Five Missouri School of Journalism Faculty Members Approved for Graduate Faculty Status
Columbia, Mo. (April 29, 2010) — The University of Missouri Graduate School has approved Missouri School of Journalism faculty members Jeanne Abbott, Holly Edgell, Gary Grigsby, Janet Saidi and Marty Steffens for membership on the Graduate Faculty.
Graduate Faculty membership is required to teach graduate-level courses, chair master’s thesis committees, and to vote on graduate education issues brought to the faculty by the MU Graduate Faculty Senate. In addition, depending on the committee composition, Graduate Faculty may also serve as a member on doctoral examination and dissertation committees.
A total of 57 of the School’s elected faculty, roughly 74 percent, are members of the Graduate Faculty. “The depth of knowledge and breadth of experience represented by this group means graduate students at the School of Journalism have tremendous expertise upon which to draw for advising and graduate committees,” said Esther Thorson, associate dean for graduate studies.
Abbott, PhD ’88, is an associate professor in the print and digital news emphasis area and serves as managing editor of the Columbia Missourian. She joined the Missouri School of Journalism in August 2007 as a fellow of the Knight Center for Editing Excellence.
Holly Edgell is an assistant professor in the radio-television journalism emphasis area, executive producer at KOMU and serves as the adviser for the Missouri School of Journalism student chapter of the National Association of Black Journalists. She is also the Region 7 Director for the Society of Professional Journalists.
Gary Grigsby, MA ’81, is an associate professor of radio-television journalism. He joined the faculty in 1998 and has won numerous journalism awards for his work with faculty and students, including a 2010 Edward R. Murrow Award from the Radio-Television Digital News Association in the Audio Feature Reporting category.
Janet Saidi is an assistant professor in the radio-television journalism emphasis area and news director for KBIA-FM, one of the most successful NPR affiliates in the country. She joined the School in 2006.
Marty Steffens is the Society of American Business Editors and Writers chair in business and financial journalism. She is also a professor in the journalism studies emphasis area. Steffens joined the School in 2002.
Updated: May 11, 2020