COMMUNICATION AND JOURNALISM DEPARTMENT
COJO Professor Uncovers New Trends in Digital Journalism in Kazakhstan
COJO Associate Professor Dr. Cindy Price Schultz spent the past year establishing connections in Central Asia, investigating digital journalism in Kazakhstan, and presenting her research in Europe.
The University of Wyoming and Al-Farabi Kazakh National University (KazNU) have been partners for over a decade, fostering academic exchange and cross-cultural learning. The initial connection between the two universities was established by COJO Professor Emeritus Mike Brown in 2012. In recent years, the partnership has been maintained largely thanks to the efforts of Price Schultz and Dr. Karlyga Myssayeva, a faculty member at KazNU.
Last fall, Price Schultz and Brown traveled to Kazakhstan to discuss educational opportunities at the University of Wyoming. During their trip, Price Schultz and Brown signed agreements of cooperation with
journalism faculties at KazNU and SDU University. Price Schultz also met with former visiting professors and prospective students in Uzbekistan.
“Several Kazakh and Uzbek students were interested in coming to the University of Wyoming after my presentations in those countries,” she said. “In fact, I have heard from several Kazakh master’s students about coming to UW for their international journalism internships that are required for their degrees.”
The trip also supported Price Schultz’s sabbatical research, which focused on independent digital news outlets operating in Kazakhstan’s evolving media landscape. “Most research that has been done on digital news outlets, including my own, has been done in Western countries like the U.S., Europe, and Australia,” she said. “In fact, I couldn't find any research at this point that has been done in Central Asia.”
Cindy Price Schultz and Mike Brown (center) at SDU, an international university about 20 kilometers outside of Almaty, Kazakhstan.
Price Schultz sought to examine how independent journalism operated in a post-Soviet country, where the press has historically supported the government. She conducted interviews with 12 local journalists in Kazakhstan, assisted by her co-author Myssayeva, who translated conversations between English, Kazakh and Russian.
Without support from the government, independent journalism in Kazakhstan has to seek funding from other sources. Some journalists accept help from Western grant-bearing agencies, but most of them get funding from Kazakh sponsors or advertisements.
Among those interviewed, most reported tailoring their content to Kazakh-speaking audiences. The 2021 census indicates about half of the population speaks Kazakh in daily life, while nearly 85% speak Russian. By choosing to publish in Kazakh, these journalists differentiate themselves from mainstream, often Russian-language outlets, while helping audiences reconnect with their national identity.
Despite being unfamiliar with the country, Price Schultz received a heartfelt welcome from the locals.
“The people in Kazakhstan are so kind,” she said. “It's a part of their culture to be gracious hosts, and we were taken to the Tien Shan Mountains. I got to go to three national parks, to the opera and all kinds of wonderful things that came from our friendship and connections.”
Upon her return to the U.S., Price Schultz joined Brown in giving a presentation about their trip to Kazakhstan during the Central and North Asian Cohort Brown Bag Lunch series and at the Central Asian Awareness Day & Navruz celebration at UW.
Last month, Price Schultz took her research to Europe. The paper, titled "Moving Journalism in a New Direction? Business Models of Digital News Organizations in Kazakhstan," was presented during a lunch seminar at the Media Management and Transformation Center at the Jönköping International Business School in Jönköping, Sweden, on May 14.
On May 21, Price Schultz and Myssayeva presented at the World Media Economics and Management Conference in Warsaw, Poland. Their research was also highlighted on the panel "Navigating the Digital Audience: Using Khabar and Kazakhstan as a Model of Transitioning News Organizations for Developing Nations," featuring Khabar Chairman of the Board, Kemelbek Oishybayev.
Left to right: Mike Brown, KazNU Journalism Faculty Dean Kanat Auesbayuly, Cindy Price Schultz, and Karlyga Myssayeva.
Price Schultz presenting her research at the World Media Economics and Management Conference in Warsaw, Poland.
FORREST COLE
SILVER, SINGLE JOURNALISTIC PHOTO
“Crew Turley of Transition Bikes is spotlighted by late evening sun as he throws a sui-no-hander off the Roller Coaster Drop outside of Green River, Utah.”
Photojournalism Highlighted with Student & Faculty Awards
This year, COJO celebrated several students and a faculty member who received multiple awards at UW and internationally.
2025 Festival of Visual & Interactive Media Awards
The AEJMC Festival of Visual & Interactive Media or VIM Fest contest was created by the Visual Communication (VISC) division, in partnership with a number of other AEJMC divisions, as an opportunity to have creative research or student work vetted in a blind-juried, peer-reviewed international competition.
FORREST COLE BACHELOR’S
IN JOURNALISM
GOLD, PHOTO ILLUSTRATION
“This photo illustration was made with long exposures and the use of flashlights to paint the wings of an angel and a devil for Halloween. The final image is a combination of two separate images. The model is the same person.”
Cole’s Honorable Mention winning photo essay was made possible thanks to the 2024 Larsh Bristol Photojournalism Fellowship.
HONORABLE MENTION, PHOTO ESSAY
“Mountain biking is a largely male-dominated sport that has proven to sometimes be unwelcoming to women. I photographed Fiona Dougherty, a professional enduro racer and cofounder of Mountain Marauders, to document her efforts in changing that on a local level.”
(VIM Awards cont. on p. 5-6)
(Cont. from p. 4)
2025 Festival of Visual & Interactive Media Awards
GOLD, SINGLE JOURNALISTIC PHOTO (FACULTY DIVISION)
SHANE EPPING ASSISTANT PROFESSOR COJO DEPARTMENT
“This photo was made at my son’s basketball game. Sometimes the most interesting sports photos are made off the court/ field, which was the case for this one. I titled it, ‘Head in the Game.’”
BRONZE, SINGLE JOURNALISTIC PHOTO (FACULTY DIVISION)
“This image was made outside of Ross Hall during a partial lunar eclipse. The judges said, ‘Eclipses are widely photographed. Composing it with the clouds makes the image distinctive.’”
“The Bobby Model Professorship paid for all student entries to the 2025 Visual & Interactive Media Contest where two of our students earned a total of five photo awards. This allowed us to compete with photo programs at places like Syracuse and the University of South Carolina.”
SILVER, SINGLE JOURNALISTIC PHOTO (FACULTY DIVISION)
“This image was made at a concert in Denver. The band, The Hold Steady, is known for its interaction with the crowd.”
BRONZE, PHOTO ESSAY (FACULTY DIVISION)
“This was a portrait series made in June 2024 while visiting women artisans at a remote village in Perú. The Association of Artisans, ‘Manos Amazonicas,’ make and sell handmade crafts to enhance their individual and familial economic livelihoods.”
Teresa Huanaquiri
Emerson Finn
Galen Polivka
SERA GLASS
BACHELOR’S IN COMMUNICATION MINORS IN JAPANESE & HONORS
“The photo illustration was actually for a selfportrait photojournalism class assignment. I took pictures of things that represented me or were meaningful to me, inspired by a character in the film 20th Century Women. Then I layered them over a self-portrait.”
The Honors College and Bobby Model Professorship funds helped Glass organize a photo exhibition displayed in April 2024 as part of Undergraduate Research Day.
“I worked in a small Japanese town, Nozawa Onsen, in winter 2022 and discovered a large community of young people who were Japanese and another nationality (e.g., Japanese-Australian). As someone who is Japanese-American, I was interested to see how their sense of identity differed from my own.”
50th Annual Juried Student Exhibition at UW
ZACHARY AGEE
BACHELOR’S IN COMMUNICATION, MINOR IN JOURNALISM
ACADEMIC AFFAIRS SCHOLARSHIP AWARD COLLEGE OF ARTS AND SCIENCES PURCHASE AWARD HONORABLE MENTION
“I often see the Tetons photographed in groups, so when I looked up from my hike to see the Grand Teton staring down at me, I had to single it out.
The COJO Department, and Dr. Epping in particular, have been a huge help on my journey to become a photojournalist. My photography has improved because of techniques taught in Shane’s class.”
SILVER, PHOTO ILLUSTRATION
BRONZE, PHOTO ESSAY
Felix Minowa | Japanese-Brazilian-Swiss
Bison sustained indigenous communities for generations by shaping their traditions and spirituality, as well as providing food, clothing and shelter. After over 130 years of near extinction, they are being brought back to tribal lands on the Wind River Reservation.
Elsa Freise, a University of Wyoming student from Buffalo, is a recipient of the 2025 Larsh Bristol Photojournalism Fellowship. She gave a public presentation about her work, Bison Tales: Capturing Conservation and Culture, on Feb. 21.
Freise, a zoology major with a minor in journalism, spent last summer working alongside the crew of the Wind River Tribal Buffalo Initiative and documenting its efforts in conservation.
A bison stands on the Wind River Indian Reservation as part of a historic reintroduction of the species after more than 130 years of near extinction. (Photo by Elsa Freise)
Her journey began in a UW photojournalism class, where she discovered a passion for visual storytelling and an opportunity to connect with people she might have never met otherwise.
“Photojournalism gives you a way to step into someone else’s life, gain new perspectives and understand the world in deeper ways,” Freise said. “It has the power to make us pause, photograph what often gets overlooked and connect.”
Freise wanted to tell a story that would be historically significant to Wyoming and focused on its people.
“As a zoology major, I have always been intrigued by our state’s mammal, the bison,” she said. “Additionally, indigenous and marginalized communities are often disproportionately affected by climate change, yet their leadership in conservation is crucial for equitable policies.”
Freise was determined to be more than a passive observer — she wanted to fully engage with the community. She reached out to Jason Baldes, the executive officer and board president of the Wind River Tribal Buffalo Initiative, and traveled to the Wind River Reservation where she helped out by tearing down fences and preparing meals.
Freise hopes that her project will shed light on the history of Wyoming and the negative effects of bison depletion, which reshaped the Great Plains and disrupted both ecosystems and the lives of indigenous communities.
I am very grateful for the Larsh Bristol Fellowship for making this possible.
This summer was a dream come true! I’ve always wanted to travel nomadically, and this experience allowed me to do that while working on something meaningful.
— Elsa Freise
“There are also many misconceptions about the Wind River Reservation,” she said. “Through this project, I wanted to highlight the good work happening there — the strength, resilience and dedication to conservation and cultural revitalization.”
The Larsh Bristol Photojournalism Fellowship gave Freise an opportunity to travel, meet new people and contribute to Wyoming conservation. Most importantly, it helped her recognize her inner strength and what she is capable of.
“When I told people I was going to the Wind River Reservation alone, I was met with fear and doubt,” she said. “Solo travel can be intimidating, especially as a woman. But I learned that we often build things up in our heads to be much scarier than they actually are. Post-graduation, I know I am capable of going anywhere in the world and finding people to connect with because of what I accomplished this past summer.”
The Larsh Bristol Photojournalism Fellowship is an annual award for UW students to support strong visual storytelling projects. It is named in honor of Larsh Bristol, a UW journalism alumnus who died in 2006. It has been hosted by the UW Department of Communication and Journalism since 2008.
Jason Baldes, executive officer and board president of the Wind River Tribal Buffalo Initiative, feeds a bison calf on the Wind River Indian Reservation. (Photo by Elsa Freise)
STUDENT HIGHLIGHT
Recognized as one of the top graduates in the College of Arts and Sciences, Daniel Wozney is using his skills in interpersonal communication to build meaningful connections and inspire UW students to reach their full potential.
Wozney is one of the 13 students honored with the College of Arts and Sciences Top Graduate Award in May. The award recognizes students for their academic excellence, hard work, and intellectual curiosity.
“I am very humbled and honored to have received this award,” Wozney said. “I feel very blessed for each of my professors and the care and effort they put in me.”
This spring, Wozney completed his bachelor’s degree in communication at UW. Looking back at his academic journey, he recalls not only the lessons he learned but also the connections he made along the way.
“I have deeply enjoyed taking classes with every single professor, and they have all truly become very close friends to me,” Wozney said. “Additionally, I have to shoutout all of the amazing friendships I have developed with other students. From those who worked on their undergraduate degree with me to the graduate students who let me hang around, they have all become so close and dear to my heart.”
Wozney currently works for the Navigators, a Christian ministry recognized across the U.S. and globally. Through his work, he aims to help new students feel confident and capable as they begin their journey at UW. “College is such an amazing time, but it can also be very challenging and scary,” Wozney said. “I just hope to be someone who students can lean on and feel at peace with.”
A natural leader, Wozney took advantage of the many opportunities provided by UW. From joining the National Society of Leadership and Success to serving
Daniel Wozney (right) accepts the Outstanding Undergraduate Student Service Award from Justin Stewart (left) at the COJO Honors Ceremony on May 7.
Lambda Pi Eta at the LCBA Career Expo on March 28. Left to right: Inna Willis, Blake Westover, Daniel Wozney, Aly Kruger, and Maddy Huffman.
as the vice president of Lambda Pi Eta, the national communication honor society, he demonstrated his reliability and strength as a thoughtful communicator.
“Communication has definitely provided me with a great deal of skills that I can see being helpful in my current endeavors,” Wozney said. “For example, I have learned a lot about interpersonal skills and how to effectively engage with other people. Especially in a job where I want to talk to others about very deep and intimate aspects of faith and beliefs, making others feel cared for and respected is huge.”
Alongside verbal communication, Wozney leaned into creative design and storytelling. In one of his classes, he got to design a promotional box to be mailed to prospective UW students.
“It was my first time working on design along with a client,” Wozney said. “I was able to create some fun interactive components by making a mini cowboy hat that students could take pictures with while also playing around with secondary colors found in the University’s palette. I view it as one of my favorite projects where I got to explore creativity and business.”
In the future, Wozney hopes to continue utilizing the skills and experience he gained at the University of Wyoming to inspire, create and give back to the community through his work with the Navigators.
COJO Faculty Kudos
STEWART RECEIVES THE “THUMBS-UP” AWARD
Justin Stewart, COJO Department Head, was honored with the Arts & Sciences Student Council “Thumbs-Up” Award.
EPPING EARNS UNIVERSITY STEWARDSHIP AWARD
Assistant professor Shane Epping received the UW Foundation Stewardship Award, which honors faculty members for their extraordinary work developing relationships with donors, helping students, and using donated funds to advance teaching and research.
HSU AND COJO ALUMNUS PRESENT RESEARCH IN AUSTRALIA
Dr. Sandy Hsu and COJO alumnus, Katie Welniak, presented their research “Is it Time to BeReal? The Influence of Photo Sharing Social Media, Fear of Missing Out, and Willingness to Communicate on Loneliness among International Students” at the joint conference of the International Academy for Intercultural Research (IAIR) and International Association for CrossCultural Psychology (IACCP) in Brisbane, Australia, in June.
(COJO Kudos cont. on p. 12)
Sandy Hsu
Justin Stewart
Shane Epping
ALUMNI HIGHLIGHT
When Alicia Perez began her communication degree, she never imagined she would one day become the driving force behind her favorite campus events, bringing energy and excitement to student life.
From developing skills in social media marketing and event planning to a chance to meet one of her favorite YouTube influencers, Perez took full advantage of the opportunities offered by COJO and established herself as a rising professional in the field.
Perez graduated from the University of Wyoming in 2021 and 2023, earning both a bachelor's and a master's degree in communication. Her thesis, “The Try Guys Try Cheating: Social Media Influencers in Crisis”, explored the relationship between social media influencers and their followers based on a case study of the Try Guys – a famous group of comedians with more than seven million subscribers on YouTube.
Not only was her thesis published in an academic journal, but it was also warmly received by the Try Guys themselves. Perez got to meet Keith Habersberger, a member of the Try Guys, in person at the National Association for Campus Activities (NACA) conference and later invited
him to perform at UW with his comedy band Lewberger in September 2024. “It was truly one of the coolest experiences to meet someone that I've watched on YouTube forever and wrote my thesis about,” she said. “I don't think I'd have that opportunity or it wouldn't mean as much to me without UW COJO.”
Perez gained experience in social media marketing through two internships she pursued during
her academic years. Following that, she secured a position as the 7220 Entertainment Program Advisor for UW as well as a volunteer marketing advisor for the Theta Eta chapter of Tri Delta, a sorority she was a member of from 2016 to 2020.
“We mainly communicate out to the student body, so understanding certain trends and current social media has been a major asset,” Perez said. “But also understanding
Alicia Perez with the Try Guys member Keith Habersberger at the NACA Conference in Philadelphia. Left to right: Alicia Perez, Keith Habersberger, Alex Lewis, Gwen Dailey, Hughie Stonefish. (Photos by Alicia Perez)
that when we do reach out to the Laramie community for larger events like Union Fest, that audience and ultimately the message is different.”
Union Fest is an annual event that commemorates the end of the school year, featuring food, yard games, and live performances by popular music artists.
“I'm always extremely blown away by the community engagement we see at Union Fest,” Perez said. “While the main goal is to service students and give them the opportunity to decompress before finals week, we always see such overwhelming support from faculty and staff, and the larger Laramie community. I fell in love with Laramie during my undergraduate years because of the small town tight-knit community so it was really cool to see it translate into my working life and career.”
Looking ahead, Perez plans to continue enriching student life at UW by organizing exciting events centered around campus traditions and student interests.
“7220 Entertainment is constantly trying to maintain a pulse on the general student body about what they prioritize, who they think is an upcoming artist or which established artists they would like to see,” she said. “I still have some brainstorming ideas that I would love to try and implement on campus. Some larger campuses across the nation post some funlooking events on social media that I think could succeed here.”
COJO Faculty Kudos
(COJO Kudos cont. from p. 10)
BINGHAM NOMINATED FOR EXTRAORDINARY MERIT IN TEACHING
Beau Bingham, senior COJO lecturer, was nominated for the Extraordinary Merit Award in Teaching by the College of Arts & Sciences.
BROWN NAMED OUTSTANDING FORMER FACULTY MEMBER
COJO Professor Emeritus, Michael Brown, received the Outstanding Former Faculty Award and gave a speech at the College of Arts & Sciences Banquet in May.
COJO
Organized by Assistant Professor Kayla Clark, the festival promoted local businesses and recreation in Laramie by offering a variety of activities, including art workshops, ice sculpting, food vendors and live music.
Beau Bingham
CELEBRATES LARAMIE WINTER FEST
COJO Department celebrating Laramie Winter Fest on Feb. 15-16. Left to right, top to bottom: Justin Stewart, Kayla Clark, Blake Westover, Mitzi Stewart, and Molly Walters.
Michael Brown
University of Wyoming
COJO Department
Ross Hall 223/224
1000 E. University Ave.
Laramie, WY 82071
uwyo.edu/cojo cojoofc@uwyo.edu (307) 766-3122
Design and layout by Inna Willis