latest media tech tools. The admitted student event also featured a panel of current students and a “mock class” with advertising professor Sandy Henry.

Meredith Hall building hours

Meredith Hall is unlocked during the following hours when classes are in session:

Sunday: 7:30 a.m.-9 p.m.
Monday-Friday: 7 a.m.-9:30 p.m.
Saturday: 7:30 a.m.-5:30 p.m.

Students with SJMC majors can swipe into the building with a Drake ID even when the building is locked from 7 a.m.-2 a.m., Sunday-Thursday. Students who are already in the building when it is automatically locked are allowed to stay in the building. Students who need 24/7 access to swipe into the building should talk to their faculty member or adviser about how to obtain all-hours access.

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, political views, 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.