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COMMUNICATION AND JOURNALISM DEPARTMENT

SUMMER 2026

COJO STUDENTS TRAVEL TO NAMIBIA TO SUPPORT CHEETAH CONSERVATION

MORE ON P. 5

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By Taiye O. Idahor. Originally published in Laramie Boomerang on April 25, 2026.

HOW ONE WOMAN’S PASSION FOR WILDLIFE BROUGHT COJO STUDENTS TO NAMIBIA AND UNITED A SMALL WYOMING COMMUNITY IN RAISING ALMOST $6,000 FOR CHEETAH CONSERVATION.

Nobody told Christy Bidstrup that her vacation would involve cheetahs chasing her across a savannah pen. She found that out when she was already there. “The cheetahs would chase us,” she said, laughing like it still surprised her. “If you just saw the video without context, you would think, ‘Oh my God, you are being chased by cheetahs!’ Which was kind of cool.” She was not in danger. She was carrying a giant pan of raw meat in the bed of a pickup truck through the Namibian dust, so the cheetahs wanted the meat, not her. And the speeding truck simulates the prey chase to keep the cheetahs fit. That was 20 years ago. Recently, Bidstrup, a retired coin marketer from the United States Treasury Department, was in Laramie, watching college students organize the Run Like a Cheetah 5K for the very animal that once sprinted at her across a field. The University of Wyoming Communication and Journalism Department took a group of students to Namibia for a study abroad class at Cheetah Conservation Fund (CCF) at the end of May. It is all because of Bidstrup. “Because of Christy’s

connections, we got to meet Dr. Laurie Marker, the founder of CCF, and give students the opportunity to work with an international nonprofit,” said Cindy Price Schultz, one of the UW study abroad professors. “Her cheetah experience led to our upcoming cheetah experience.” There are only about 7,000 cheetahs left in the wild today. A century ago, their population was estimated to be around 100,000. They now live on just 9% of the land they once roamed in Africa. Bidstrup contemplated those numbers for a long time. They are part of why she never really left Namibia behind, even after she came home. She found her way there through Earthwatch, an organization that places ordinary people inside real scientific research. She chose a trip to the Cheetah Conservation Fund and something about that place stayed with her. The work was not romantic. At the end of long days, she would sit near the pens and watch cheetahs clean themselves like house cats, which they are not but sometimes sound like. “I look back now and I loved every single minute of it,” Bidstrup said. “Even when I had blisters on my hands and was

Forrest Cole, first-ever communication intern at CCF, feeding a cheetah.

thirsty, it was still life changing.” One of the problems was that farmers were killing cheetahs and blaming them for livestock losses that were often caused by other predators. CCF introduced a livestock guardian dogs program, where Kangal and Anatolian Shepherds from Turkey were raised with livestock and bonded with the herds. Since 1994, CCF has placed over 600 of these dogs with Namibian farmers, 91% of whom reported a significant drop in livestock losses. Part of what makes cheetahs so vulnerable is how they are

COJO Newsletter Summer 2026

built. They are fast, but not strong enough to fight off larger predators, so they often lose their food and have to start again. Cheetah mothers raise their cubs alone, and losing most of a litter is common. That is the reality of the species. The moment that changed Bidstrup’s life happened quietly at the farewell dinner during the last night of the trip. Marker moved through the room and stopped at each volunteer. She asked a simple question. “So, what are you going to do?” Bidstrup realized the question was not about what she had done; it was about what she would do next. “It kind of took us all off guard,” she said. “She was really holding us to account.” Bidstrup went home to Virginia and joined the local CCF chapter. There, she organized galas,

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hosted fundraisers and invited guest speakers. At one point, she was part of a team that arranged for a live ambassador cheetah from the Columbus Zoo to attend CCF events in a Virginia banquet room. Over time, she became a trustee of the Cheetah Conservation Fund. She also created a grant that sends a UW student to Namibia each year. In Summer 2025 that student was Forrest Cole, a journalism major from Wheatland. He was the first-ever communicationoriented intern at CCF. “Forrest was excited to take pictures of cheetahs and do other things for CCF,” Price Schultz said. “Now several other students will get the same opportunity — all because Christy made that connection possible.”

This spring, students in the Price Schultz’s Public Relations Techniques course organized the Run (or Walk) Like a Cheetah 5K, a fundraiser for the Cheetah Conservation Fund. The event was held on May 2, in Laramie’s Washington Park, including an opportunity for virtual participation for UW alumni from other states. Many of them started the semester knowing very little about what was happening to cheetahs. Maddy Huffman, a communication and marketing double major from Cheyenne, is in both the public relations class and the study abroad. “I have always wanted to do conservation work, and this class at CCF allowed me to get hands-on experience,” Huffman said. “Through planning the Run Like a Cheetah event, I learned that you can

never be too prepared, too organized or have too much communication.” Overall, the experience has come full circle. “It makes me realize it was all worth it,” Bidstrup said quietly. “You touch somebody. And those people touch somebody. And you begin to make a difference.” More than 120 people attended the Run (or Walk) Like a Cheetah 5K and participated in the silent auction, where they could buy cheetah-related jewelry, pictures and other items. Thanks to the hard work of the COJO PR Techniques’ class and the support of Laramie residents, the event raised almost $6,000 for cheetah conservation.

Run (or Walk) Like a Cheetah 5K in Washington Park on May 2. Photos by COJO students Kambry Lightfoot and Macey Hansen.

COJO Newsletter Summer 2026

Fish Out of Water AN OUTSIDE PERSPECTIVE ON COMMUNICATION IN CONSERVATION By Macey Hansen

Communication and Journalism Department members Cindy Price Schultz, Shane Epping and Kayla Clark took a Study Abroad course to Cheetah Conservation Fund in Namibia in May and June. What follows is a student’s take on what she learned from the experience.

Macey Hansen plays with one of the guardian dog puppies. The dogs are raised to help protect livestock from predators.

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am a communication major at the University of Wyoming, which entails taking classes that teach me how to communicate with publics and reach specific audiences. As students, we learn a lot from lectures, but coming to Cheetah Conservation Fund taught me so much about how to communicate conservation via physical application. My background in communication has been primarily in sports. As an athlete myself, it’s where I have been able to grow my toolbelt and see what interests me in the communications world. Getting to spend two weeks at Cheetah Conservation Fund pivoted my mindset from promoting athletes to animals in need of help, which was very eye-opening because it changed how I think about content creation. Visiting Cheetah Conservation Fund was truly a life-changing experience! One big takeaway that I learned from Dearbhaile Dhubhghaill, the social media

consultant at CCF, was that successful communication means successful adaptation. Her goal is for CCF to communicate its work to the public and, in response, the public will be open to this two-way communication stream. The main idea at CCF is that if it must rescue a cat, that is considered a failure because a success would mean that the cheetahs don’t need rescuing in the first place. Because this animal needs help, CCF is there to provide the support that the cheetah needs to survive. Being at CCF, I truly felt that the work was impactful not only to the cheetahs but also to the communities surrounding them. For example, CCF has a greenhouse that produces locally sourced food and a Bushblok factory that recycles the plants that are overtaking the cheetah habitats and turns them into a fire-starter to be shared in Namibia and South Africa. Getting to help weed the plants and tour the Bushblok factory helped me see that there is a lot more to CCF

Macey Hansen was tasked by Cheetah Conservation Fund founder and executive director, Dr. Laurie Marker, to video the intake process for a cheetah that was captured by a farmer.

COJO Newsletter Summer 2026

The first day at Cheetah Conservation Fund, the COJO group climbed to the top of a nearby hill to get a great view of the area.

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than just cheetahs, and learning how that work can be recognized was very important to me. One of the days that my class was at CCF, we got the opportunity to observe the team bring in a cheetah that had been trapped by a farmer. When I walked into the vet clinic to observe their initial health intake assessment, Dr. Laurie Marker, the executive director of CCF, handed me her phone and asked if I would record content for her. She had two visitors from Saudi Arabia who were working on leopard conservation, so she wanted to document the process. Recording helped me note some main takeaways for what conservation communication should look like. First, showing transparency is very important to tell the full story and not lead viewers to the wrong conclusion. Another important note is that transparency means showing things ethically, like in photos. A big push for CCF is to photograph the cheetahs with no fences because they don’t want the perception that these animals are kept caged up. The reality is that they are they have so much land to roam that it’s not like a zoo for these cats. Lastly, giving context is very important so that viewers get all the information they need to understand what is happening. When this new cheetah came in, the goal of documenting the process was to note what happened to him that required him to be rescued by CCF and to

show that the organization was helping him return to as normal a life as possible. Showing the quality of care that he was given, that he would now be monitored and cared for as needed as he got older, and that he’d been given a second chance at CCF is an important story to share. Showing conservation through media is about raising awareness, but it is also about being honest about the highs and the lows of this work at the same time. By getting to observe the work that is being done at Cheetah Conservation Fund, I learned so much about what it is like to be a conservationist in Africa, and how to use tools like social media to communicate to people that we must coexist with nature, not fight over it. I am so grateful for this experience. Getting to learn from the people at CCF gave me some very important lessons on how to be a strong communicator, which I am so thankful for.

eetah Learn more about Ch : nd Conservation Fu

https://CHEETAH.ORG CCFCHEETAH

COJO Newsletter Summer 2026

Faith Hamlin entered agriculture without a traditional background and helped transform a failing ranch into a thriving cattle operation and agritourism destination. Photo by Shelby Sinclair.

Unseen Hands A LARSH BRISTOL PHOTOJOURNALISM PROJECT THAT HIGHLIGHTS WOMEN’S ROLE IN MODERN RANCHING By Eric Trujillo

Women’s contributions to ranching have been historically overlooked, but the latest rendition of the University of Wyoming’s Larsh Bristol Photojournalism Fellowship challenges these assumptions. Shelby Sinclair, a UW student from Fort Collins, Colorado, is the recipient of the 2025 Bristol fellowship. She gave her presentation, “Unseen Hands,” Feb. 13 in the UW Student Union. Her project was also given the 2026 Bobby Model Photojournalism Award.

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At the heart of Sinclair’s project is the story of Faith Hamlin and the transformation of the Little Jennie Ranch in Bondurant. As an agricultural communications major, Sinclair says her work is driven by a desire to connect people to the origins of their food. “I’ve always wanted to bridge the gap between community, products and consumers,” she said. “That’s a big disconnect—a lot of people don’t understand where their food comes from.” Sinclair’s relationship with photojournalism began

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in the classes she took in the Department of Communication and Journalism. “I was taking Dr. Shane Epping’s photography classes and I fell in love with it,” she said. “I think it helped me develop a sense of really being in the moment. That’s what photojournalism is, if you do it right.” Epping, who is the first-ever Bobby Model Photojournalism Professor, has instructed students in the art of photography, photojournalism and visual communication since 2021. “Documentary photography asks us to observe rather than direct, to wait for truth instead of constructing it. Shelby embraced that discipline fully,” he said. “She didn’t pose her subject or look for shortcuts. She drove to Bondurant, built a relationship with Faith Hamlin over time and returned again and again to document a life in progress. That kind of commitment—showing up, putting in the hours, earning trust—is exactly what the Larsh Bristol Photojournalism Fellowship was created to support and Shelby honors that legacy well.” Sinclair says the Bristol fellowship pushed her to grow as a professional. “I don’t think I could have done that a year ago; I couldn’t have reached out to someone and been like, ‘Hey, can I spend all this time with you behind the scenes and take this whole story and all of these photos of you?,’” she said. “I don’t think I could have had the confidence to reach out and spend that much time with a new person, and this story gave me the opportunity to work on that.”

The experience she gained over the past summer left a lasting impression of what she was capable of as a photographer and as a woman in the field. “What has stuck with me the most is the confidence I have now as a photographer,” Sinclair said. “I feel very honored to represent UW with this project and represent this Western culture and way of life.” 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.

What has stuck with me the most is the confidence I have now as a photographer. I feel very honored to represent UW with this project and represent this Western culture and way of life. — Shelby Sinclair

COJO Newsletter Summer 2026

Sharon Linhart A COJO ALUM WHOSE AWARD-WINNING CAREER SHAPED COLORADO’S PUBLIC RELATIONS INDUSTRY. By Ivy Willis

From studying journalism at the University of Wyoming to being inducted into the Denver Press Club’s Hall of Fame, Sharon Linhart is living proof that hard work pays off. On May 16, she became one of five inductees at the ceremony held at the nation’s oldest press club, dedicated to supporting ethical journalism and building a community of communication leaders. “It is an inspiring place— a monument to outstanding journalists that earned Pulitzer Prizes and it honors those who have contributed to the media landscape in the West,” Linhart said. “I'm honored to be among those who have worked in the communications industry and supported journalism and PR profession.”

Linhart’s journey began in high school in Greeley, Colorado, where she was an editor for the school newspaper and wrote a weekly column for the Greeley Tribune. With the encouragement of her teacher, she decided to pursue a journalism degree at UW. It was there that Linhart developed an interest in public relations. She liked the idea of crafting messages that had a lasting impact and enjoyed the challenge of combining strategy and creativity in communication. “I was inspired by several excellent guest lecturers who introduced me to the possibilities within public relations,” she said. “Their insights helped me realize that while traditional journalism plays an important role, it has limitations. I was also intrigued by

political science and the role of PR in elections and world history.” Little did she know that one day she would open her own public relations firm in Colorado. Today, Linhart PR is a nationally recognized agency and the winner of numerous awards, including PR Week Boutique Agency of the Year. The firm celebrated its 30th anniversary earlier this year. Among its clients are such famous brands as Southwest Airlines, Johns Manville, Chipotle, United Healthcare and Red Robin. At UW, Linhart met Larsh Bristol, a fellow journalism major who left a lasting impact on her career. “Larsh and I met in our freshman journalism class in 1970,” she said. “We hit it off immediately, sharing a passion

“I believe that UW played a huge factor in my success in PR, with a strong journalism foundation coupled with an entrepreneurial passion.” – Sharon Linhart

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for good writing, photography, and a zest for Wyoming and college life. Larsh was charming, funny, friendly and had an infectious laugh. Through the rest of our college career, we were great buddies, whether working in the darkroom or on a class assignment or just having fun.” Linhart described Bristol as “a gifted photographer” and said that she learned a lot from him. Though their paths split after graduation, with Linhart pursuing public relations and Bristol going on to work for Wyoming newspapers, they stayed in touch. Bristol eventually opened his own photography studio and gallery in Sheridan. After a long and successful career, he died in an accident in 2006. To commemorate his legacy, Linhart and some of his friends

created the Larsh Bristol Photojournalism Fellowship— a competitive award that gives $5,500 to UW students pursuing meaningful photojournalism projects. “It is a source of pride and a memorial to our beloved friend gone too soon,” Linhart said. “Now, nearly 20 years later, UW has become renowned for its photojournalism program and many Bristol Fellows have produced amazing, high-impact projects. My husband Jerry and I are so pleased with the Bristol Fellowship's success and our role in supporting it.” Today, Linhart co-chairs the Board of Directors of Goodwill Colorado and serves on the executive committee of Junior Achievement Rocky Mountain, a nonprofit that teaches children

financial literacy and prepares them for future career success. She was named one of the 50 Most Powerful People in Denver by 5280 Magazine and has PRSA Colorado's PR Person of the Year award named in her honor. “Success is the result of passion, hard work, integrity and the willingness to keep learning throughout your career,” Linhart said. “One of the most important things I would tell aspiring communicators is to build a strong foundation in writing and storytelling; it’s essential in any communication field. Beyond that, stay curious, be open to new opportunities and don’t be afraid to take risks.”

"Stay curious, be open to new opportunities and don’t be afraid to take risks."

Sharon Linhart graduated in 1973 from the University of Wyoming with a bachelor’s degree in journalism with honors. Photo by Larsh Bristol.

The Denver Press Club Hall of Fame inductees 2026 (left to right): Sharon Linhart, Jim Trotter, Alan Kania, Linda Carpio Shapley, and Lee Ann Colacioppo. Photo courtesy Sharon Linhart.

COJO Newsletter Summer 2026

A Woman to Watch

Photo by Brian Harrington.

ASSISTANT PROFESSOR KAYLA CLARK WAS INVITED TO EXHIBIT HER WORK IN WASHINGTON, D.C.

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Kayla Clark, assistant professor in the Communication and Journalism Department with a joint appointment in the Haub School of Environment and Natural Resources, has been selected to exhibit her work at the Women to Watch 2027: A Book Arts Revolution, an initiative of the National Museum of Women in the Arts in Washington, D.C. Clark was one of the four Wyoming's nominees, alongside Jodie Atherton, Oakley Boycott and Katie Christensen. The artists were selected through the Wyoming committee of the National Museum of Women in the Arts and will represent the state through exhibitions, public programming and media outreach. “I knew the Book Arts Revolution was an excellent fit for my experimental, interactive and often mischievous work,” Clark said. “Wyoming has a rich community of book artists and storytellers, and I’m truly grateful to be selected alongside Katie, Jodie and Oakley to advocate for and showcase printing, typography and book arts throughout our state.” The Women to Watch program highlights women artists from selected regions around the world. This edition focuses on book arts with an emphasis on work that challenges traditional ideas of what a book can be through typography, material, content and format.

Beth Venn, executive director of the Neltje Center for Excellence in Creativity and the Arts and managing director of the Jentel Artist Residency, served as Wyoming’s curator. “Too often, the voices of women artists in rural states go unheard,” Venn said. “This exhibition will showcase the important contributions of women artists in Wyoming, highlighting those doing the most visionary work in the field of book arts.” Clark’s selection reflects a studio practice that combines visual communication, typography, printmaking and

experimental book forms. Her work often blends digital tools with older printing processes, such as laser cutters and her 125-year-old Poco proofing letterpress. “Letterpress has a long history in communication through books, newspapers, posters and other printed materials,” Clark said. “In my work, the process remains relevant because it makes type, materiality and analogue experimentation physical.” Her work also pushes the definition of book arts, a field that treats books as creative objects rather than only traditional bound volumes. Clark recently

COJO Newsletter Summer 2026

served for three years as curator for the Laramie County Library System Book Arts exhibition, an experience that helped shape one of the central questions in her practice: What can a book be? Several of Clark’s works explore that question directly. In A Year in the Life, she visualizes time as a diner-style receipt, turning 365 logged days into a record of meetings, classes, workshops, collaborations and daily labor. Paragon of Virtue uses crowdsourced fortunes from participants across multiple countries and reshapes them into a fortune-cookie-inspired form, raising questions about advice, luck and the future. In Manipulate the Malleable, layered risograph prints and letterpressprinted text turn language into something tactile, flexible and physically present. “Across these works, I often use accessible or everyday materials and rework them into unexpected forms,” she said. “I connect that resourcefulness

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Photos courtesy of Kayla Clark

KISSCUTSTUDIO.COM

to my background as a firstgeneration college student from a blue-collar Wyoming family. Being scrappy, practical and willing to work with what is available has shaped both my studio process and the materials I choose.” Kicking off a statewide tour, the Wyoming Women to Watch artists will be featured with a gallery opening and panel on Sept. 25 at the Gorgon Gallery in the Laramie Plains Civic Center. The event will give audiences an opportunity to meet the artists and see how they are contributing to national conversations about book arts. For COJO, Clark’s nomination highlights the range of work happening within visual communication. “My teaching and creative practice ask students to think about design not only as something made on a screen, but as something shaped by material, process, audience and form."

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CLARK WILL EXHIBIT HER WORK AT THE NATIONAL MUSEUM OF WOMEN IN THE ARTS IN WASHINGTON, D.C., WHERE THE COLLECTION INCLUDES WORK BY ARTISTS SUCH AS FRIDA KAHLO, GEORGIA O’KEEFFE AND BARBARA KRUGER.

COJO Newsletter Summer 2026

COJO STUDENTS AND FACULTY WON SEVERAL AWARDS AT A BLIND-JURIED, PEER-REVIEWED INTERNATIONAL PHOTOGRAPHY CONTEST.

GARRETT GROCHOWSKI 100-YARD BUTTERFLY

SILVER | SINGLE PHOTO - JOURNALISM Jack O’Neil rides a stationary bike in his home on May 8, 2025. O’Neil, a collegiate Division I swimmer who competed in the 2024 Paris Paralympics, turned to cycling after a surgery kept him out of the pool. Days from graduation, O’Neil planned to retire from competitive swimming when he walked on May 17, 2025.

ABIGAIL JOHNSON SHE COULD DO IT

SILVER | PHOTO ILLUSTRATION PHOTOGRAPHY Kimberly Choma, a University of Wyoming journalism student and equipment manager for the Wyoming football team, flexes her bicep in a photographic tribute to J. Howard Miller’s iconic 1943 “We Can Do It!” poster. In August 2024, Choma survived a rollover car crash that left her stranded for more than six hours and required multiple surgeries. It was important to Kimberly for people to know she believes angels carried her across the field to where she was found. Choma, who was from Star Valley, Wyo., died on June 25, 2025, in circumstances unrelated to the car accident. She was 21.

ZACH AGEE 4 KIDS, 3 JOBS, BARELY MAKING IT GOLD | PHOTO ESSAY - JOURNALISM

Any other time in America, the Larsens would be considered a middle-class family. But after a house fire left them with nothing, they have taken on three jobs between the two of them to keep their four kids, John Jr.’s mother and her boyfriend fed while they all live under the same roof. John Jr. and Victoria Larsen grew up in Union, Missouri, and have been together for 15 years. John Jr. has worked a reliable and steady job at the Silgan plastic plant for seven years, while Victoria works at a gas station and as a caretaker. Despite these sources of income, they still require help from government aid to put groceries on the table. They are not alone. According to the Missouri Department of Social Services, over 600,000 families around Missouri receive benefits from the SNAP program. Without this and other support programs, the Larsens and many other families would go hungry. With eight mouths to feed and benefits being cut, the strain is growing for the family. However, their resilience doesn’t waver, and they still make time to laugh, play and lift each other up.

COJO Newsletter Summer 2026

ZACH AGEE HAT TRICK

GOLD | SINGLE PHOTO - JOURNALISM A skier reaches for one of the final rings on the course while being towed by a horse and rider during a skijoring competition. Skijoring combines horse racing and skiing — a rider on horseback pulls a skier at speed through a course of jumps and rings.

SHELBY SINCLAIR STAYING WITH STACEY RUTH MUYAPA STILL HERE

GOLD | PHOTO ILLUSTRATION Ruth Muyapa rests her head on her late father’s shirt, as a framed baby photo of the two together hangs on the wall behind her. Muyapa, a college student from Papua, Indonesia, created the image as part of a visual essay about the connection she carries with her father through the objects he left behind — a shirt, a fishing rod, and a noken, a traditional Papuan woven bag recognized by UNESCO as intangible cultural heritage.

SILVER | PHOTO ESSAY - JOURNALISM “Staying with Stacey” documents the quiet realities of living with longterm illness and the shifting roles within a family. Since 2010, Stacey Sinclair has lived with atypical Parkinson’s disease and Lyme disease—conditions that slowly reshaped the life of a woman once defined by movement, strength, and deep roots in agriculture and rodeo. Formerly a vibrant competitor and titleholder, including Miss Rodeo America and Miss Rodeo Wyoming, she was known as an athlete, horsewoman, mother, and community presence. Today, the story reflects the contrast between who she was and the stillness imposed by illness, honoring both identities with dignity.

Photos and descriptions from: www.aejmc.org/ visualcommunicationdivision/ awards/festival-of-visual-interactivemedia/2026-vim-fest-winners

COJO Newsletter Summer 2026

ALANNA LINK PAINTING WITH LIGHT

BRONZE | PHOTO ILLUSTRATION Alanna Link huddles beneath an umbrella against a dirt embankment as trails of light, created by sparklers during a long exposure, cascade around her.

SERA GLASS STARRY NIGHT

BRONZE | SINGLE PHOTO - JOURNALISM A starry night sky welcomes the new year over the Annapurna mountain range on January 9, 2026. Looming over the other peaks is Dhaulagiri, at 26,795 feet. Illuminated on the mountain side are teahouses for trekkers journeying on to Annapurna Base Camp.

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SHANE EPPING NEIGHBORS

BRONZE | SINGLE PHOTO - PHOTOGRAPHY A coyote and a black Angus cow watch each other across a pasture along Highway 287 on March 13, 2025. Calving season in northern Colorado runs from late February through April. The coyote knows that. Neither moved.

SHELBY SINCLAIR UNSEEN HANDS

BRONZE | PHOTO ESSAY - JOURNALISM Unseen Hands is a photojournalism story about the role of women in ranching, specifically those who came to it without generational ties. This story highlights the grit, resilience, and complexity of modern ranch life, as seen through the eyes of women who chose it. At the heart of the project is the story of Faith Hamlin and the transformation of the Little Jennie Ranch in Bondurant, Wyoming.

COJO Newsletter Summer 2026

CELEBRATING THE ACHIEVEMENTS OF OUR STUDENTS, FACULTY AND ALUMNI

DANIELLE ROW

A 2026 scholarship winner, Row will spend Spring 2027 studying journalism during UW's London Semester.

MONICA DERU & KANI MILLER

2,3

Were recognized as College of Arts & Sciences Outstanding Graduates at the ceremony on May 7.

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STUDENTS 4,5

6,7

9-11

ALLISON BRUMMELL & RYLAN POITRA Won the competitive 2026 Judith A. Muhlberg Study Abroad scholarship. Brummell will take part in Semester at Sea, a program that combines learning and travel to 11 countries. Poitra will spend a year studying Spanish and communication at the University of Alicante in Spain.

WILLIAM GALLOWAY & SYDNEY NIETO Became the 2026-2027 Larsh Bristol Photojournalism Fellows. Galloway will document cougar conservation in Wyoming and the challenges of coexistence in a changing landscape in “Where Lions Still Walk: The Story of Cougar Conservation in the American West." Nieto will present "The Hidden Cities of the High Plains," where she will focus on the importance of prairie dogs in grassland ecosystems.

CINDY BENEDICT EKE Received the John P. Ellbogen Outstanding Graduate Assistant Teaching Award for her exceptional work as a graduate instructor.

KRISTIN BULLARD, IRELAND EARL & CORA SCHROEDER Won Arts & Sciences Board of Visitors Student Service Awards.

COJO Newsletter Summer 2026

FACULTY DIRECTOR OF DEBATE DAVID ROONEY

Received the 2026 Outstanding Dissertation Award in Communication Studies for “Animal-Machine” and was nominated for Outstanding Humanities and Fine Arts Dissertation at the UT-Austin. Published the book titled “Primal Rhetoric and the Rise of Right Wing Carnivorism” (University of Mississippi Press, 2027).

ASSISTANT DEPARTMENT HEAD & DIRECTOR OF GRADUATE STUDIES SANDY HSU

ASSISTANT PROFESSOR SHANE EPPING Presented the 2026 D’art Gallery Solo Photography Exhibition, “On the Road Again: Scenes from Highway 287" in May. Was awarded the 2026 Arts & Sciences Extraordinary Merit in Teaching Award. Was selected as a 2026 Faculty Champion by the Center for Community News at the University of Vermont (one of 150 nationally). The program recognizes journalism leaders who build partnerships between newsrooms and college reporting programs. Recipients receive training to help grow their news/academic programs.

Was nominated 2026 Distinguished Graduate Faculty Mentor at the UW School of Graduate Education.

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ALUMNI 15

KEVIN MCKINNEY

Three UW Athletics interns met with journalism alum Kevin McKinney in February. Macey Hansen of Columbia, Missouri; Ethan Graham of Mead, Colorado; and Paityn Hulstrom of Broomfield, Colorado, received the Kevin McKinney Communication & Journalism Student Enrichment Fund award this semester. McKinney served in the Athletic Department for many years and continues to be a radio commentator for the Cowboys.

VANTA CODA, III Alumnus and prior Larsh Bristol Fellowship recipient Vanta Coda, III, was announced the 2026 Sony World Photography award winner in the Lifestyle category of the open competition. His image was among 430,000 entries submitted across ten categories.

Top row, left to right: Macey Hansen, Ethan Graham, Paityn Hulstrom. Bottom row: Kevin McKinney.

The photo documents the moment a young girl Charlotte, and her cow Dolly, keep cool between events of the 1000th State Fair of West Virginia in Lewisburg.

COJO Newsletter Summer 2026

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