SDSU School of Communication and Journalism alums fill important roles in Office of the President

The Jackrabbit family is connected near and far with engaged alumni, each with their own Jackrabbit story. Right here on campus, many alumni continue their Jackrabbit stories in different roles.

South Dakota State University School of Communication and Journalism alums, with their skills in communication, writing and leadership, are no exception and are making a significant impact in various roles across campus, particularly in supporting President Barry H. Dunn.

In the Office of the President, five employees are graduates of the School of Communication and Journalism at SDSU: 

• Vernon Brown, associate vice president for external affairs 
• Jamison Lamp, university event coordinator 
• Muriel McLaughlin, executive assistant to the president 
• Karyn Weber, chief of staff 
• Regen Wiederrich, temporary SDSU Connect coordinator 

The five colleagues reflected on working for their alma mater and how their coursework and experiences in the School of Communication and Journalism impacted their career trajectory. 
 
Memorable coursework

Many students on campus get an introduction to communication when they take Foundation of Communication or other introductory courses. Sometimes, those introductions turn into a passion for the field, like the case with Weber. She didn’t start out majoring in communication, but after taking Interpersonal Communication with Laurie Haleta, she decided the major was a “great fit.” Weber ’90, ’92 enjoyed many of her communication studies courses, especially Intercultural Communication and Public Speaking.

Reflecting on her experiences, Weber said it has been an amazing journey. “I truly believe communication skills are the root to success.”

McLaughlin ’21 was an SDSU English major with a minor in social media. One course that was memorable for her was Social Media Strategies with Marina Hendricks.

The hands-on learning provided an impactful experience. “We had the opportunity to work with businesses in Brookings and propose ideas to enhance their social media game,” McLaughlin explained. “This taught me a lot of great skills when it came to communicating with and serving clients and enhanced my organizational skills.”

Hendricks has had semesters of students who participate in the rewarding work of delivering tangible social media assets, such as content calendars and media audits, to a variety of clients.

To add to the list of memorable School of Communication and Journalism courses, Brown’s favorites included Newswriting and Reporting with Jack Getz, TV News Reporting with Jim Paulson and Advanced Reporting with Richard Lee.

“The professors, led by Dr. Richard Lee, offered hospitality, sincerity and caring for my well-being,” Brown said. “That’s why I say it really feels like coming home. It makes me want to extend that hospitality in my work.”

The emphasis on experiential learning extends beyond the classroom in the School of Communication and Journalism and at SDSU. Along with exemplary coursework, SDSU students can pair their classroom experience with a diverse range of extracurricular activities. 
 
University experiences

SDSU offers a variety of experiences for students to take part in, such as one of the oldest traditions on campus: Hobo Day. Wiederrich ’22 was a three-year Hobo Day Committee member and the 2022 Grand Pooba.

He attributed much of who he is and what he learned to being Grand Pooba and an admissions ambassador for SDSU. “Both roles, coupled with what I was learning in my classes, taught me to foster a deep love and tie to this university, and I wanted to make sure I was making SDSU a better place each day I was on campus.”

Other student experiences are housed in the School of Communication and Journalism, such as KSDJ, the student-operated radio station, and the independent student-run newspaper, The Collegian.

As part of these journalism experiences, students gain additional professional skills that help prepare them for successful careers in a variety of industries.

Brown ’90 and Lamp ’12 were both heavily involved in The Collegian during their time at SDSU as writers and editors. “I still stay in touch with many of my Collegian colleagues,” Brown said. “Those late nights of getting the paper published create bonds that don’t disappear.”

Lamp reflected on how his Collegian experience paired with his coursework. “My experiences in the School of Communication and Journalism and The Collegian taught me as much about how to work with people as they did the hard skills and tools of the trade,” Lamp said. “Think about a newspaper staff—where else do you find experts in sports, culture, lifestyles, breaking news, etc., all working day-to-day to put out a quality product. Working with all those people prepares you to navigate a lot of professional settings.”

From the student-run newspaper to participating in Hobo Day and The Pride of the Dakotas Marching Band, the extracurriculars offered at SDSU help complement classroom knowledge. 
 
Gratitude

Throughout it all, Brown and colleagues expressed their gratitude for their experiences in attending SDSU, the connection they still have to their alma mater and how the experiences and courses in the School of Communication and Journalism still impact their work today.

“My degree background and the professors I interacted with provided my gateway into the beginning of my career,” Weber said. “The skills I learned along the way and the mentors I have been privileged to have provided me a solid foundation to elevate to the position I am in now.”

McLaughlin echoed the sentiments of the value of her educational experience. “Being an English major and a student in the School of Communication and Journalism enhanced my verbal and written communication abilities. My educational experience has been helpful in my current role as I assist with many communications coming out of the Office of the President.”

She continued, “I feel pride in being an SDSU alum and getting to work at an institution I am so passionate about.”

The pride in the university is shared among the group. “But on the days when I come to campus, I have to pinch myself. I just swell with pride for what SDSU has become,” Brown said. “I feel the welcoming culture, as do all the Sioux Falls people I bring for campus visits. Whether it’s hosting community leaders, teachers or eighth graders, they all talk about the warm feeling they get from SDSU students, faculty and leadership. That starts at the top with President Dunn and Jane.”

Recently, SDSU announced a large incoming freshman class, along with a student retention rate over 80%. Speaking to the culture of the university, President Dunn has expressed his gratitude for the welcoming presence displayed by faculty, staff and leadership at SDSU in helping to keep students here and feeling at home.

With a university that has expressed strong people-centered values, Lamp reflected on the honor it is to work for SDSU and the steps it took to get here.

“Working in the president’s office is something I never really had on my career bingo card, but it has been an absolute honor to work in this capacity for my alma mater,” Lamp said. “I often look back and think that all my experiences prepared me perfectly for this role. My journalism background provided me the ability to understand audiences and their needs. Much like a story might be different pending the audience it is being delivered to, events are the same way. The basic communication, understanding of government and the ability to ask good questions are invaluable in this role.”

Wiederrich, whose position in the president’s office is his first position following graduation, summarized the gratitude of being an alum of the School of Communication and Journalism and an alum working for SDSU.

“My time spent in the School of Communication and Journalism is a testament showing that the dedicated faculty and staff that supported me along my journey are the best around,” Wiederrich said. 
 
“They were always pushing me to reach for more and were always proud of what I was working on accomplishing along my journey,” he continued. “The School of Communication and Journalism is where many of my desires could become reality, and I would not trade my time spent earning my degree at SDSU for anything. Yes, I am proud of myself, but I am truthfully prouder of the countless people I spent class time with, working on projects with, or those that I was learning from. People make or break so much of what we do in life and the people in the School of Communication and Journalism truly made my time the best it could have ever been.”

The values of SDSU and the School of Communication and Journalism intersect in supporting people on their paths to success, lifelong learning and leadership. Through the work of the alumni in the Office of the President, and the Jackrabbit alumni everywhere, SDSU remains strongly connected and ready to make a bold impact.