Gabby Fulkerson’s journey to the driver’s seat of the Oscar Mayer Wienermobile feels like a full-circle moment. It started back in her home state of Michigan, where she frequently visited the Henry Ford Museum, home to a 1952 Wienermobile. Everything clicked into place in the spring of 2025 when Fulkerson, then a senior in the College of Communication and Information Sciences (C&IS), attended…
At the beginning of February, Capstone Agency hosted their 2026 CreateAthon. Aiming to support nonprofit organizations, 55 students and 12 faculty members came together in Reese Phifer Hall for a full day of creativity and impactful work. This project challenged students to create marketing materials for the nonprofits, allowing them to not only give back…
The University of Alabama National Alumni Association hosted their 18 under 31 Young Alumni Awards for the Class of 2026. 18 alumni, 30 years-old or younger, were celebrated for their impact on their respective fields and communities. Three Communication and Information Sciences (C&IS) alumni were named to this year’s class. Chandler Shields Helton (17’) – A Monrovia, Alabama native, Helton holds a degree in public relations, which…
On the evening of January 29, at The University Club, College of Communication and Information Sciences (C&IS) faculty, students and community members gathered to celebrate the publication of Searching for Solidarity: Revolutionary Dreams and Radical Social Movements, a new book by Communication Studies assistant professor Noor Ghazal Aswad, Ph.D. The event marked more than a book launch; it created space for storytelling and connection. The evening…
The College of Communication & Information Sciences (C&IS) at The University of Alabama announces that Chandra Clark, Ph.D., associate professor of journalism and creative media, has been selected as one of 150 journalism leaders for the Center for Community News (CCN) at the University of Vermont’s 2026 class of Faculty Champions. The designation recognizes leadership…
Each year, communities across Alabama are faced with the possibility of water-related emergencies like floods, droughts, hurricanes and extreme storms. Before the public is alerted, there is work that goes into how information about natural disasters is distributed for optimal safety to those that could be affected. That is where someone like Travis Loof, Ph.D., comes into play. Loof is a social and communication scientist for the Cooperative Institute…
The University of Alabama’s College of Communication and Information Sciences (C&IS) continues to excel on the national stage, with two student projects named among the top 20 winners in the Hearst Multimedia Visual/Narrative Storytelling Competition. The recognition came from a competitive field of 97 entries representing 57 schools. In addition to the individual honors, UA ranked eighth out of 10 institutions for the highest…
McLure Library has been a familiar presence at The University of Alabama, serving students and faculty since 1925. But starting 50 years ago, conversations about reimagining and fully realizing the library’s potential resurfaced, shaped by shifting needs, advancing technology, and the evolving role of information studies. What existed functioned well, but the idea of what McLure could become remained. That long-awaited…
Transformative research rarely happens by itself. What begins with ideas, then can grow through collaboration, mentorship and connection. This spirit of interdisciplinary work is at the heart of The University of Alabama’s (UA) Transformative Human-centered Research for Impacting Vulnerabilities Everywhere (THRIVE) Initiative. Jihoon Kim, Ph.D., assistant professor in the Department of Advertising and Public Relations, has been selected as one of only 10 faculty members across campus to serve as a 2025–2026 THRIVE Fellow. Housed within UA’s Institute…
When Jonathan Biles arrived in Tuscaloosa in 2013, he knew two things: he wanted to work in sports media, and he wasn’t afraid to take a different path to get there. While many of his peers built their resumes through The Crimson White, the University’s storied student newspaper, Biles stacked up multiple paid writing gigs, covering football, basketball, gymnastics and just about any other sport he could cover. …
