We’re celebrating 100 years!
The University of Iowa School of Journalism is celebrating 100 years! Below you’ll find a timeline of some of the important people and events that brought us here. Click on each item to explore.
Luther Albertus Brewer (1858–1933), a prominent publisher in Eastern Iowa, made significant contributions to the University of Iowa’s School of Journalism during its formative years. While specific details about his teaching roles are limited, his involvement in the university’s early journalism education during a transformative period for journalism as a…
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Conger Reynolds (1891–1971) was a distinguished journalist, educator, and public relations pioneer whose career was deeply intertwined with the University of Iowa. He played a foundational role in establishing the university’s journalism program and contributed significantly to the field of public relations. Academic and Early Career Born on a farm…
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The University of Iowa School of Journalism and Mass Communication traces its origins to the early 20th century, when journalism education was integrated into the English Department as individual courses. This approach laid the groundwork for the formal establishment of the journalism program in 1924. Early Integration into the English…
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Dr. George Horace Gallup (1901–1984) was a pioneering American statistician and the founder of the Gallup Poll, a widely recognized method for measuring public opinion. Born in Jefferson, Iowa, Gallup attended the University of Iowa, where he earned a B.A. in 1923, an M.A. in 1925, and a Ph.D. in…
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SJMC Moves into Close Hall – 100 Years of Iowa Journalism Exit VR
Dr. Charles H. Weller was a pivotal figure in the early development of the University of Iowa’s journalism program, serving as its first director from 1924 to 1927. His tenure marked the transformation of the journalism department into a formal school, reflecting a broader national trend toward professionalizing journalism education.…
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Dr. Frank Luther Mott was a distinguished educator and photojournalist whose career significantly influenced the progress of journalism education at the University of Iowa. Academic and Professional Background Born in Rose Hill, Iowa, in 1886, Mott began his journalism career working in his father’s family-owned print shop and later co-editing…
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Mildred Augustine Wirt Benson, born on July 10, 1905, in Ladora, Iowa, was a pioneering journalist and author, best known for her role as the original ghostwriter of the Nancy Drew mystery series. Her time at the University of Iowa’s School of Journalism was instrumental in shaping her career and…
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Wilbur Lang Schramm (1907–1987) was a pioneering figure in the establishment of communication studies as an academic discipline in the United States. His tenure at the University of Iowa was instrumental in shaping the trajectory of journalism and mass communication education. Academic and Professional Background Schramm earned his Ph.D. in…
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Leslie G. Moeller was a foundational figure in the development of journalism education at the University of Iowa. A member of the first graduating class of the School of Journalism in 1925, he returned to the university in 1947 to serve as its sixth director—a position he held for two…
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Malcolm S. MacLean Jr. (1930–1972) was a journalism educator and the fifth director of the University of Iowa School of Journalism, known for introducing systems thinking and experimental learning into journalism curricula. He served as director of the University of Iowa School of Journalism from 1967 until his untimely death…
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Gordon A. Sabine was the sixth director of the University of Iowa’s School of Journalism from 1972 to 1976. Upon Sabine’s appointment, he reinstated the traditional news-editorial sequence, a structured curriculum that had been a hallmark of the school’s program before MacLean’s reforms. Sabine’s educational background includes a B.A. in…
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Dr. Kenneth Starck (1934–2023) was a distinguished educator and journalist whose career significantly shaped the University of Iowa’s journalism program. He served as the director of the School of Journalism and Mass Communication from 1975 to 1986 and again from 1990 to 1996, contributing to its national accreditation and academic…
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Don Smith served as a professor and later the ninth director of the University of Iowa School of Journalism and Mass Communication (SJMC) from 1987 to 1990. While specific details about his tenure during the late 1980s are limited, the School was under the leadership of Kenneth Starck, who served…
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John Soloski served as the eleventh director of the University of Iowa’s School of Journalism and Mass Communication (SJMC) from 1996 to 2001. During his tenure, he contributed to the school’s development and academic programs. Soloski spent his entire professional career at the University of Iowa, earning an M.A. in…
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Pamela J. Creedon is a Professor Emeritus of Journalism and Mass Communication at the University of Iowa. She was the first woman appointed as the director of the School of Journalism and Mass Communication at Iowa, serving from 2002 to 2007. Prior to her tenure at Iowa, Creedon directed the…
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David D. Perlmutter is a media scholar and higher education administrator whose work has significantly contributed to the fields of political communication, visual media, and journalism education. His tenure as fifteenth Director of the University of Iowa’s School of Journalism and Mass Communication (SJMC) from 2009 to 2013 represents a…
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