Here’s the Knight Center lineup of environmental journalism courses for summer and fall 2018 and spring 2019. They’re open to undergrads and grad students in all majors.

Summer 2018

Environmental Advocacy Communications, JRN 472, Section 731, online, 3 credits:
This course will introduce students to environmental advocacy and examine real-world environmental advocacy communications campaigns – including components such as media outreach, action alerts, social media engagement, and the intersection of online/offline activism. Students will get hands-on experience creating a communications plan for an environmental campaign.  No prerequisites.  Instructor: Katie Coleman, katieelizabethcoleman@hotmail.com

Fall 2018

Environmental Reporting: Crossing Borders, JRN 472, 3 credits
Reporting on US-Canadian transborder environmental issues and events, for great lakes echo, a regional environmental news site with student stories that are reposted worldwide.  Students should be eligible to enter Canada.  Open to all majors.  Prerequisites waived by contacting instructor.  Instructor: Eric Freedman, freedma5@msu.edu

Spring 2019

Environmental Reporting: The Great Outdoors, JRN 472, 3 credits
Reporting on rivers, lakes, forests, wildlife, public lands and other environmental issues for Great Lakes Echo, a regional environmental news site with stories that are reposted worldwide.  Open to all majors.  Prerequisites waived by contacting instructor. Instructor: Dave Poulson: poulson@msu.edu

Nine of our environmental journalism students received $23,200 in merit-based scholarships and awards at the Journalism School’s annual awards convocation.

Dr. Eric Freedman and Agnes Bao

Agnes Bao (master’s student): EJ student. Michael A. and Sandra S. Clark Scholarship and Donald F. and Katherine K. Dahlstrom Scholarship in Environmental Journalism

Tony Cepak (Ph.D. student): EJ researcher and photographer. Robert Popa Scholarship

Dr. Serena Carpenter and Tony Cepak

Kate Habrel (master’s student): writer for Great Lakes Echo. School of Journalism Outstanding Master’s Student, Rachel Carson Award for Outstanding Graduate Student in Environmental Journalism and Kappa Tau Alpha Top Scholar Award

Maxwell Johnston (master’s student): writer for Great Lakes Echo and Food Fix podcaster. Edward J. Meeman Award for Outstanding Undergraduate Student in Environmental Journalism

Dr. Bruno Takahashi and Katherine Habrel

Apoorva Joshi (Ph.D. student): EJ researcher. Don Caldwell Memorial Scholarship

Steven Maier (undergrad): writer for Great Lakes Echo, Walter S. and Syrena M. Howell Essay Scholarship and Kappa Tau Alpha Inductee

Dr. Eric Freedman and Maxwell Johnston

Jack Nissen (master’s student): writer for Great Lakes Echo. Great Lakes Echo Excellence Award

Gloria Nzeka (master’s student): writer for Great Lakes Echo and Food Fix podcaster. Capital News Service Connection Award

Steven Maier, Tony VanWitsen, Jack Nissen

Carin Tunney (Ph.D. student): EJ researcher. Len Barnes AAA Scholarship

Tony Van Witsen (Ph.D. student): EJ researcher. Dr. Mickie E. Edwardson Scholarship

Dr. Davenport and Gloria Nzeka

For information on how to contribute to MSU’s environmental journalism scholarship and award funds or to endow a new scholarship or award, please contact Knight Center director Eric Freedman.

Knight Center director Eric Freedman just completed two weeks as a guest lecturer at al-Farabi Kazakh National University in Almaty, the largest city in the Central Asian country.

In addition, he worked with graduate students on their research projects, including Sayagul Alimbekova, who spent two months last fall at MSU’s School of Journalism as a visiting scholar, working on her dissertation research and attending journalism classes.
Freedman delivered a series of lectures to journalism students and faculty on environmental journalism; coverage of terrorism; information communication technology; “war” journalism vs. “peace” journalism; reporting on human rights, natural disasters and nongovernmental organizations; investigative projects; and international press rights. He also gave a public lecture on race and the U.S. presidents from George Washington to Donald Trump.

Plans are underway for several joint research projects.

The program was arranged by Professor Karlyga Myssayeva, the vice-dean of the Faculty of Journalism.