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Journalism Professor Wins Multicultural Recruitment Award

Posted on: August 3rd, 2023 by msross

The Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication has selected a University of Mississippi journalism professor as the winner of the 2023 Robert P. Knight Multicultural Recruitment Award. 

RJ Morgan

R.J. Morgan

R.J. Morgan, instructional associate professor in the School of Journalism and New Media, will be honored with the award at the annual AEJMC conference in Washington, D.C. on August 8. 

Along with teaching journalism and integrated marketing communications students at Ole Miss, Morgan has served as the director of the Mississippi Scholastic Press Association for the past 10 years. 

“I am so very thankful for the leadership of Dr. Morgan through MSPA, and I believe he is one of the main reasons why Murrah has become so involved with journalism education, especially in the past ten years,” said Sarah Ballard, student media advisor for Murrah High School in Jackson.

“He has made it a point to reach out to us and pull us into the conversation by encouraging us to enter our literary magazine and yearbook into the MSPA’s yearly competitions. He has also encouraged my students to submit to Journalist of the Year among other categories and asked me to serve on the board for MSPA to make sure Murrah has a voice at the table.” 

The Mississippi Scholastic Press Association supports and promotes journalism in a high school setting through workshops, competitions, conventions and online aids and advice. Membership is open to any Mississippi school that has a newspaper, yearbook, literary magazine, online publication, broadcast and/or journalism class. More than 400 students attend the two annual conferences. The University of Mississippi hosts their spring conference and the University of Southern Mississippi hosts the fall conference.

Under Morgan’s leadership, MSPA conference keynote speakers have included the award-winning Black southern writer Kiese Laymon, FedEx Global Citizenship Manager Rose Flenorl Jackson and award-winning journalist and author of the first novel featuring The Black Panther superhero, Jesse Holland. Ballard said Morgan’s efforts to diversify the speaker line-up has a profound impact on students. 

R.J. Morgan speaks at a podium.

R.J. Morgan speaks at the opening event for the spring MSPA conference in the Grove.

“I especially recall when Kiese Laymon was the speaker for the spring convention in Oxford and what an unbelievable impact that made on my students of color to hear from someone who spoke and dressed and looked like them,” said Ballard. “As we know, representation matters, so for Dr. Morgan to continually strive to bring out diverse perspectives in the leadership, the speakers, and the awards that are presented means that he is dedicated to the goal of creating a welcoming and diverse community for Mississippi journalism education.” 

Donna Ladd, editor and CEO of the Mississippi Free Press and Mississippi Journalism and Education Group has seen firsthand how MSPA has changed the landscape of scholastic journalism in the state.

“Last fall, R.J. asked me to facilitate solution circles for MSPA students at the University of Southern Mississippi MSPA convention where, frankly, I expected to see mostly white journalism students like in the old days,” said Ladd. “I was so wrong. Due to R.J.’s leadership, the gathering and our circles were extremely diverse leading to rich and unexpected conversations from teenagers from across the state—all related in one way or another to diversity, equity and inclusion in journalism and or in the communities the young journalists live in. It was outstanding and inspiring.”

To further promote diversity in scholastic media programs, Morgan makes regular classroom visits to schools in underserved communities, and he has raised funds to offer every journalism teacher in Mississippi a free Journalism Education Association (JEA) membership, something especially important for schools with few resources as JEA boasts an extensive curriculum supplement for teachers. 

Morgan was nominated by Associate Dean Debora Wenger.

“When hundreds of Mississippi high school students descend on the University of Mississippi campus, the audience will more closely reflect the reality that is the state and the country,” said Wenger. “Dr. Morgan deserves credit for his tireless dedication to diversity, equity and inclusion in the MSPA.”

Professor Leaves a Legacy at UM Journalism School

Posted on: June 23rd, 2023 by msross
Journalism professor Joe Atkins talks with a student before one of his classes during the spring 2023 semester. Photo by MacKenzie Ross/School of Journalism and New Media

Journalism professor Joe Atkins talks with a student before one of his classes during the spring 2023 semester. Photo by MacKenzie Ross/School of Journalism and New Media

Joe Atkins, 33-year teaching veteran, says farewell to Farley Hall

OXFORD, Miss. – Anyone who has come through the University of Mississippi School of Journalism and New Media in the last 30 years likely took a course under Joseph Atkins.

The journalism professor retires this summer after 33 years in the classroom, where he taught courses in advanced reporting, international journalism, ethics and social issues, media history, and labor and media.

“I’m leaving this program as a full-time professor in good hands because a lot of great, exciting things are going on,” Atkins said. “We’ve got a great faculty and good leadership.”

Before he started his work in academia, Atkins spent 15 years as a journalist, with the last five serving as a congressional correspondent for the Gannett News Service in Washington, D.C.

“Professor Atkins was a true gem of a journalist,” said Eva-Marie Luter, a journalism graduate student from Tylertown. “He put his students before himself, listening to our needs and working through them with us individually.

“There will be other great journalists, but none like professor Atkins and how he shaped the lives of every student he taught.”

Atkins’ work as a journalist continued at Ole Miss and his coverage of labor issues in the U.S. and Singapore gained international recognition. His work has appeared in publications such as USA Today, The Baltimore Sun, Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Progressive Populist, Southern Exposure and Oxford American.

His book “Covering for the Bosses: Labor and the Southern Press” (University Press of Mississippi, 2008) explores the tumultuous relationship between labor unions and the media outlets that cover their stories.

“I consider myself as much a writer as a professor,” Atkins said. “I always try to keep active as a practicing journalist as well as a professor who is teaching journalism, so I like to practice what I preach.”

Joe Atkins delivers the Mortar Board’s Last Lecture, the final lecture of the spring semester, on May 5, 2023. Photo by Eva-Marie Luter

Joe Atkins delivers the Mortar Board’s Last Lecture, the final lecture of the spring semester, on May 5, 2023. Photo by Eva-Marie Luter

Atkins used that passion as inspiration for the international Conference on Labor and the Southern Press at the university in 2003. Besides organizing conferences about labor unions, he is also a member of the United Campus Workers of Mississippi, an organized labor group at the university.

The Mississippi Association for Justice named Atkins “Advocate of the Year” in 2011 in honors of his work in underrepresented communities.

His emphasis on labor relations was a major influence on former student Jaz Brisack, the university’s first female Rhodes Scholar, who rose to national fame after leading the unionization of Starbucks employees.

“Joe Atkins is the best professor I’ve ever had the joy of knowing and is the reason I’m a labor organizer today,” Brisack said. “… so lucky to have taken a record-setting number of his classes.”

Atkins’ last semester as a full-time faculty member was accompanied by five graduate students that turned into a unique family. The group ended up together in both of Atkins’ last classes.

Hayden Wiggs, a graduate student from Flowery Branch, Georgia, was part of the five-student group that took Atkins’ last classes: Jour 580: Alternative Media and Jour 668: Narrative Journalism.

Journalism professor Joe Atkins (second from left) spends time with students in his last classes before retiring. They are (from left) Delila Nakaidinae, Hayden Wiggs, Eva-Marie Luter, Allie Watson and Jaylin R. Smith. Submitted photo

Journalism professor Joe Atkins (second from left) spends time with students in his last classes before retiring. They are (from left) Delila Nakaidinae, Hayden Wiggs, Eva-Marie Luter, Allie Watson and Jaylin R. Smith.

“Professor Atkins is, without a doubt, the best professor I had during my time at Ole Miss,” Wiggs said. “There is no other professor who cares as much about teaching or about his students as professor Atkins does; I genuinely looked forward to his classes, as they were always an equal balance of informative and fun.”

Having more time on his hands, Atkins plans to focus on writing projects that have taken a back seat over the years and recently was appointed to the board of directors of Theatre Oxford. He also has been granted the title of professor emeritus, and he hopes to continue teaching an occasional course because of his love of the classroom.

“I’m not retiring from life; I’m entering a new phase of life,” Atkins said.

 

Story by Jaylin R. Smith

School of Journalism and New Media leaders travel to Ethiopia to bring the world to Ole Miss

Posted on: March 15th, 2023 by ldrucker
UM professors in Ethiopia

Beyene, Wilkin, Smith and Hickerson.

University of Mississippi School of Journalism and New Media leaders are working to build international relationships by strengthening partnerships with Ethiopia Airlines, meeting with Ethiopian officials, and visiting the University of Namibia.

Four school and university leaders recently traveled to the African countries Ethiopia and Namibia to meet with business and government leaders.

The group included Andrea Hickerson, Ph.D., dean and professor; Marquita Smith, Ed.D., assistant dean for graduate programs and associate professor; Zenebe Beyene, Ph.D., associate professor and coordinator of international programs; and Noel Wilkin, Ph.D., provost and executive vice chancellor for academic affairs.

Beyene said the purpose of the trip was to demonstrate the school’s committed partnership with Ethiopian Airlines and explore other possible collaborations.

“Partnership is like establishing friendship or planting a seed or a tree,” Beyene said. “If you have a very good partnership, it has to be sustained and nurtured with effective communication. And you have to make sure that you are there for a long term, and you are interested in the relationship, not only the business aspect.”

That’s where many institutions fail, he said. They focus exclusively on outcomes.

“Once you establish a strong relationship, like having a strong foundation for a building, you can achieve so many things together,” said Beyene. “Because when you envision a partnership, it’s not only based on your interests and priorities, but it is also based on the interests and priorities of your partners.”

UM professors in Ethiopia

Beyene, Hickerson and Smith.

In 2018, a group of University of Mississippi IMC students traveled to Ethiopia, visited the airline facilities, and created a marketing campaign for Ethiopian Airlines.

“The major focus of this partnership was enrolling employees of Ethiopian Airlines into our regular Master of Arts program or the online program,” Beyene said.

Leaders discovered that Ethiopian Airlines employees were also interested in short-term training.

The UM group also traveled to Namibia, a country in Southern Africa that borders the South Atlantic Ocean between Angola and South Africa, to explore possible collaborations with the country’s leaders and those at the University of Namibia.

Hickerson said one of the trip highlights was touring the Ethiopian Airlines facilities, including its airport and aviation university.

“The logistics of airlines have always impressed me, but here we saw our graduates at work. It was impressive and rewarding,” she said.

“This partnership is just beginning. We have many opportunities for future collaborations with EA, other organizations in Ethiopia, and in Africa more broadly. We are fortunate to have faculty with expertise in the region to facilitate meaningful, long-lasting work.”

While in Africa, school leaders visited the U.S. Embassy in Addis Ababa and held meetings with a U.S. diplomat, the U.S. Agency for International Development, the Centers for Disease Control, and other government agencies in Ethiopia.

This was Wilkin’s first trip to Africa and Ethiopia. He said he was impressed with the welcoming hospitality and commitment Ethiopian Airlines executives have to being an industry leader.

“The training facilities and the extent to which the airline is committed to educating its employees and adapting to the needs of the continent are inspiring,” he said. “They are looking for creating programs or finding partners who can help them to ensure they have a well-qualified workforce.”

Wilkin said it was enjoyable to visit with graduates from the University of Mississippi in their home country.

“To be an industry leader, Ethiopian Airlines recognizes and is committed to provide their employees with the necessary education and abilities,” he said. “This commitment and their commitment to excellence is wonderful and is being recognized by other companies in Ethiopia and throughout Africa.”

Beyene said the group held talks with leaders about strengthening the collaboration with Ethiopian Airlines and other institutions in Ethiopia. He said one of the trip highlights was attending an event organized by the U.S. Embassy that provided information for prospective students. More than 200 students registered for the information session.

Beyene believes one of the University of Mississippi’s priorities is campus internationalization.

“Campus internationalization is an institutional response to globalization,” he said. “What that means is through various programs, projects, entities and departments, the university would increase its reach to the external world having some kind of role in serving humanity in general through providing quality education.

“By bringing in students from around the world, we can increase diversity and enrollment, and we can add value to our program. Our students would learn from our international students. International students greatly benefit from the resources and opportunities here in the university.”

Beyene said one of the university’s missions is to “transform lives, communities and the world by providing opportunities for the people of Mississippi and beyond through excellence in learning, discovery, healthcare and engagement.”

“People have very strong interests in advancing their career to get quality education if you make education affordable and accessible,” he said. “As you know, our university, compared with many, many other universities – we offer quality education at a very reasonable, affordable price. Not many people know this. So we can attract talent from around the world, and then make our institution a better place for everybody.”

Strengthening the relationship with Ethiopian Airlines will help the University of Mississippi extend its reach internationally, Beyene said.

“We can make Ole Miss one of the destinations for global education,” he said. “We can bring the world to Ole Miss and give our students firsthand experience that they cannot find elsewhere.”

This story was written by LaReeca Rucker.

“Educational Divide: The Story of East Side High” documentary to screen at the University of Mississippi

Posted on: March 8th, 2023 by msross

OXFORD, Miss. — When a federal judge ordered Cleveland, Mississippi, to desegregate its schools over 60 years after Brown v. Board of Education, local residents were forced to grapple with a new reality while moving forward. The documentary, “Educational Divide: The Story of East Side High,” takes a candid look at the Cleveland community in the heart of the Mississippi Delta as it works through the transition. 

The film will be screened at 4 p.m. on March 22 in the Overby Auditorium in Farley Hall. The screening event is free and open to the community. A panel discussion featuring executive producer Dr. Eric Elston, director and UM alum David Ross, and producer Don Allan Mitchell of Delta State University will be hosted immediately following the film, and moderated by UM journalism professor Ellen Meacham. The screening is sponsored in part by an award from the Mississippi Delta National Heritage Area Partnership, with funding provided by the National Park Service.

The Educational Divide movie poster

“Educational Divide: The Story of East Side High” will be screened at 4 p.m. on March 22 in the Overby Auditorium in Farley Hall.

“Educational Divide: The Story of East Side High” is a celebration of the legacy of East Side High School. The film features interviews with East Side legends like Hall of Fame Coach Lucy Seaberry, former Ole Miss and NFL football standout Ken Lucas, and the film’s executive producer and NBA veteran Johnny O’Bryant, as well as community leaders, legal experts, and scholars of the Delta’s complex history and culture. 

“Telling the story of East Side High was something I knew must be done. East Side was a school that was a second home to many students but also a staple in its community,” said O’Bryant, an East Side alumnus and professional basketball player. “East Side is filled with rich history and the world needs to understand how a very small place could leave behind such a huge legacy for its community. I hope anyone that watches this film understands that East Side’s story is one of perseverance and pride.”  

Seaberry, an East Side living legend who coached women’s basketball for more than 30 years, said she is excited to share the project with all Mississippians.

“East Side was my pride and joy,” said Seaberry. “I believe in helping others, and East Side provided me the opportunity to do just that. This documentary will be an eye-opener for a lot of people. I hope that [the audience] will take away that we may be different, but we are all equal in God’s eyes.”

According to the film’s producers, “Educational Divide: The Story of East Side High” reveals that in America, culture and history are complicated and our past is never that far away from the present. Covering issues of race, public education and civil rights—all via the prism of basketball and high school sports—the film explores what America can learn from Cleveland.

“We hope this film allows us to recognize that we have a long way to go with race relations and equality in America, but the first step in making progress is listening to each other,” said Director David Ross. “The film forces its viewers to wonder, what can the rest of America learn from this small town in Mississippi?”  

For questions or more information, contact organizer R.J. Morgan at morgan@go.olemiss.edu or Don Allan Mitchell at amitchell@deltastate.edu.

University of Mississippi IMC professor featured on podcast about advertising industry

Posted on: February 7th, 2023 by ldrucker

Christ Sparks is featured on a cell phone with a microphone in the background.

Chris Canty Sparks, a University of Mississippi School of Journalism and New Media instructional associate professor of integrated marketing communications, was recently one of the featured guests on a podcast about the advertising industry.

Q. Can you tell me a little about the podcast?

A. The podcast is a part of a series of podcasts about breaking into the advertising industry called “Breaking and Entering” and is hosted by Geno Schnellenberger. Geno also works at Havas Agency in Chicago, which is an agency I like to follow. We have collaborated in the past to give some of my industrious students an opportunity to create a podcast re: the Advertising Industry.

This particular podcast is called ADJunct! Geno contacted me in December and asked if I would be a guest on the podcast. Although I am not an adjunct instructor, he wanted me to talk about my background in the industry, transitioning into higher education, and how I prepare my students to start their careers in advertising and marketing. The episode aired Jan. 12.

Links to podcast:

Link 1

Link 2

Chris Sparks is featured on a podcast.Q. What was the episode about that you were in and what did you talk about?

A. I talked about my background, how I became an instructor at the University of Mississippi, and how I prepare my students for careers in advertising and marketing.

Q. What do you hope listeners took away from the episode in which you spoke?

A. I hope listeners take away awareness of the IMC program at the University of Mississippi. I talked about my path to get to the University as an instructional associate professor of IMC. I also conveyed that I am student-centric and am passionate about helping students prepare for their careers. I ended with advice on pushing for creative ideas and how to think about a target audience.

Click one of the links above to listen to Sparks on the podcast.

Fagans presents ‘Seeing the Unseen’ during SouthTalks event

Posted on: January 29th, 2023 by ldrucker
School of Journalism and New Media

Farley Hall. Photo by Clay Patrick.

The spring SouthTalks series kicked off at noon Wednesday (Jan. 25) in the Tupelo Room with “Seeing the Unseen,” presented by Michael Fagans, an assistant professor at the University of Mississippi School of Journalism and New Media. Fagans is also a photojournalist, author and documentary filmmaker.

The programming focus at the Center for the Study of Southern Culture for the 2022-23 academic year is “Race in the Classroom,” and the spring SouthTalks lectures follow that theme.

Historically, classrooms have functioned as both intensely local spaces and as broader political stages on which debates about equality, identity and access have played out – nowhere to greater effect than at the University of Mississippi, which last fall marked the 60th anniversary of the campus’ integration.

Click here to read the full story.

Daily Mississippian photo editor wins second place in Sports Action category of Atlanta Photojournalism Seminar contest

Posted on: January 4th, 2023 by ldrucker
HG Biggs in action photographing a sporting event.

HG Biggs in action photographing a sporting event. Submitted art. Photo by Thomas Graning.

The Daily Mississippian photo editor took home impressive honors in the Sports Action category of the Atlanta Photojournalism Seminar contest.

Jackson native Hannah Grace Biggs, 21, was named a second place winner competing against a pool of many professional photographers while attending the November event with Michael Fagans, a University of Mississippi School of Journalism and New Media assistant professor of journalism. Bigg’s winning photo was a shot of the women’s steeplechase taken at the SEC Track and Field Championships last spring.

“I was shocked that any of my work placed, because the majority of people who submit work for the competition are professional photojournalists,” Biggs said. “I was very honored because my work was placed alongside work by photographers for Getty Images and other news organizations.”

HG Biggs winning second place photo.

HG Biggs’ winning second place photo. Submitted art.

Biggs is a junior majoring in Chinese in the language flagship program and minoring in intelligence and security studies and chemistry. She is also an ambassador in the Sally McDonnell Barksdale Honors College.

She said she became involved in photography after seeing a working photographer “in the wild” at her little brothers’ T-ball games in the early 2010s.

“Somewhere on an old computer hard drive are awful photos taken through a rusty chain link fence at youth baseball fields in Jackson,” she said. “My mom was gifted the camera by her parents to take photos of myself and my brothers, but she was never happy with her photos. So, I picked up the camera around fourth grade and started shooting photos.”

When Biggs enrolled in the University of Mississippi, she thought she might get lost in the crowd, but she reached out to then DM Photo Editor Billy Scheurman who hired her as a staff photographer.

“Spring semester of my freshman year, Billy told me that he was leaving The DM for an internship with Athletics and that he wanted me to take over his position,” she said. “I was shocked, but of course, I accepted the job, and here we are.”

HG Biggs with a group of other sports photographers.

HG Biggs with a group of sports photographers. Submitted art. Photo is courtesy Randy J. and features the photographers who shot the Egg Bowl last year.

The university’s Student Media Center (SMC) is open to all majors on campus and students who have a passion for photography or video, writing or audio storytelling, social media, design or sales are all welcome to check it out.

“I like to think of the SMC as the place where many of our students find their people. Tucked away in Bishop Hall is this spot where a very diverse group of students comes together to express their creativity and to share news and information that matters to the community,” said Dr. Deb Wenger, associate dean in the School of Journalism and New Media. “I hope someone reading this will decide to check it out and be a part of this wonderful student experience.”

Biggs said she faced challenges during her sophomore year, but found comfort in a group of sports photographers who became her friends and mentors.

“I will never forget leaving the Tulane game that season at 2 a.m. with (photographers) Thomas Graning and Rogelio Solis,” she said. “Rogelio looked me straight in the eyes and told me, ‘You’re one of us now,’ and that he and the other photographers had my back, should I ever need them.

HG Biggs stands on the field.

HG Biggs stands on the field. Submitted art. Photo by Logan Kirkland.

“Before that fall, no one had ever explicitly told me I belonged somewhere before, and I truly believe I owe my life to the photographers I saw (almost) every Saturday in the media workroom under Vaught-Hemingway (or whichever stadium to which the football team traveled).”

Biggs said she has never been great at expressing emotions through words, but realized she could put all the love she has for people into her photography.

“Much of my work for The Daily Mississippian has been sports-related,” she said, “but, as a result, I have been contacted for freelance work for various departments at the university and to shoot senior portraits. I really enjoy the opportunities photography gives me to connect with people, even if I am anxious about first approaching people as a journalist. As Professor Fagans and others have told me, ‘The camera is just an excuse to talk to people.'”

The Atlanta conference was one of the most valuable experiences of her college career, Biggs said.

“I had the opportunity to listen to, speak with, and be critiqued by some of the most incredible photojournalists and photo editors currently working in the field,” she said.

They included Marcus Yam, “who is known for his work covering wildfires in California and abroad in Afghanistan,” Biggs said.

She also met Paul Kitagaki Jr., “who spent years finding, speaking with, and photographing survivors of the World War II Japanese internment camps in the U.S.”

HG Biggs in action photographing a sporting event.

HG Biggs in action photographing a sporting event. Submitted art. Photo by Logan Kirkland.

Biggs said portfolio critiques were helpful.

“While hearing critiques is often difficult, I did feel validated that I have chosen the right career path,” she said. “I have reached a point where I can take and want strong critiques, and the seminar was the ideal place to find people willing to do so. It means more to students than I can describe that there are people in the field willing to take the time out of their busy schedules to mentor us and critique our portfolios.”

Biggs said she came back to the University of Mississippi with enthusiasm.

“I returned to Oxford feeling revitalized to study because I know I have chosen a career path into which I am willing to pour all of the love and passion I can,” she said.

This story was written by LaReeca Rucker.

University of Mississippi professor’s photo featured on cover of Washington Post magazine

Posted on: December 28th, 2022 by ldrucker
An outside shot of Farley Hall

An outside shot of Farley Hall

Story of father’s unsolved lynching gets national spotlight through art

OXFORD, Miss. – As Dorothy Williams stood before a blank field holding the American flag that belonged to her father, Vanessa Charlot thought of her own connections to Williams’ story.

Vanessa Charlot

Vanessa Charlot

Charlot’s photo of Williams is receiving national notice after featuring as the cover image on the Nov. 27 edition of The Photo Issue of the Washington Post magazine.

Entitled, “The Real Americana,” the issue focuses on the variety and complexity of life in the United States.

“I was excited to be on the cover, but what really makes me excited is seeing these unresolved stories being told,” said the University of Mississippi assistant professor of journalism, whose work has been featured in The New York Times, Gucci, Vogue, Rolling Stone and Oprah Magazine, among others.

Read the full story here.

This story was written by Clara Turnage.

HELLO DALL·E​: University of Mississippi students use creative descriptions to generate realistic images and art with AI​

Posted on: December 14th, 2022 by ldrucker
Professor LaReeca Rucker entered the text "A person sitting at a computer using DALL-E 2 to create an illustration that is colorful modern art" and DALL-E 2 created this illustration.
Professor LaReeca Rucker entered the text "A person sitting at a computer using DALL-E 2 to create an illustration that is colorful modern art" and DALL-E 2 created this illustration.

HELLO DALL·E

University of Mississippi students use creative descriptions to generate realistic images and art with AI

Imagine coming up with an artistic idea, typing a few words into a search bar, and having a computer program automatically generate multiple variations of original artwork based on your conceptualization.

That is what DALL·E 2 OpenAI does. Just about anything you can envision and find the words to describe, the system can create a graphic visualization. The more specific you are, the better the results.

This semester, students in professor LaReeca Rucker’s Social Media in Society class experimented with DALL·E 2 when it was opened to the public. The name honors surrealist artist Salvador Dalí and the Pixar robot WALL·E.

“I really enjoyed playing on this website,” said student Miya Yuratich. “It is perfect for someone with a creative mind. I told my brother about it because he is an artist and is always drawing and painting. I thought it would be perfect for times when he knows what he wants to create, but can’t quite picture it.

“I also called my little sisters to show them, because they have wild imaginations, and DALL·E brought some of their visions to life. I looked up ‘cats swimming in a bowl of cereal while it is raining strawberries.’”

 

Student Miya Yuratich entered the words "Cats swimming in a bowl of cereal while it's raining strawberries" and DALL-E 2 created this illustration.
Student Miya Yuratich entered the words "Cats swimming in a bowl of cereal while it's raining strawberries" and DALL-E 2 created this illustration.

In January 2021, OpenAI introduced DALL·E followed by DALL·E 2 a year later. The AI system can create realistic images and art from a creative text description in natural language. It can combine concepts, attributes and styles and expand images beyond what’s in the original canvas, creating new compositions.

According to the DALL·E 2 website, the system has learned the relationship between images and the text used to describe them. Creators say they hope DALL·E 2 will empower people to express themselves creatively and understand how advanced AI systems see and understand our world.

 

Student McKenna Nolen typed in "Butterflies by the ocean" and DALL-E 2 created this image.
Student McKenna Nolen typed "Butterflies by the ocean" and DALL-E 2 created this image.

“After registering to use the DALL·E platform in 2021, I thought it would be something that might interest my students when it opened to the public this year,” Rucker said. “So I challenged them to use their creativity with DALL·E to type a description and see what the system creates. I think many were surprised at just how detailed the generated DALL·E illustration was.”

Student Emma Kate Davidson said it was cool to work with such a creative website.

“I looked up many different random things in the search bar, but my favorite was ‘crayon drawing of several cute colored monsters with ice cream bodies on dark blue paper,’” she said. “It was so cool to see that the website was able to accurately create such a specific picture, and I loved seeing all the different results that it came up with.

Student Emma Kate Davidson and DALL-E 2 created this illustration.
Student Emma Kate Davidson and DALL-E 2 created this illustration.

Student Jenna Karl said she challenged the system by coming up with the most ridiculous descriptions she could think of.

“There would be an image for it every time,” she said. “… I searched ‘dachshund wearing a pink dress outside.’ … I am amazed at the ability of this website to search through so much data so quickly and generate an image on the spot. I think it would be interesting to put in words describing a book and see what the site comes up with as the ‘book cover.’”

 

Student Jenna Karl entered the description "A dachshund wearing a pink dress and a crown outside" and DALL-E 2 created this image.
Student Jenna Karl entered the description "A dachshund wearing a pink dress and a crown outside" and DALL-E 2 created this image.

Student Ava Jahner said she got her friends involved with the site.

“I mostly searched things that had to do with the color pink and animals because pink is my favorite color right now,” she said. “I first searched ‘pink zebras shopping in Paris,’ and I found some super funny and cool photos.

“I then searched ‘flowers in a pink vase in Italy watercolor,’ and it was so pretty. These two were for sure my favorite. I loved this experiment, and I had so much fun playing with this website.”

 

Student Ava Jahner entered the description "Pink zebra shopping in Paris watercolor" and DALL-E 2 created this illustration.
Student Ava Jahner entered the description "Pink zebra shopping in Paris watercolor" and DALL-E 2 created this illustration.

Rucker, who has an interest in emerging technologies, teaches a class that envisions the near future of technology, media and digital ethics.

“We’ve discussed the possible effects of advanced social media networks that could change our culture, patents for futuristic contacts that could record video, how augmented and virtual reality could eventually make it difficult for us to distinguish between truth and fiction, and other issues that may arise as technology advances,” she
said.

“It’s important to remain tuned in to the new apps and websites that emerge and to think about how they can be used in multimedia storytelling.”

Student Anna Potts typed "Panda snowboarding eating ice cream" and DALL-E 2 produced this image.
Student Anna Potts typed "Panda snowboarding eating ice cream" and DALL-E 2 produced this image.

DALL·E produces original images. The Forbes article “AI And Creativity: Why OpenAI’s Latest Model Matters” says these are images that have never existed in the world nor in anyone’s imagination.

“These are not simple manipulations of existing images on the Internet—they are novel renderings, at times breathtaking in their cleverness and originality,” the article reads. “They are images that DALL·E’s human creators, in many cases, did not expect and could not have anticipated.”

The New Atlas article “Open AI’s DALL·E 2: A dream tool and existential threat to visual artists” reports that “given a high-quality prompt, DALL·E will generate dozens of options” in seconds, “each at a level of quality that would take a human photographer, painter, digital artist or illustrator hours to produce. It’s some kind of art director’s
dream; a smorgasbord of visual ideas in an instant, without having to pay creatives, models or location fees.”

It’s interesting to think of different ways DALL·E could be used. Some say a similar system could be helpful in product and graphic design, fashion and architecture. Could it be used to design logos, website templates, business cards, posters, brochures, book covers? Perhaps it could become an artist assistant or muse? The Forbes article says such a system could become a common “ideation partner and a source of inspiration.”

That means there are also fears that AI could replace creatives in their industries.

“I think that we are seeing many emerging platforms, such as DALL·E, ChatGPT (also part of OpenAI) and Copy.ai, a platform that automatically generates written content for marketers, that do things in seconds that it has taken people in our industries a lifetime to learn,” Rucker said. “Pondering the future of that can be concerning when we think about how the digital age has disrupted and transformed our industry in only a few years.

“But maybe these tools can work as companions instead of competition, and now is a good time to experiment with them to see if they have a place in our industry.”

Student Carsen Greensage typed "A snulit indoor lounge area with a pool with clear water and another pool with translucent pastel pink water next to a big window digital art" and DALL-E 2 created this image.
Student Carsen Greensage typed "A sunlit indoor lounge area with a pool with clear water and another pool with translucent pastel pink water next to a big window digital art" and DALL-E 2 created this image.

The DALL·E website reports that the company is also working to prevent the creation of harmful artistic generations. They’ve limited DALL·E 2’s ability to generate violent, hate, or adult images. They say they’ve also use advanced techniques to prevent photorealistic generations of real individuals’ faces, including those of public figures.

“I think this website is a great way to find images that you can think of, but not necessarily create,” said student Katie Sachfield. “I, for one, am a person who can come up with ideas and communicate them, but I cannot always make them myself.”

University of Mississippi School of Journalism and New Media professors examine the Jackson water crisis

Posted on: December 2nd, 2022 by ldrucker

The graphic features a quote about the Jackson water crisis and a water faucet.

It’s hard to imagine not having clean water to complete everyday tasks like eating, bathing, brushing your teeth and flushing toilets. To live without it would be unthinkable for many today.

But Jackson citizens endured these circumstances during the city’s water crisis this year, a system failure that left many unable to fulfill basic human needs and forced businesses to close, drawing attention and intervention from national news crews and government leaders.

A team of University of Mississippi School of Journalism and New Media professors and students decided it was important to investigate the water crisis. They traveled to the state capital this semester to examine the issue in-depth and give voice to Jackson residents who were suddenly trying to navigate life without safe water after the historically problematic water system was further damaged by flooding from the Pearl River.

Vanessa Charlot, assistant professor of creative multimedia; Mark Dolan, associate professor of journalism; and Michael Fagans, assistant professor of journalism led student reporting teams.

“I brought the idea to the class that we ‘throw the syllabus out the window’ and turn our attention to covering the water story, not as breaking news, but rather in-depth and comprehensive,” said Fagans. “It was a unanimous vote to cover this story.”

Dolan took a group of students from his entry-level media writing class.

“We went down to cover the crisis, in part, because it’s a huge, ongoing story about race and urban neglect,” he said. “The water crisis is a lens through which to consider so many social divisions in America. It’s startling to think about a state capital without drinkable water.”

University of Mississippi School of Journalism and New Media students interview Jackson residents about the water crisis.

University of Mississippi School of Journalism and New Media students Xenia Minton, left, and Erin Foley interview Jackson residents about the water crisis.

Dolan said UM students wanted to explore how other students at Millsaps College and at Jackson State University faced this challenge.

“Were those students inclined to stay in Mississippi after their college years?” Dolan asked. “How did the water crisis underscore racial divisions in a mostly-Black city with mostly-white suburbs?

Dolan said he hopes they gained valuable journalism experience.

“I hope the students learned the value of reporting in the field, outside of the classroom, the experience of working as real reporters, and of creating content on a deadline,” he said.

Erin Foley, 19, is a sophomore studying journalism and integrated marketing communications (IMC), who traveled to Jackson to report on the water crisis. A native of the greater Boston area, she plans to work for a newspaper as a writer or designer.

“I wanted to cover this story because it was unlike anything I’ve seen before,” she said, “so I wanted to make sure it got the proper attention in the world of journalism.

“My most memorable moment was my interview. I loved learning more about her and understanding her unique perspective on the situation. I gained more confidence in my ability to report in a new environment.”

Bella Scutti, 20, a junior IMC major, also reported on the water crisis. The Pea Ridge, Arkansas native hopes to use her public relations specialization to work at a PR agency someday.

“When Dr. Dolan presented the opportunity to travel to Jackson and write these stories, I was immediately intrigued,” she said. “As someone not from this area, I did not understand the severity of the water crisis, but also how common it can be around here.”

Scutti said she enjoyed hearing about the various students’ personal and academic lives.

“We were able to learn a lot about the students at Millsaps, while simultaneously learning about the water crisis,” she said. “It was encouraging to hear how the school community came together and supported each other throughout the crisis and school closures. Professors were opening up their homes and provided meals to those in need.”

Fagans said the story is important because of the complexity, the intersection of issues that affect all of Mississippi, and it was an opportunity to report in-person.

“I am hoping that they (students) get a better sense of what it is like to report on an issue like this and get to know the community (if that is possible),” he said. “I am hoping that they begin learning how news events do not happen in a vacuum, rather they are a result of politics, the environment, government and how people interact (or don’t) in our state.

“I have also been fortunate to see how students respond and learn from in-person reporting and would like to make sure that we continue to provide opportunities like this in the future.”