Director's Fall 2025 Update
Greetings,
This is one of my favorite times of year at the J-School. Halls that have been empty for weeks, the Kaimin newsroom that has been nearly silent and classrooms that have been dark are suddenly alive with students and faculty.
Classes have started again for the 111th year at the UM School of Journalism.
I wanted to send you all a quick update on some of the things we are working on back here at the J-School this year.
Our photo program is having a real moment. Our students placed third overall in the nation last year in the highly competitive Hearst Journalism Awards and this year we welcome back alums like Bruce Ely and Brontë Wittpenn to teach at our second annual (an event quickly becoming one of the go-to workshops for early professionals).
We are also lucky to have some of the nation’s leading voices from journalism teaching with us. Former National Geographic editor, Chris Johns, joins Professor Denise Dowling again in our magazine class. This year, the plan is to tackle wildfire news in a publication due out at the end of the semester. RadioLab co-founder Jad Abumrad is co-hosting and helping edit a podcast due out at the beginning of next year featuring student and professional stories of obituaries with Professor Jule Banville. And we welcomed another amazing Pollner professor this semester, Washington Post National Correspondent Annie Gowen, who is teaching a course about reporting on rural America.
We are also leaning into the technological changes sweeping our industry. This semester we launched the Center for Ethical AI in Journalism. This effort will bring in some of the smartest journalists using AI to improve their work to teach our students and local partners how to make the most of these tools.
Last year, the School sailed through our reaccreditation process because of the impressive work of my colleagues and the students. Our enrollment this fall has held steady, meaning three straight years of increased or steady enrollment.
Perhaps most important – points off for burying the lead – I want to invite you back to the J-School for homecoming this fall. Homecoming weekend is Oct. 10-12, and we will be hosting a happy hour/reception at the most J-School of establishments, the Union Club (), on Friday Oct. 10, from 5-7 p.m. Come see fellow alums and faculty and raise a glass to the important work of journalists. First beer/beverage is on me. If you can let our Development Director Beth Burman Frazee know if you are planning on coming by Oct. 8, that would be great.