Alumni
Mizzou alumna Elsa Garrison captures sports history through the lens
For nearly 30 years, Garrison has worked her dream job as a staff photographer at Getty Images, capturing some of the most iconic moments in sports Contact: Eric Stann, StannE@missouri.eduPhotos courtesy Getty Images You might not recognize her face, but you’ve likely seen her work. Her photographs have frozen sports history into fractions of a … Continued
New scholarship supports future television sports journalists, honors legacy of late KOMU Sports Director Ben Arnet
Ben Arnet with wife, Nicole, and daughter, Lyla By Austin Fitzgerald COLUMBIA, Mo. (March 30, 2026) — The Missouri School of Journalism has announced the Ben Arnet Memorial Scholarship in Television Sports Journalism, which will support students studying television sports reporting and production. The annual scholarship honors Arnet, BJ ’03, who served for five years … Continued
Mizzou alumna blends skiing and storytelling into a career
From the Missouri School of Journalism to the world’s steepest slopes, Erin Spong’s journey shows how a Mizzou education can launch into an extraordinary, unconventional career March 17, 2026Contact: Eric StannPhotos courtesy Brooks Curran/Nordica The freedom that Erin Spong finds standing on top of a 10,000-foot mountain mirrors what she discovered at the University of … Continued
Women of Mizzou: From the J-School to careers fueled by a passion for storytelling
By Helton Walker You never know where a journalism career will take you. As Co-President for Women in Media and a member of the Honors College, I have fallen in love with the inherently interdisciplinary aspect of journalism–researching stories, developing campaigns and incorporating storytelling into topics ranging from business to medicine to engineering. I particularly … Continued
From journalism to jewelry: How a J-School grad turned her passion for storytelling into an award-winning accessories brand
By Helton Walker Stuck at home, uninspired during the pandemic, Clare Ngai-Howard, BJ’13, reignited her creativity through jewelry design, launching BonBonWhims – a bold, whimsical company built off of childhood nostalgia and Y2K aesthetics. Those turn of the century aesthetics are a reflection of Ngai-Howard’s childhood: rainbow colors, rhinestones and over-the-top designs. Growing up in … Continued
On-air storytelling created the perfect foundation for a Missouri grad’s entrepreneurial influence
By Helton Walker As a sports writer in high school, Jill Bauer, BJ ‘89, didn’t need an extensive college tour to know that the Missouri School of Journalism was exactly where she belonged. When she heard that Mizzou’s J-School was the best, she needed no further convincing to apply and ultimately commit. Bauer quickly fell … Continued
A Missouri School of Journalism alum enhances community through artistic expression
By Helton Walker Public art is a public good. Through the ages, the expression has had its ups and downs. To artist and Mizzou grad Adrienne Luther Johnson, BJ ’18, it’s a theme that has defined her career philosophy. “I’m not thinking about art as a means to an end. I’m thinking about art as … Continued
Switching lenses: A J-School grad’s venture into sustainable eyewear
By Helton Walker On any given day, you might find Maureen Ryza, BJ ’17, rifling through flea markets in Europe, finding and curating pairs of eyeglass frames to repurpose. She’s not styling celebrities or designing costumes for television anymore, but uses her storytelling skills to bring eyewear back to life through her self-founded company, AZYR … Continued
The countdown to a career at NASA: For one grad, it all began at the Missouri School of Journalism
By Helton Walker When you first meet Katherine Herrick, BJ ‘19, at her job, you might not expect the conversation to take place underground. With low-textured ceilings, pale stone walls, and even fluorescent lights added, it still more cave than an office building. The unusual environment, she explains, is actually a Federal Records Center for … Continued
From sideline reporter to the Mom Game Podcast: One J -School graduate adds perspective to sports podcasts
By Helton Walker Podcasts aren’t a niche anymore — 54% of American adults have listened to one in the past 12 months. And while more than half of listeners are women, fewer than twenty percent of sports podcasts are hosted by women. Enter Julie Dobbs, BJ ‘07. As a Missouri School of Journalism graduate, Dobbs … Continued