College of Media at Illinois

10/19/2026

Join Media Career Services on Tuesday, Oct. 20, from 5-6 p.m., in Room 1090 Lincoln Hall, to hear a panel of local media professionals share valuable tips, industry insights, and career advice to help students land their first job or internship.

"From Classroom to Career: Breaking into the Media Industry" will highlight several career topics including:

🔶 Searching for jobs and internships
🔷 Interviewing strategies
🔶 Networking and more

Please contact Media Career Services if you have any questions at [email protected].

Presented by Media Career Services and sponsored by the American Advertising Federation.

10/16/2026

Illinois undergraduates of all majors looking for an opportunity to develop their leadership skills are invited to apply for The LeaderShape Institute retreat through the Illinois Leadership® Center, held Jan. 11-14, 2027, at Allerton Park and Retreat Center.

This experience is free for selected participants thanks to financial support from campus donors.

Applications are open now through Sunday, Nov. 8.

🔶 More information: https://buff.ly/NDffmo6
🔷 Application: https://buff.ly/e4T1foS

10/15/2026

Join us for the 2026 Roger Ebert Lecture on Thursday, Oct. 22, at 4 p.m. in the Knight Auditorium of the Spurlock Museum of World Cultures.

Allyson Nadia Field, professor and chair of the Department of Cinema and Media Studies at the University of Chicago, will focus on her book "Acts of Love: Black Performance and the Kiss That Changed Film History" (2026). Rare film clips will be featured throughout the presentation.

Attendees can join this free event in person or register to join via Zoom: https://buff.ly/TPOdlj3

Learn more: https://buff.ly/bt6OAKe

Presented by the Roger Ebert Center for Film Studies.

10/14/2026

Hear a short presentation on why communication science matters in the next generation of AI research. Mike Yao, professor in the Charles H. Sandage Department of Advertising, will present “When Machines Learn Our Language: AI, Human Experience, and the Future of Connection” on Thursday, Oct. 15, at 11:35-11:50 a.m.

His talk is part of the “The US–Latin America Day of Artificial Intelligence,” featuring seven expert speakers representing AI, engineering, chemistry, communications, and finance.

Register to watch the virtual conference, held from 10 a.m.-noon CT tomorrow: https://buff.ly/Cbrl3xK

Learn more: https://buff.ly/3KdvgCp

10/13/2026

Students are invited to a “Values Auction” on Wednesday, Oct. 14, at 5 p.m., in Gregory Hall Room 1. Participants will engage in an auction exercise designed to bring awareness to the values that matter most to everyone.

This event is part of the Fall 2026 College of Media Student Wellbeing Workshop series, which features three workshops that include an evidence-based exercise for uncovering elements of the self to improve wellbeing, drawing primarily on positive psychology and neuroscience.

Each workshop will be hosted by Dr. Elizabeth Luckman, clinical associate professor at Gies College of Business and founder of Golden Mean Growth, and Heejin Kim, teaching assistant professor at Gies College of Business.

Snacks will be provided; please RSVP to Molly Cornyn at [email protected].

10/12/2026

Students are invited to a workshop and lunch with Derrick Burson (BS ’99, journalism), senior associate director of athletics, on Monday, Oct. 19, from 12-1:30 p.m., in 336 Gregory Hall.

Now in his fourth year leading the Fighting Illini Athletics Communication office, Burson is spokesperson for the Division of Intercollegiate Athletics (DIA) and coordinates all strategic communication efforts for the athletics department and DIA administration initiatives.

Lunch will be provided; please RSVP to Colleen King, clinical associate professor of journalism and director of the Frank Center, at [email protected].

10/09/2026

Last week, journalism alum David McCraw (BS '76), lead newsroom lawyer for The New York Times, joined the College of Media's Frank Center via Zoom for a Q&A on press freedom.

McCraw is senior vice president and deputy general counsel at The Times and author of "Truth in Our Times: Inside the Fight for Press Freedom in the Age of Alternative Facts," an account of the legal battles that helped shape The Times’s coverage of Donald Trump, Harvey Weinstein, national security, and the rise of political partisanship in America.

Hear the conversation:

University of Illinois journalism alum David McCraw (BS '76), lead ...

10/08/2026

ICYMI: Read a recap, see photos, or watch videos of the Sandage Symposium keynote, panel discussions, and student showcase, held at the Illini Union in September. The event connected industry experts, researchers, alumni, and students who are shaping the future of advertising.

🔶 Recap: https://buff.ly/Mx3P0zc
🔷 Photos: https://buff.ly/IEkSzPl
🔶 Videos: https://buff.ly/01GWuof

Presented by the Charles H. Sandage Department of Advertising.

10/07/2026

College of Media students recently visited two Chicago professional sports organizations—the Chicago Cubs and the Chicago Bears—to gain firsthand insight into the sports media industry.

Kenneth Erdey, technical coordinator for broadcast operations in the Department of Journalism, said opportunities like these are invaluable in helping students understand the realities of the industry, build professional connections, and envision future careers in sports media.

Read more: https://buff.ly/aFtsZT0

10/06/2026

The Institute of Communications Research Colloquium Series kicks off on Friday, Oct. 9, from 1-2 p.m., in 1050 Siebel Center for Design. Media faculty Jenny Oyallon-Koloski, associate professor of media and cinema studies; Ewa Maslowska, associate professor of advertising; and Margaret Ng, associate professor of journalism, will lead the panel on interdisciplinary collaboration. They will share insights, tips, and recommendations for building successful collaborations across disciplines.

The panel is open to faculty, students, and anyone interested in interdisciplinary collaboration.