The moment you step through the doors of the College of Journalism and Mass Communications, you can feel the energy and passion. Students are everywhere producing newscasts, designing campaigns, reporting stories and creating content that makes a difference.

It’s clear just how hard both students and faculty are working to create something meaningful during their time at the college.

Shari Veil, Ph.D., Jane T. Olson Endowed Dean of Journalism and Mass Communications, sees that commitment reflected in the college’s philosophy and approach to learning.

“Our vision is to be the national leader in experiential learning,” Veil said. “The idea is that students can come in, they can experiment, play, fall in love with media — or find out it’s not for them — and get out.”

That belief in learning by doing defines the college’s mission. From their first semester, students take a hands-on approach to their classes, whether they’re focused on journalism, broadcasting, advertising and public relations or sports media and communication. Each assignment, project and production is designed to connect classroom learning with real-world experience.

That approach produces results. Through the college’s Depth Reporting program, students travel across the country to tell stories that matter, from missing and murdered women in rural Nebraska to immigration courts throughout the U.S. In the Rural Journalism Internship Program, students live and work in small towns across the state, providing critical news coverage and helping rebuild trust in local media. Competition teams such as the National Student Advertising Competition and the Bateman Case Study Competition consistently earn national recognition for their creativity, strategy and professional quality.

These experiences prepare students to graduate and feel ready to contribute from day one, helping to shape stronger communities and a more informed society in newsrooms, agencies and communication teams around the world.

The college’s hands-on mission is most visible in the Experience Lab, where more than 730 students have participated across seven media outlets and agencies since its launch in 2021.

“All of our students spend at least five hours a week in one of our labs,” Veil said. “It gives them the chance outside the classroom to dig in and figure out what they want to do.”

In Buoy, Heartland Pulse, 90.3 KRNU, Nebraska News Service, Nebraska Nightly, Production House and Unlimited Sports, students produce real work for real audiences. They build skills, explore career paths and learn to collaborate under the guidance of faculty and professional mentors.

The work is demanding, but the payoff is clear. Students lead teams, manage deadlines and deliver professional-level content before graduation. That kind of opportunity is possible because of the generosity of donors who believe in experiential learning.

“The Experience Lab — we couldn’t do that without the incredible gift from Mark and Chris Matousek,” Veil said. “Their support provides scholarships each semester, allowing students to take on leadership roles.”

Mark, a 1977 journalism graduate, and his wife, Chris, established the Matousek Family Student Experience Fund with the Nebraska Foundation to support experiential learning. Their generosity created the Matousek Scholars program, which provides scholarships for the student leaders who manage the Experience Lab’s day-to-day operations.

“Sixteen Matousek Scholars are leading the Experience Lab this semester,” Veil said. “They are the bridge between faculty and students, helping manage everything from production schedules to client communications.”

Donor support also powers the opportunities that take students beyond campus.

“Our depth reporting requires a lot of funding — for travel, for students to get out and capture important stories,” Veil said. “That really makes a difference.”

Donor support has made those opportunities possible, providing travel funds for the Depth Reporting program and housing stipends for students in the Rural Journalism Fellowship. This support helps remove financial barriers so every student can gain meaningful professional experience.

The results speak for themselves. The college is consistently recognized among the top journalism and mass communications programs in the country. It recently placed in the top 10 nationally in the Hearst Journalism Awards Program, often called the “Pulitzer Prizes of college journalism,” and has earned national Edward R. Murrow Awards for three consecutive years.

“Coming back from Hearst, we’re now a top 10 program in the nation,” Veil said. “There are so many accomplishments. It’s all the students’ work — they’re doing it, learning it in the classroom and then doing it outside the classroom.”

Every story produced, campaign built and broadcast aired represents the combined impact of hard work and donor generosity. Together, they have created a learning environment where students discover their passions, develop their skills and prepare to lead the future of media.

“Come to campus — just walk through the door — and you’ll see the impact of those donor dollars,” Veil said.

Every gift strengthens that mission. Support from alumni and friends keeps opportunities accessible, programs innovative and Nebraska students competitive on the national stage. To help shape the next generation of creative minds in media, please consider donating to the College of Journalism and Mass Communications Fund today.