SMPA is a pioneering teaching and research leader. Professor Silvio Waisbord is Editor of the International Journal of Press/Politics, an interdisciplinary journal for the analysis and discussion of the role of the press and politics in a globalized world.
Gain access to countless career opportunities
Students at our annual Communications Career Expo network with a CNN recruiter. SMPA helps students pursue rewarding careers in media, journalism, and communications via internships, networking events, and employment workshops.
Collaborate with faculty on research and special projects
Graduate student Rachel Weisel and Professor Kimberly Gross, in partnership with the Project for Excellence in Journalism, studied how the media uses Twitter. Their findings were published in a groundbreaking report that garnered national press coverage.
World-class speakers and events provide invaluable perspective
Students line up outside GW's Lisner Auditorium before Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and Secretary of Defense Robert Gates speak at an event hosted by SMPA. The event was broadcast on CNN.
Learn and operate industry-standard broadcasting equipment and software
SMPA Faculty and staff use the flash studio for live and recorded professional programming.
World-class speakers and events provide invaluable perspective
Longtime political reporter and broadcaster Gwen Ifill of The Newshour with Jim Lehrer addresses students.
World-class speakers and events provide invaluable perspective
CNN's Christiane Amanpour and SMPA Director Frank Sesno interview five former U.S. Secretaries of State, Madeleine Albright, Colin Powell, Warren Christopher, Henry A. Kissinger and James A. Baker III. The free event was sponsored by SMPA.
Study media in heart of Washington, and the world
SMPA is home to Prime Movers Media, an organization that sends student interns and media professionals to public high schools in Washington, D.C. to teach journalism.
Post Doctoral Research Scientist in Political Communication at the School of Media and Public Affairs
The George Washington University
August 2013-July 2014
This full time position is for a scholar who will be appointed as a postdoctoral research scientist to work closely for one year on research projects with Robert Entman, Shapiro Professor of Media and Public Affairs, and Kimberly Gross, Associate Professor of Media and Public Affairs. The position is designed for a recent recipient of the Ph.D. For 2013-14, research will focus on the politics and policies of inequality, using quantitative and qualitative content analysis of media and experimental research.
The fellow will devote three to four days per week to collaborative work with Professor Entman and the rest of the time to research projects of their choosing. This position carries a $50,000 salary and comes with full benefits.
The person appointed must have a Ph.D. in communication, political science or a related discipline by August 1, 2013 and an excellent record of published research in political communication or a record suggesting great promise as demonstrated by scholarly works in progress and recommendations. Preference will be given to individuals with extensive experience in quantitative content analysis. Background and training in experimental methods is highly desirable.
Application procedure:
Complete online application at https://www.gwu.jobs/postings/15562 and upload a cover letter, C.V., writing samples, a 500-750 word proposal for personal research that might be carried out during the year at GW, and the names of three scholars who can be contacted for recommendations. Review of applications will begin on June 1, 2013.
An internationally recognized center for research and teaching in political and international communication, The George Washington University’s School of Media and Public Affairs is a dynamic, interdisciplinary program based in the heart of Washington, D.C., where media, public affairs and politics intersect. We offer two undergraduate majors (journalism/mass communication and political communication) as well as an MA degree in media and public affairs. We also offer an MA degree in Global Communication jointly with the Elliot School of International Affairs. More information on the School can be found here.
The George Washington University is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer.
The School of Media and Public Affairs is excited about the addition of three new faculty members who will significantly expand the school’s expertise and scholarship in key media and public affairs disciplines, such as investigative journalism, multimedia reporting, and political communication.
Cheryl W. Thompson joins us from The Washington Post, where she has distinguished herself as an award-winning investigative journalist covering politics, crime and corruption. Her fearless reporting led to the prosecution and imprisonment of former Prince George's County (MD) executive Jack Johnson. Thompson has more than 25 years of newspaper reporting experience, including at The Gainesville Sun in Florida, the Los Angeles Daily News, the Chicago Tribune and The Kansas City Star. She arrived at The Washington Post in 1997, where she was a Metro Reporter and National Reporter before moving to the Investigative Unit. She also served as a White House Correspondent during a part of President Obama’s first term.
“Investigative skills will always be in demand,” Thompson said. “I can’t wait to share what I’ve learned over the years with my students.”
Cheryl W. Thompson
Thompson, who will continue to do investigative projects for The Washington Post, is a graduate of the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, where she holds a bachelor’s degree in speech communication and a master’s in journalism. She also has a certificate in Investigative Reporting from the Poynter Institute for Media Studies in St. Petersburg, Fla. Thompson has been an adjunct lecturer at Georgetown and Howard universities, and the University of Alaska-Fairbanks. In 2002, Thompson was part of a team of Washington Post reporters awarded the Pulitzer Prize for National Reporting. She also is the recipient of two Salute to Excellence awards from the National Association of Black Journalists and a 2011 Emmy Award from the National Capital Chapter of the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences.
Imani M. Cheers is a former PBS Newshour executive, where she managed a team of reporters, created a media literacy curriculum and directed a participatory multimedia journalism program for elementary, secondary and post-secondary students. She has 14 years of multimedia work under her belt, having produced music videos, commercials, documentary shorts and educational videos for a variety of purposes. Cheers started her career as a director and producer for Washington University in St. Louis television and has written for Newsweek and USA Today. She has also served as a producer and writer for Howard University Television. Cheers holds an undergraduate degree in Photography from Washington University in St. Louis, Missouri, as well as graduate degrees in African Studies and Research and in Mass Communications and Media Studies from Howard University. She also has a certificate in Women’s Studies from Howard University.
Imani M. Cheers
“I am thrilled to be working with a dynamic and eclectic group of experts and professionals at the School of Media and Public Affairs,” said Cheers. “I especially look forward to my interactions with very bright, talented students, honing their multimedia skills in an ever-changing media environment.”
Emily Thorson was most recently at the University of Pennsylvania, where she received her PhD in both Communication and Political Science. Her research explores how voters draw on information to form opinions about politics, and what the media can do to ensure that citizens are fully informed. Thorson’s current research focuses on how misinformation can affect attitudes even after it is successfully corrected by creating "belief echoes." She also holds an undergraduate degree in Political Science from Williams College in Williamstown, Massachusetts.
Emily Thorson
“GW’s School of Media and Public Affairs is one of the best political communication programs in the country,” said Thorson. “Their efforts to bring together theory and practice are unparalleled, and I’m excited to be teaching just steps away from the White House, the State Department, and other powerful political institutions.”
All three new faculty members begin teaching at SMPA this fall.
The end of last week marked the biggest and one of the final steps in my GW career as a graduating Political Communication major. I hosted my very first documentary preview screening for my film, "Verge of Existence." The piece, funded by the first ever Manheim-Sterling Undergraduate Research Prize, looks into the lives of LGBTQ homeless youth living in New York City. As I spent hours last week in the edit bays of the 5th floor, I couldn't help but realize that these may be some of the last moments I would edit here. And as the hours ticked by, I felt a strange sense of nostalgia for the many hours I had already spent in SMPA over the last four years.
Sara sat on a panel as a student filmmaker.
While I may have been the kid who knew from the minute I stepped onto GW's campus that I wanted to come here, I couldn't have predicted the amazing opportunities and path I would take as an SMPA student. Thinking I was going to be a political reporter, I pursued my first internship with a local government as their communications intern. Almost as soon as I had signed on, I was ready to be done with this whole government thing. And this experience left me quickly without a dream job.
But with the support of some of the best SMPA faculty and the Internship Database, I began to find my footing right where my heart had been set the entire time. My mini-documentary from Jason Osder's class landed in the National Film Festival for Talented Youth in 2011, and I got to sit on a panel called "Out of the Closet, Onto the Screen" as an 'expert' student filmmaker. I traveled to Chattanooga, TN with Bridgett Lynn to see what made the newest Volkswagen Plant the first LEED Platinum Auto Plant in the world. I did all of this while interning with amazing companies like Prime Movers Media, Planet Forward, Spark Media, Believe Out Loud and National Geographic Society.
Sara at her documentary's preview screening.
But none of these opportunities would have meant anything without having incredible peers in both Political Communication and Journalism who pushed me to be my best. Production partners, classmates, friends and colleagues have been some of my greatest collaborators, toughest critics and most loyal fans that I have grown to respect and admire. By the time you take Senior Seminar, it is no longer just a class but a weekly family gathering.
When the lights went down and the music started playing from my film, I was overwhelmed by how many familiar faces filled my audience. I have felt so much love and support from my classmates and all of the amazing professors that helped me reach my full potential in this program.
I have never felt more proud to be part of a community like SMPA. People always say that SMPA majors have more SMPA pride than GW pride, and I can certainly say that I've felt that last week. There is no place I have been more proud to call home than the School of Media and Public Affairs.
This year, we awarded over $80,000 in scholarships and awards to some of our most well-deserving students.
Sherman Page Allen Scholarship
These awards are given to undergraduates who display a desire to specialize in the field of journalism. They were endowed in 1966 through a bequest from the estate of Violet B. Robinson. Ana Cvetkovic
Sarah Ferris
Audrey Scagnelli
Cory Weinberg
Gridiron Foundation Scholarship
These merit-based scholarships were created in 1975 by the Gridiron, a long-standing organization of Washington-based journalists. Stacey Buell
Zinhle Essamuah
Kevin Frey
Brianna Gurciullo
Chanelle Havey
Sophia Omuemu
Amelia Williams
Schneider-Taylor Scholarship
This scholarship, established by the parents of a recent graduate, provides "need-based" aid to an undergraduate in SMPA. Michelle Cho
Philip L. Graham Fund Scholarship for Diversity
Named for the late publisher of the Washington Post, these awards are given to students from underrepresented groups, including women and individuals of diverse backgrounds. Bryan Almeida
Dorothy and Will Roberts Prize
This prize was created by Professor Steve Roberts in the name of his parents. It is given to graduating seniors who have demonstrated academic achievement, professional promise and community service. Ana Buling
Eugenia Finizio
Ian Gray
Hyacinth Mascarenhas
Sandi Moynihan
Amanda Sawit
Elizabeth Traynor
Hoberman Prize
Created by the family of a recent graduate, this is a merit-based award recognizing an SMPA student who has produced original and meaningful journalism. The prize honors reporting that demonstrates depth, originality and a connection to community. Sara Snyder
Eaton Foundation Scholarship
This merit-based scholarship provides aid for both undergraduate and graduate students in the School of Media and Public Affairs. Doug Remley
Kara Dunford
Freedman Family Scholarship
This award was endowed by Mike Freedman, a former vice president of GW and SMPA professor, who is also the father of an SMPA graduate. It is awarded to a student with financial need who wants to become a professional journalist. Elizabeth Rawson
Larry King Scholarship
Created by the former CNN host who never attended college, this award goes to rising seniors with demonstrated financial need who have superior academic records. Ethan Bursofsky
Jillian Harclerode
Eleanor Klibanoff
Henry Morillo
Ali Mortell
Clara Pak
John Torrisi
Casey Wood
Essary Prize
SMPA's oldest prize, created in 1948 to honor the memory of Jesse Frederick Essary, is awarded to students who have given the promise of sound citizenship and ability in forthright reporting. Sarah Ferris, for her many exclusive investigative stories in the GW Hatchet
Ian Gray, for his contributions to the Huffington Post
Eleanor Klibanoff, for her dispatches from Nicaragua, especially her feature about a criminal-turned-artist
SMPA/Pulitzer Center on Crisis Reporting Fellowship
This fellowship awards an undergraduate student up to $4,000 to cover an under-reported international story and to travel to that part of the world to get the facts. Eleanor Klibanoff, who will travel to El Salvador and Nicaragua to report on women's healthcare and the effect of the countries' abortion laws. After abortion was made illegal in 2006, maternal health has declined and the number of mothers under age 15 has risen 48 percent. Klibanoff has interned for Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty in Prague and for The Nicaragua Dispatch. She is a member of GWU's University Honors Program.
Remember to fill out your applications for SMPA's graduate program by Saturday, June 1.
The Master of Arts degree in Media and Public Affairs offers students the opportunity to study strategic political communication applied to domestic and international issues. This program is designed for students who are interested in the intersection among media, communication, and politics.
In addition, SMPA offers an MA in Global Communication in conjunction with the Elliott School of International Affairs and a certificate in Documentary Filmmaking with the Documentary Center.
For more information and access to the online application, please click here.
Congressman Himes and Stephanie on the steps of the Capitol.
JMC '12
Working in the Capitol during an election season is a special experience, one I feel fortunate to have. Just talking about it can make an SMPA student's heart beat a little quicker and an SMPA professor nod with approval and pride.
When I landed an internship with Congressman James Himes (CT-4), I was excited to get a first-hand look at our democracy in action. I felt a great sense of responsibility to work alongside his constituents and my own neighbors to resolve problems and bring attention to voter concerns. I worked closely with the press secretary, who - to my surprise - was a recent SMPA grad. Right away, I felt at home in that Cannon building office. I gathered and distributed the daily press clippings to send to constituents and gave tours around the Capitol to visiting guests. I listened in and took notes on important hearings, saw John Boehner and Nancy Pelosi speak on the Capitol steps and passed Eric Holder in the hallway. I even got to park my little car in the Capitol garage!
SMPA allowed me the privilege to say I worked on "the Hill" - an opportunity that most journalism students only dream about. And for that I'm grateful and ready to take on new challenges in my life and career.
In a Democracy Seminar at Harvard's Kennedy School last week, Professor Dave Karpf highlighted some of the key findings and research on the "MoveOn Effect" in American politics. Highlighting the idea that online politics is neither limited to "clicktivism" nor comprised of "organizing without organizations," Karpf presented evidence the new media environment has given rise to a new generation of political advocacy groups that have redefined membership and fundraising regimes.
A symposium co-sponsored by the School of Media and Public Affairs and Open Society Foundations’ Campaign for Black Male Achievement with additional support from GW’s Vice Provost for Diversity and Inclusion
You are invited to attend this free, half-day event at George Washington University. Key scholars, experts and journalists will use the 2012 campaign as a backdrop to explore the importance of race in modern American politics, the role of race in the 2012 election and the impact of race issues on future campaigns.
This event is part of a grant to two SMPA faculty members - professors Robert Entman and Kim Gross - to conduct research on how the mainstream media responded to racial appeals during the 2012 election.
With a keynote address by Donna Brazile, veteran political strategist and Vice Chair of Voter Registration and Participation at the National Democratic Committee
Featuring two discussions:
Panel 1: How campaigns and media deal with race
Moderator: Frank Sesno, Director, GW School of Media and Public Affairs
Panelists: Eric Deggans, TV/Media Critic, Tampa Bay Times and author of Race Baiter Jim Margolis, Senior Advisor, Obama for America (2008 & 2012) Charlton McIlwain, Associate Professor of Media, Culture, and Communication, New York University Andrew Rojecki, Associate Professor of Communication, University of Illinois at Chicago
Panel 2: The role race played in shaping the 2012 vote
Moderator: Robert Entman, J.B. and M.C. Shapiro Professor of Media and Public Affairs, GW School of Media and Public Affairs
Panelists: Carole Bell, Assistant Professor of Communication Studies, Northeastern University Thomas Edsall, Joseph Pulitzer II and Edith Pulitzer Moore Professor of Journalism, Columbia University Seth Goldman, George Gerbner Post-Doctoral Fellow, University of Pennsylvania John Sides, Associate Professor of Political Science, George Washington University
Post-event reception, Art Gallery Lobby, Second Floor
It's scholarship and awards time at SMPA! Apply for as many of the opportunities listed below as you feel appropriate. Many of these awards are worth thousands of dollars.
Fill out the online application below and check off as many awards for which you want to be considered. Each application should include the following: a transcript (does not have to be official), a letter outlining your accomplishments, professional goals and an explanation of how you meet the requirements of each award. Where applicable, include a portfolio of published journalistic work. Please read through the application first before beginning it.
All applications should be submitted no later than 8 PM on Friday, March 22.
Larry King Scholarships
Created by the former CNN host who never attended college, this award goes to rising seniors with demonstrated financial need who have superior academic records.
Sherman Page Allen Scholarships
These awards are open to all undergraduate majors if they display a desire to specialize in the field of journalism. They were endowed in 1966 through a bequest from the estate of Violet B. Robinson.
Gridiron Foundation Scholarships
These scholarships were created in 1975 by the Gridiron, a long-standing organization of Washington-based journalists. All undergraduate majors are eligible to apply for these merit-based awards, but consideration will be given to need and minority status.
Schneider-Taylor Scholarship
This scholarship, established by the parents of a recent graduate, provides "need-based" aid to an undergraduate in SMPA.
Eaton Foundation Scholarship
This merit-based scholarship provides aid for both undergraduate and graduate students in the School of Media and Public Affairs.
Philip L. Graham Fund Scholarship for Diversity
Named for the late publisher of the Washington Post, these awards give preference to students from underrepresented groups, including - but not limited to - women and individuals of diverse backgrounds.
Freedman Family Scholarship
This award was endowed by Mike Freedman, a former vice president of GW and SMPA professor, who is also the father of an SMPA graduate. It gives preference to a student with financial need who wants to become a professional journalist.
Essary Prize
SMPA's oldest prize, created in 1948 to honor the memory of Jesse Frederick Essary. It is awarded "to a student who has given promise of sound citizenship and ability in 'forthright reporting.'" This is a writing award, open to all SMPA students, and a portfolio of published or broadcast work outside of class assignments is required.
Hoberman Prize
Created by the family of a recent graduate, this is a merit-based award recognizing an SMPA student who has produced original and meaningful journalism. That work can take any form—print, video, audio, photography or a combination of multimedia platforms. The prize will honor reporting that demonstrates depth, originality and a connection to community—either local or global.
Dorothy and Will Roberts Prize
This prize was created by Professor Steve Roberts in the name of his parents. It is given to graduating seniors who have demonstrated academic achievement, professional promise and community service.
SMPA/Pulitzer Center on Crisis Reporting Fellowship
Are you interested in covering an under-reported international story and traveling to that part of the world to get the facts? Apply now for the 2012-2013 School of Media and Public Affairs/Pulitzer Center on Crisis Reporting International Reporting Fellowship. All SMPA undergraduates (including current seniors) are now eligible to receive up to $4,000 to report on a story of your choice.
Our partner, the Pulitzer Center on Crisis Reporting, is interested in reporting projects that focus on topics and regions of global importance, with an emphasis on issues that have gone unreported or under-reported in the mainstream American media. They see great value in covering systemic crises like environmental issues and struggles for resources, human rights abuses, post-conflict reconstruction, or brewing ethnic tensions. They are interested in the stories that would typically not make the headlines without the Pulitzer Center's support.
The Pulitzer Center staff will work with the Fellow to further refine the project and to offer distribution avenues via their online platforms. This could be your chance to be published by multiple news outlets. Applicants must be current SMPA undergraduate majors as of February 2013. All travel should be completed by December 31, 2013.
Read the work of last year's Pulitzer Center Fellow, Melissa Turley, who traveled to South Africa to investigate the lives of women who are playing a role in advancing their country. Watch one of her audio slideshows below.
SMPA welcomed GW alum, PR/social media specialist and food blogger Marissa Bialecki on February 23 for a food blogging master class that included PowerPoints of dangerously appealing food blogs and photos, as well as Bialecki's own "10 Food Blogging Commandments." Bialecki began her food blog during her time as a GW student as a creative, and delicious, outlet to her academic classes as a Journalism and Mass Communication major.
Bialecki gives a rundown of the 10 Food Blogging Commandments.
Bialecki began the master class with the warning that a blog name is rarely temporary if one is lucky enough to reach popularity, so I promptly eliminated "I'm Really Hungry and Am Limited By My Lack of Cooking Ability" as my future blog's title.