15 Journalism Students Receive Mizzou ’39 Outstanding Senior Awards
Columbia, Mo. (Feb. 22, 2005) — Fifteen of the top 39 students on the University of Missouri-Columbia campus are journalism students. The MU Alumni Association Student Board recognized 39 outstanding seniors for their academic achievement, leadership and service to the University and community. More than 135 seniors applied for this first-time award. The students were chosen in the spirit of service modeled by the founding families that made possible the 1839 founding of the University of Missouri. “We believe we have some of the very best students at the University of Missouri, and the ’39 Awards competition proves that,” said Brian S. Brooks, associate dean for undergraduate studies and administration. The recipients were recognized at four different events, including a special Mizzou ’39 reception, at the Campus Founder’s Celebration, at a special Mizzou ’39 award banquet and at half-time of the MU-Baylor men’s basketball game.
Michael Berman, a senior from Chicago, will graduate in May 2006 with a degree in broadcast news. He has worked as a sports intern at the Pioneer Press, WGN Radio, and at ABC 17, Columbia, Mo. Berman is a member of Omicron Delta Kappa and has been named Pledge of the Year and Brother of the Year in his fraternity. After graduation, Berman hopes to land a job in sports reporting at a Midwestern television station.
McKenzie Boyd, a senior from Plano, Texas, will graduate in May with a degree in strategic communications. She has worked as a public relations intern for the Missouri Lottery. Boyd served as co-president of the campus chapter of Habitat for Humanity, and has volunteered at numerous events for the University YMCA and the American Cancer Society. After graduation, Boyd plans to find a creative advertising job in Dallas, Austin or New York.
Bryan Clark, a senior from West Chester, Ohio, will graduate in May with degrees in news-editorial and political science. He placed second in the Missouri APME Awards sports feature category and finished seventh in the national Hearst Writing Awards sports writing category. Clark was a designer at The Maneater and had an editorial internship with Ski magazine in Boulder, Colo. Clark is a member of Omicron Delta Kappa, Phi Kappa Phi and the National Residence Hall Honorary. He plans to attend law school.
Robert Edwards, a senior from Germantown, Tenn., will graduate in May with a degree in broadcast news. He has been president of the Alumni Association Student Board and the QEBH Honorary Society. He has served as a Summer Welcome Leader and a Campus Tour Team Member. After graduation Edwards plans to produce at a local TV station.
Emily Egel, a senior from Marion, Iowa, will graduate in May with degrees in broadcast news and political science. She has held internships with State Representative Brad Roark through the Civic Leaders Internship Program and Help the Aged Charity during a summer in London through a School program. Her post-graduate plans include a summer internship at the United States Embassy in The Hague, Netherlands.
Tyra Hughley, a senior from Naperville, Ill., will graduate in May with degrees in magazine journalism and black studies, and a minor in business. She has held internships at the Democrat and Chronicle newspaper in Rochester, New York, the Chicago bureau of People Magazine and at ServiceMaster Inc. as a legal intern. Hughley has served as president and secretary of the National Association of Black Journalists student chapter. She plans to pursue a joint law and journalism graduate degree.
Cliff Judy, a broadcast journalism major from Kearney, Mo., has held two internships at Metro Sports TV in Kansas City. He was the 2004 president of Sigma Tau Gamma, a social fraternity, and wrote the charter petition for that fraternity. Judy served as chief organizer of the GIVESTRONG-a-thon, is a member of the National Society of Collegiate Scholars, was voted his fraternity’s “Man of the Year” and is a member of Omicron Delta Kappa. Judy plans to pursue television reporting opportunities.
Matthew Mason, a Maple Grove, Minn. native, will graduate in May with a double major in advertising and sociology. He has held internship positions with MOJO Agency, TracyLocke and Mizzou Sports Properties. Mason has served as the Interfraternity Council Vice President of Public Relations, Greek Ambassador Co-Director, and has held various leadership positions within his fraternity, Alpha Epsilon Pi. Mason plans to pursue account executive positions in New York, Dallas or Austin.
Claire McClintic is an agricultural journalism major from Monroe City, Mo. She has held internships at Vance Publishing Group, the Ag Alumni Association and with Premier Marketing Group. McClintic has been on the Ag Week Steering Committee, a member of the Agricultural Communicators of Tomorrow and the president of Kappa Kappa Gamma. McClintic plans to attend law school.
Matthew Pierson, a broadcast major from Pocatello, Idaho, interned at Twenty Twenty Television in London. He is a humor columnist for The Maneater, a Big Brother at the Columbia Boys and Girls Club and the Legislative Director for the Associated Students of the University of Missouri, which is a student-run lobbying group. Pierson will participate in Teach for America for the next two years and then move to Phoenix to become a high school English teacher.
Sarah Rebholz of St. Louis will graduate in May with a major in strategic communications and a minor in English. She has interned with the National Multiple Sclerosis Society, Fox Sports Net Midwest, British American Business, Inc. in London, and Walter Karl, Inc. List Management. A Panhellenic Director, Rebholz is also a member of the Outreach Student Recruitment Team, Omicron Delta Kappa and Kappa Kappa Gamma sorority. Rebholz plans to work in public relations or corporate communications.
Amy Smith is a broadcast journalism major, with a minor in Spanish, from Kansas City. She is a member of Chi Omega sorority and has served as the New Member Educator. Smith served as a leader in the MU Summer Welcome program and as a Steering Committee Member for Rockin’ Against Multiple Sclerosis. As a member of Omicron Delta Kappa, she served as the publicity and promotions chair for the GIVESTRONG-athon. Smith plans to attend graduate school and study strategic communications.
Meredith Stevens, of Centennial, Colo., is a broadcast news major and French and political science minors. Stevens was a marketing and promotions intern for the Off-Campus Dining Network in Charlottesville, Va. She is a member of Alpha Phi sorority, a Greek Week 2005 director and has volunteer experience at the Central Missouri Food Bank, the Columbia Area Senior Center and the Salvation Army. Stevens plans to work in public relations in Colorado.
Lauren Stiglich, of Shorewood, Ill., is a broadcast news major with a minor in political science. She has interned at MSNBC in New York. Stiglich is a member of Delta Delta Delta sorority and has served as its president. She is a mentor for 8th grade student at Smithton Middle School, a member of the Omicron Delta Kappa Publications Committee and the Society of Professional Journalists. Stiglich is considering a reporting job or graduate school after graduation.
Matt Talhelm is a broadcast major from Chambersburg, Pa. He has interned at WHAG-TV NBC 25 in Hagerstown, Md. Talhelm is the Tri-Director of Rockin’ Against Multiple Sclerosis, the Tri-Council Editor for The Greek Chronicle, and a member of Delta Upsilon Fraternity, Omicron Delta Kappa Honor Society and the Society of Professional Journalists. He plans to return to the east coast and work as a television reporter.
Updated: April 2, 2020