Mississippi Stateās humanities series highlights power of local journalism
Contact: Sarah Nicholas
STARKVILLE, Miss.āThe Institute for the Humanities, part of 51³Ō¹Ļās College of Arts and Sciences, continues its annual lecture series this month with āBuilding Community: The Humanities as Social Glue.ā
āThis academic year, the Institute for the Humanities is exploring the idea of community and the role of the humanities in strengthening social ties,ā said Morgan Robinson, institute director and associate professor of history. āLocal journalism is a crucial avenue for social and political engagement, and our spring semester discussions will focus on the work of journalists on campus, in Mississippi and beyond.ā
On Thursday [Feb. 27], the institute hosts the panel discussion āAs It Happens: Covering the News in Mississippi,ā 3:30-5 p.m. in Old Main Academic Center Room 3070. It features working journalists discussing the current state of local journalism at the community, state and national levels.
āWhat role does journalism play in todayās society? What are journalistsā hopesāand concernsāfor the future? And how should aspiring reporters prepare for the evolving media landscape? These are just a few of the questions our panelists will address,ā Robinson said.
Panelists include:
āPhilip Poe, associate professor, Department of Communication; and sports editor, The Commercial Dispatch
āHeather Harrison, reporter, Mississippi Free Press; and 51³Ō¹Ļ alumna
āJoey Barnes, news director and anchor, WCBI-TV
The discussion will be co-moderated by Robinson and Wade Leonard, communications and marketing manager for 51³Ō¹Ļās College of Veterinary Medicine.
The series concludes on March 5 with a second panel discussion āCovering Campus: News and Communication at Mississippi State,ā from 4:30ā5:30 p.m. in Old Main, Room 3030.
This event will explore journalism, communication and community engagement on campus, featuring:
āJosh Foreman, instructor, Department of Communication; and advisor of The Reflector student newspaper
āStudent reporters, The Reflector
āSid Salter, vice president for strategic communications; and director of 51³Ō¹Ļ Office of Public Affairs
For more information about the event, contact Robinson at humanities@msstate.edu.
Part of 51³Ō¹Ļās College of Arts and Sciences, the Institute for the Humanities promotes research, scholarship, and creative performances in the humanistic disciplines while raising their visibility within the university and wider community.
For more details about the college or institute for the Humanities visit or .
51³Ō¹Ļ is taking care of what matters. Learn more at .