Missouri School of Journalism students spotlight undergraduate research during Show Me Research Week
COLUMBIA, Mo. (April 7, 2025) — Missouri School of Journalism students will showcase the power of undergraduate research this month when they present their work as part of the university-wide Show Me Research Week, which will run from April 14-18.
Journalism and strategic communication students — paired with faculty mentors within and outside the School of Journalism — will exhibit research investigating everything from the impact of language on “math anxiety” in elementary school to the ways news outlets and advertisers portray various groups of people.
“This is a great demonstration of the interdisciplinary research that undergraduates can conduct at the School of Journalism,” said Lynda Kraxberger, associate dean for undergraduate studies at the School. “I’m excited to see their work displayed alongside research from all over campus.”
“This is a great demonstration of the interdisciplinary research that undergraduates can conduct at the School of Journalism. I’m excited to see their work displayed alongside research from all over campus.”
Lynda Kraxberger, associate dean for undergraduate studies
Natalie Schaefer, a freshman double-majoring in journalism and political science, said the confluence of different disciplines and backgrounds on her research team — led by Assistant Teaching Professor Christopher Josey and Associate Professor Julius Riles of the College of Arts and Science — was a key part of the value of the experience.
“The most interesting conversations stem from disagreement, and both Dr. Josey and Dr. Riles encourage and get involved in these interesting discussions,” Schaefer said.
The multidimensional nature of research also applied to solo projects like that of freshman Sydney Rohrberg. Her mentor, Professor Kathy Kiely, encouraged her to incorporate her interest in the Spanish language, leading her to study press freedom issues in Latin America.
“This gives her a chance to work in Spanish, which is a wonderful experience for a young journalist,” said Kiely, the Lee Hills Chair in Free-Press Studies at the School of Journalism. “It’s easier to be inspired to work hard when you realize how useful that work can be in the real world, so we’re applying a little Missouri Method [the School’s principle of learning by doing] to language studies.”
Undergraduates won’t be the only ones taking the stage; master’s student Hana Yun and Ever Cole, a senior who is enrolled in the accelerated master’s program, will also present their work. The full list of journalism and strategic communication students and mentors participating in Show Me Research Week is below. For a schedule of events and more information, click here.
Students presenting at Show Me Research Week
- Emily Boyett, senior
- Gracie Cearley, sophomore
- Ever Cole, accelerated master’s program
- Bishop Lamm, junior
- Kaiya Lynch, junior
- Sydney Rohrberg, freshman
- Cristal Sanchez, senior
- Natalie Schaefer, freshman
- Maggie Turner, senior
- Hana Yun, master’s student
Mentors
- Sungkyoung Lee, associate professor
- Shelly Rodgers, Maxine Wilson Gregory Chair in Journalism Research
- Kathy Kiely, Lee Hills Chair in Free-Press Studies
Updated: April 7, 2025