2025 Missouri Honor Medal recipients to deliver master classes at Missouri School of Journalism
Public master classes are part of a full day of events, including an expert panel on global erosion of press freedoms
COLUMBIA, Mo. (Sept. 12, 2025) — On Tuesday, September 30, this year’s Missouri Honor Medalists will present free, public master classes drawing from the experience and wisdom they have gathered over the course of their distinguished careers.
Students, faculty, staff and members of the community are welcome to attend each of the three master classes, which will feature celebrated journalists Jorge Ramos and Maria Ressa as well as internationally recognized strategic communication leader John Saunders.
“This is a remarkable opportunity for students and the community to engage with some of the most influential, innovative minds in journalism and strategic communication,” said David Kurpius, dean of the School of Journalism. “There is no substitute for hearing firsthand from communicators of this caliber, and I’m honored by the medalists’ willingness to devote time to inspiring the next generation of industry leaders.”
Despite the different backgrounds and expertise of each medalist, each master class will share a common emphasis on the importance of professional principles and ethics — as will an additional event, a panel uniting Ramos and Ressa with Knight Journalism Protection Initiative fellow Gustavo Gorriti. See the complete schedule of events below:
- Panel – Gorriti, Ramos and Ressa, 9:30–10:30 a.m., Smith Forum
Though they have worked on separate continents — Gorriti in Peru, Ramos in North America and Ressa in the Philippines — each of these journalists have endured attempts by the politicians they cover to silence them and discredit their work. This panel, moderated by School of Journalism Professor Kathy Kiely, will discuss the future of a free press in an increasingly hostile global environment. - Jorge Ramos master class, 11 a.m.–noon, Ellis Library Auditorium
Ramos, anchor of flagship Univision news program Noticiero Univision for nearly 40 years, will deliver “Question Power and the Power of Questions.” The session will focus on the social responsibilities of journalists, particularly when it comes to questioning, challenging and holding those in power to account. Limited seating available. - John Saunders master class, 1:30 – 2:30 p.m., Smith Forum
Saunders, the chairman and former president and CEO of global communications consultancy FleishmanHillard, will present a session titled, “If You Don’t Stand for Something, You’ll Fall for Anything.” In addition to tips for surviving and thriving in communications, he will delve into why personal and professional integrity matters and what organizations like FleishmanHillard look for when hiring. - Maria Ressa master class, 3–4 p.m., Smith Forum
Ressa’s presentation, “Moment of Truth,” will center around the rollbacks of press freedoms worldwide alongside the rise of autocracy, issues that Ressa has personally encountered as co-founder and CEO of Filipino investigative news website Rappler.
Together, these events offer a variety of opportunities to learn firsthand from industry giants in the lead-up to the Honor Medal Ceremony, which will take place later that evening at the State Historical Society of Missouri. For more information about the medalists, click here.
Updated: September 16, 2025