16 Journalism students selected for Mizzou ’39’ Honors
Seniors recognized for their leadership, service and academic achievements
Columbia, Mo. (March 8, 2018) — Sixteen Missouri School of Journalism students are among the 39 selected for Mizzou ’39. The award, given by the Mizzou Alumni Association Student Board, recognizes 39 outstanding seniors across all majors for their leadership, service and academic achievement throughout their time at the University of Missouri.
The award is given in spirit of the service cornerstone on which MU was founded in 1839. Mizzou ’39 recipients name a MU faculty or staff mentor to recognize at the awards ceremony. The students and their mentors will be recognized at a banquet this spring.
Mike Carlson
- Hometown: Denver, Colorado
- Major: Strategic Communication
- Activities/Honors: Tour Team, Delta Chi Fraternity, Influence and Co., Homecoming Top 30 Nominee, Novak Leadership Institute Member
- Mentor: Terry Britt, Ph.D. Student/Graduate Instructor, Journalism
Ric Dickens
- Hometown: Coppell, Texas
- Major: Strategic Communication
- Activities/Honors: Catholic Student Association Executive Board, Mizzou After Dark Production Assistant, Homecoming Steering Committee Member, MOJO Ad Media Planner
- Mentor: Kavita Grewal, Student Service Coordinator, Academic Retention Services
Daniel Esteve
- Hometown: Brownsville, Texas
- Major: Sports Broadcast Journalism
- Activities/Honors: MU Tour Team, KOMU 8 News/Sports, Mizzou Women’s Basketball Scout Team, Mizzou Men’s Club Basketball
- Mentor: Le Ann Stroupe, Director of Visitor Relations
Nora J. Faris
- Hometown: Concordia, Missouri
- Major: Science and Agricultural Journalism
- Activities/Honors: Kinder Scholar and Kinder Fellow – Kinder Institute on Constitutional Democracy, KOMU-8 TV Reporter, KBIA Reporter and Anchor, CAFNR Ambassadors, Mortar Board, Civic Leaders Internship Program, CLIP Congressional Scholars, Radio Television Digital News Foundation Presidents Scholar, National FFA Organization, Mizzou Student Foundation, Truman Scholarship National Finalist, National Association of Farm Broadcasting Scholar
- Mentor: Sharon Wood-Turley, Program Chair and Adviser for Science and Agricultural Journalism
Carolyn R. Heger
- Hometown: St. Louis, Missouri
- Majors: Finance and Banking, Business and Economics Journalism
- Activities/Honors: Omicron Delta Kappa National Leadership Honor Society – Alumni Relations Chair, Alpha Kappa Psi Professional Business Fraternity, Kappa Delta Sorority, Beta Gamma Sigma International Business Honor Society, St. Thomas More Newman Center
- Mentor: Randy Smith, Donald W. Reynolds Endowed Chair in Business Journalism, Missouri School of Journalism
Jalyn R. Johnson
- Hometown: St. Louis, Missouri
- Major: Sports Broadcast Journalism
- Activities/Honors: United Ambassadors Diversity Student Recruitment Team, 2016 Summer Welcome Leader, National Association of Black Journalists, Member of Phi Sigma Theta National Honor Society
- Mentor: Allison Pudlik, Admissions Representative, Office of Admissions
Landon T. Jones
- Hometown: Popular Bluff, Missouri
- Majors: Radio/Television Producing, Creative Writing
- Activities/Honors: Coordinator for Diversity Peer Educators, Director of Leadership and Service for Mizzou Alternative Breaks, Coordinator of Mizzou Community 360, 2016 Summer Welcome Leader, Walter Williams Scholar of Journalism, Proud Tiger Mentor, Chair of the Department of Student Activities Speakers Committee
- Mentor: Shawn Wallace, Academic Adviser
Katherine Kokal
- Hometown: Milwaukee, Wisconsin
- Major: Print and Digital International News
- Activities/Honors: Kappa Alpha Theta, MizzouRec Services and Facilities, Luverne Walton Scholarship Recipient, MU Vagina Monologues, Mizzou Student Suicide Prevention Coalition, Columbia Missourian, 91.3 KBIA
- Mentor: Julie Passanante Elman, Assistant Professor, Women and Gender Studies
Morgan Kopitsky
- Hometown: Fredericktown, Missouri
- Major: Journalism
- Minor: Political Science
- Activities/Honors: Journalism Ambassador Program, Office of Admissions Intern
- Mentor: Jim Spain, Vice Provost for Undergraduate Studies
Claire Kopsky
- Hometown: St. Louis, Missouri
- Major: Convergence Television Reporting
- Activities/Honors: Four-Year Journalist at KOMU – Anchor and Reporter, Reporter for the Missourian, KBIA and Newsy.com, University Tour Team, Kappa Alpha Theta – Executive Board, Griffiths Leadership Society for Women, Mizzou Forte A Capella Group. Represented Mizzou during a reporting trip to Beijing, China. Interned in New York City and London.
- Mentor: Amy Simons, Associate Professor, Convergence Journalism
Kayla Myers
- Hometown: Memphis, Tennessee
- Majors: Strategic Communication, Digital Storytelling
- Activities/Honors: President – Phi Sigma Pi National Honor Fraternity, Student Coordinator – FIGs Program, Summer Welcome 2016, Griffiths Leadership Society, MizzouThon, AHS Scholar, Honors College, It’s On Us, Women of Color Retreat Planning Committee, 2016 RHA Peer Advisor of the Year, Visual Art and Design Showcase
- Mentor: Katina Bitsicas, Interim Director and Assistant Teaching Professor, Digital Storytelling
Falyn Page
- Hometown: Houston, Texas
- Major: Convergence TV Reporting and Multimedia Producing
- Activities/Honors: Diversity Award, Dean’s List, Phi Sigma Theta National Honor Society, Mizzou Tour Guide, Vice President of the Athletic Ambassador Team, Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Inc.
- Mentor: Le Ann Stroupe, Director of Visitor Relations
Hope Watson
- Hometown: Jefferson City, Missouri
- Majors: Strategic Communication, Political Science
- Activities/Honors: Co-Founder and Non-Profit Director of Roots LLC, Mizzou Student Foundation, Kappa Alpha Theta, National Society of Collegiate Scholars
- Mentor: Stefanie Gray, Coordinator, Donor Relations
Hanna Yowell
- Hometown: Iowa City, Iowa
- Major: Strategic Communication
- Activities/Honors: It’s On Us, Homecoming Steering Committee, MizzouThon, Mizzou Alternative Breaks, Camp Kesem, Griffiths Leadership Society for Women, MOJO Ad
- Mentor: Ryan Gavin, Strategic Communications Manager, Division of Inclusion, Diversity and Equity
Daphne Yu
- Hometown: Columbia, Missouri
- Majors: Journalism, Political Science
- Activities/Honors: Asian American Association internal vice president – external vice president – president, planning committee member of two regional APIA Conferences (MAASU Leadership Summit) at Mizzou, 2016 Mizzou Ambassador for APIA Vote; two-term president of Alpha Phi Gamma Sorority, Inc., two-term executive chair of the Midwest Asian American Students Union Executive Coordinating Committee, Peer Adviser with Residential Life, Mizzou Undergraduate Research Forum Winner in the Social Sciences Division, planning committee member of the annual Women of Color retreat
- Mentor: Stephanie Hernandez, Former Coordinator, Multicultural Center
Becca Zeiger
- Hometown: Overland Park, Kansas
- Major: Strategic Communication
- Activities/Honors: Emerging Greek Leaders Program Peer Facilitator, Greeks Advocating the Mature Management of Alcohol Peer Educator, Mizzou Unity Coalition, Kappa Alpha Theta Yearlong Activities Director, MU Disability Center Employee, Outreach Student Recruitment, Mizzou Alternative Breaks, Omicron Delta Kappa Distinguished 14 Freshman
- Mentor: Amber Cheek, Director of Accessibility and ADA Coordinator, Office for Civil Rights and Title IX
Updated: March 3, 2021