Missouri School of Journalism students honored as leaders in Mizzou 18 and Mizzou ’39
By Lily Dunn and Emily Early
COLUMBIA, Mo. (Feb. 27, 2025) — Thirteen students at the Missouri School of Journalism were revealed to be members of Mizzou 18 and Mizzou ’39 during the annual ceremony Wednesday evening at the University of Missouri’s Traditions Plaza.
Eleven seniors were among the 39 students honored by the Mizzou Alumni Association for “academic achievement, leadership, and service,” while two graduate students were among the 18 honored for “world-class research, collaboration with faculty and staff, and demonstrated leadership.”
“Leadership, research and service to the community are core to the School of Journalism’s mission, and all three are represented in this talented group of students,” said David Kurpius, dean of the School. “I can’t wait to see where they go from here.”
The students were revealed after entering in a line with their backs to the audience and only turned around after being announced, the backdrop of Jesse Hall providing a sense of drama to the scene. Each entered with a member of the faculty they considered a mentor during their time at the University of Missouri.
Awarded since 2005, the honors commemorate the university’s founding in 1839 and celebrate the students who best represent the core tenets of the university.
Meet the students
Mizzou 18
Doctoral candidate Damilola Oduolowu came to Mizzou from Lagos, Nigeria, and as well as winning the Mizzou ‘18 award, Oduolowu was also a recipient of the Remington R. Williams Award, an award reserved for “exceptional student leaders.” He said the Mizzou ’18 award is “another milestone” in his “achievements in research, leadership, collaboration, and service at Mizzou.”
Oduolowu describes his media sociology research as work that “seeks to understand the role of citizen journalists in continuously shaping issues in the contemporary journalism landscape.” His mentor is Associate Professor Cristina Mislán.
Dinah West, BJ ’24, came from St. Louis, Missouri, to study strategic communication at the Missouri School of Journalism as an undergraduate. Now, she is well on her way to a master’s degree at the School.
Last summer, she interned in Chicago at marketing agency Amp though the BLAC Internship program. She named Assistant Professor Monique Luisi as her mentor.
Mizzou ’39
Beth Carlson of Napersville, Illinois is currently studying broadcast journalism. She has worked with KOMU 8 for over 3 years as a reporter, anchor and production assistant. Carlson is also a Journalism Ambassador and interned with WISN-TV in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
“This university has granted me the privilege of experiencing life as a real-life journalist but also given me organizations that have truly defined me as a college student,” Carlson said. “For me, Mizzou ’39 is a chance to reflect on what has truly impacted your time at Mizzou and made you the person you are now. To be recognized for the growth and relationships I have been able to foster here is truly special to me, and I am incredibly grateful.”
Carlson credits William Horner, Curators’ Distinguished Teaching Professor, as her mentor.
Jules Duffin came to the School of Journalism from Buffalo Grove, Illinois to study strategic communication. With a passion for impactful, creative storytelling and marketing, Duffin is pursuing a career in copywriting. Duffin interns with Matchbook Marketing Agency as a copywriter, has worked with Mizzou’s Writing Center and served as vice president of the Panhellenic Association and Kappa Alpha Theta Fraternity.
“The J-School has been essential to developing the skills I need to not just succeed, but to excel in my future career,” Duffin said. “The experience that stands out to me the most is J1400, a class where I got to really explore what journalism and strategic communication looks like in a real-life context. Through the stories and campaigns we created in this class, I found my love of storytelling and writing persuasive content, which led me down the path of becoming a copywriter.”
She named Director of the MU Writing Center Aaron Harms as her mentor for his lessons in not only writing but in empowering leadership.
Megan Fox of Springfield, Missouri is studying strategic communication while running a personal photography business. She has also served as a Mizzou Homecoming Tri-director, Vice President of Member Development for Kappa Kappa Gamma, Panhellenic Association’s Accessibility President and Photographer/Account Manager for the 2023 Mizzou Homecoming Public Relations Team. Her mentor, Karsen Idelman, Coordinator of the Mizzou Alumni Association, empowered and inspired Fox to join the Panhellic Assocation.
“Being a student at the University of Missouri means the world to me,” Fox said. “Mizzou helped me discover who I am and played a significant role in showing me how to thrive. Being selected as one of Mizzou’s Top 39 Seniors shows me that my hard work and dedication to improving our university truly made an impact on the people around me. Now, as I prepare to transition into a new season of life after graduation, I carry that feeling with me—the pride, the gratitude, and the confidence in knowing I can take on whatever comes next.”
Lily Franck is a strategic communication and digital storytelling student from St. Louis. She has worked with KCOU-FM 88.1 for over 3 years and often creates multimedia narratives that combine her love of film, music and journalism. Franck submits her work to festivals like the True/False Film Fest, and she credits that pursuit to Assistant Professor Lynn Kim, who inspires her creative progress.
“One of the things I will miss most about my experience at Mizzou is being surrounded by so many brilliant, inspiring peers,” Franck said. “It means so much being recognized alongside students who have devoted themselves to enriching the Mizzou community.”
Siobhan Harms has been at KOMU 8 for over 3 years, working as a reporter and an anchor. Pursuing a passion for broadcast and political journalism, Harms came to Mizzou from Los Angeles, California. She has been at KOMU 8 for over 3 years, worked with ABC-17, interned with the The Indian Express in New Dehli, India and with the TODAY Show in New York City.
“All of these experiences have benefitted my professional career, but my time working for The Indian Express in New Delhi stands out,” Harms said. “I worked with the video team––pitching, producing, reporting on-camera, editing and shooting videos for the outlet’s more than two million YouTube subscribers. I went out on stories by myself and learned how to operate in a country where very few people speak English fluently and where the culture differs greatly from the United States… It was a demanding experience that required me to adapt quickly, learn new skills and maintain the same standards of excellence expected at Mizzou.”
Harms named Associate Professor Kathryn Lucchesi as her mentor for her inspiring and supportive approach to teaching. She believes Lucchesi exceeded expectations as a professor and admires the time and guidance she’s given Harms throughout her time at the J-School.
Cole Lemasters is from Kansas City, Missouri. He came to Mizzou to study strategic communication, blending his love of storytelling and data, which he picked up from his love for baseball. He is currently interning with the Mizzou Department of Athletics and Veterans United Home Loans.
For his ability to profess on life as well as storytelling, Lemasters chose Professor Emeritus Ted Tarkow as his mentor.
“There are so many tremendously talented individuals that go to this University, so being recognized as one of the top 39 leaders in the class of 2025 is truly hard for me to comprehend,” Lemasters said. “Another reason I was excited to win this award because it not only highlights the awardee but also a mentor who helped them along the way. It feels great to be recognized as an impactful student, but it feels better to know that I allowed someone else to receive the recognition they greatly deserve.”
Rilee Malloy is from Cincinnati, Ohio, and she is studying documentary and photojournalism at Mizzou. As Vice President of Public Relations for the Panhellenic Association, she works to combine her love for Mizzou Greek Life with her passion for journalism.
Robert Greene, Associate Professor and filmmaker-in-chief at the Murray Center for Documentary Journalism at the University of Missouri, is Malloy’s mentor of choice.
“One of my favorite stories to tell about [Robert] is the time when I asked for an extension and he didn’t give it to me,” Malloy said in remarks earlier this week during the announcement of a gift to the School of Journalism. “Although it might not have been what I wanted to hear, it was exactly what I needed at the time and defines Robert as a mentor. In that moment and a lot of moments, he balanced compassion with accountability.”
Wyatt Nun of Geneva, Nebraska, is studying Broadcast Journalism and has worked for KOMU 8 for over 3.5 years as a sports anchor, reporter and producer. He also hosts a radio show on KCOU-FM 88.1.
“[Mizzou ’39] is one of the greatest honors I’ve ever received,” Nun said. “I remember watching the Mizzou ‘39 reveal my freshman year and thinking to myself, ‘That’s who I want to be someday.’ It’s been a goal of mine for so long, and to finally achieve it is a dream come true.”
He named Rachel Harper, Associate Dean of the Mizzou Honors College and Associate Professor, as his mentor.
Yasmeen Saadi is from Overland Park, Kansas, and she is pursuing a bachelor’s degree in journalism with dual Spanish and music minors. Saadi serves as the K-12 Education and Youth Assistant City Editor at the Columbia Missourian, which she has worked at for over 2 years.
“Getting to work at the Missourian and reporting on the local community has stood out during my time at Mizzou,” Saadi said. “I’ve loved seeing what an impact the publication has on the community and how much people care about the stories we produce. This hands-on learning style is central and special to Mizzou’s [School of Journalism] and is an experience I don’t think I would have been able to receive anywhere else.”
Saadi plans to use her skills as a reporter to improve coverage on underrepresented communities. She credits her abilities as a reporter to her mentor, Professor Elizabeth Brixey and her personal, customized teaching style.
Victoria Shore came to Mizzou to study strategic communication from Marion, Illinois. She is currently interning as an Entertainment Marketing Social Media Intern for Warner Bros. Discovery. Shore also studied abroad in New York City as a social media intern for CNN.
Shore credits Jon Stemmle, Professor, for recognizing her potential and helping grow her skills and passion for journalism.
“I have attended Mizzou ’39 reveals since my freshman year and always admired the students who received it, so it’s an immense honor to be on the other end of it now,” Shore said. “This award is the culmination of four years of hard work and discovery, and I am extremely proud.”
Audrey Stowe of Gunthrie Center, Iowa, is studying both strategic communication and business administration marketing in order to utilize the strategic and creative parts of journalism in her career. Stowe named Professor Jamie Flink as her mentor for challenging her and celebrating her throughout her experience at the School of Journalism.
“My fellow students are truly what stand out to me the most [about my time at Mizzou],” Stowe said. “It’s so important to be surrounding yourself with people who elevate your way of thinking, and I never felt that lacking at the Missouri School of Journalism. I’m forever thanking my younger self for making the leap to come here.”
Updated: February 28, 2025