Gifts to this fund provides the college with highly desired unrestricted funds which allow the college to take advantage of opportunities as they arise.
The moment you step through the doors of the College of Journalism and Mass Communications, you can feel the energy and passion.
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.”
From day one, students take a hands-on approach to their classes, whether they’re focused on broadcasting, advertising or journalism. The goal is to help each student discover where their talent and passion intersect.
“All of our students spend at least five hours a week in one of our media outlets or agencies,” Veil said. “It gives them the chance outside the classroom to dig in and figure out what they want to do.”
Students can choose from seven different Experience Labs based on their interests, such as:
Other labs like Buoy, Heartland Webzine and Unlimited Sports offer hands-on opportunities in design, cultural storytelling and sports media.
“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.”
Donors also play a vital role in empowering students to explore media in deeper, more expansive ways.
“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.”
A major focus for the upcoming school year is to encourage students to study abroad and take that leap of faith. Thanks to donor support, more students will have the opportunity to travel internationally. This also enables faculty to lead those trips — further strengthening the college’s sense of community.
“We’ve placed student interns in seven different communities and created 19 different internship positions — with housing covered,” Veil said.
The dedication behind building the college into what it is today has made an impact not only across Nebraska but also on a national stage.
“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 dollar makes a difference when it’s helping shape the next generation of creative minds in media.
“Come to campus — just walk through the door — and you’ll see the impact of those donor dollars,” Veil said.
To make a lasting impact, please consider donating to the College of Journalism and Mass Communications Fund today.
