Thanks to our generous donors, the Department of Journalism, Advertising, and Media Studies is proud to announce that we were able to award twelve undergraduate scholarships for the 2017-2018 academic year. Please join us in congratulating our recipients and we wish everyone a fun and fulfilling new school year!

Cassandra Bretl
Keith Spore Journal Communications Scholarship

When a story with true intention is shared throughout your surrounding community and the purpose of the story is heard and actions arise there is a moment where the potential to become a journalist seems far more than a career. I am a junior Journalism, Advertising and Media Studies major at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. I hope to also receive the Digital Arts and Culture Certificate.

When I think about my interest in journalism, I think about what experiences I want to embark on during my college career. I am currently an intern at my local news station: WIFR 23 News where I have the opportunity to work hands on with reporters and behind the scenes assembling packages for news stories. I am learning how to progress as an aspiring journalist from outside of the classroom and I have found it beyond rewarding to interact with the people of Rockford, Illinois. I was born in Rockford and have never understood the potential we have as a city before my internship.

I am excited bring my interviewing, writing, and editing skills to Milwaukee and find powerful stories to tell. Working as peer mentor I will be working with UWM students to help them feel connected and acclimated to the Milwaukee community. I hope to contribute in making Milwaukee a thriving city where I can find my niche in the journalism field.

Hugo Ljungbaeck
Greater Milwaukee Foundation Journal Foundation
Walter Jay and Clara Charlotte Damm Scholarship

Hugo Martin A. Ljungbäck is a developing audiovisual artist, scholar, and journalist currently attending UWM. He has been working with video for over seven years, most recently with a focus on documentary filmmaking. He is a double-major in Film and Journalism/Media Studies, and works as a production assistant for Integrated Marketing Communications. Over the summer, he has been programming short narrative and documentary films for the 32nd Annual Milwaukee LGBT Film/Video Festival, running in November.

Taylor Strickland
Greater Milwaukee Foundation Journal Foundation
Walter Jay and Clara Charlotte Damm Scholarship

Hello! My name is Taylor Strickland, and I’m a junior here at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. I’m currently double majoring in advertising and media studies through the JAMS department, double minoring in communications and photography, pursuing a certificate in digital arts and culture and still on-track to graduate in four years!

Despite how busy I am with school, I also have two separate internships in social media. I’m a digital communications intern with UWM’s social media in the University Relations and Communications Department where I manage the accounts of the university’s Instagram and Snapchat. However, I also work remotely for a blogger based in my hometown! She runs two blogs – Crafts by Amanda and Amanda’s Cookin’ – with a following of over one-million on Facebook.

Here on campus, I’m involved in a few different organizations, including the Journalism Club and the Public Relations Student Society of America. In coming semesters, I plan to join the Photography Club and study abroad in Europe.

Because I’m interested in so many different aspects of media, I haven’t completely narrowed down what the specifics of my future will look like. I wouldn’t mind continuing on in social media, though I wouldn’t be opposed to working in a more artistic environment either. I’m open to any media-related career that will allow me to be creative and inspired, though I do really hope to work in fashion. Because of this scholarship, I’m one step closer to my dreams, whatever they may entail!

Teagen Harr
Greater Milwaukee Foundation Journal Foundation
Walter Jay and Clara Charlotte Damm Scholarship

Teagen Harr is an honors student at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, working towards a bachelor’s degree in Journalism, Advertising and Media Studies (JAMS), Psychology, and minoring in Conservation and Environmental Studies (CES), graduating May of 2018. An avid traveler, Teagen hopes to move to Paris, France after graduation to continue her education non-traditionally through language and cultural immersion. Although she feels she elicits both the “thinking” and “feeling” personality characteristics equally, Teagen’s Meyers Briggs personality type is ENTJ-A, traits she knows will help her succeed in establishing a new approach to advertising and public relations in the future.

Ashley Scharpf
Greater Milwaukee Foundation Journal Foundation
Walter Jay and Clara Charlotte Damm Scholarship

I’m a sophomore JAMS student with concentrations in advertising/public relations and media studies. Although a career in media is my main goal, I am planning to major in Sociology as well as try for an LGBT+ Studies Certificate in addition to JAMS.

One of the most important elements of my personality is my passion for music, but that’s no surprise to anyone who has ever seen me or one of my many ever-present band shirts. Most of the bands I listen to are fairly new, and many of them have actually posted on social media looking for a publicist. Promoting my favorite bands is something that I already love to do, and I’m hoping to one day take up the offer because I can’t think of a more perfect job.

Ed Makowski
Greater Milwaukee Foundation Journal Foundation
Walter Jay and Clara Charlotte Damm Scholarship

Ed Makowski is a poet and writer attending the journalism program at UW-Milwaukee. Ed took the long way in arriving at both college and journalism, and is excited to work toward his degree. Following an internship with the 89.7 WUWM Lake Effect program, Ed worked as the story gathering Pfister Hotel Narrator. He then participated in the Public Allies program and decided to pursue a degree. Ed has published two poetry books, Manifest Density and Carrying a Knife in to the Gunfight, with a few others on the horizon. On the days when he is not in school, Ed works as the Communications Specialist at Schlitz Audubon Nature Center. He is ever excited to discover and distill the next story, whether through journalism, poetry, photography, or any other medium.

Paul Willems
Greater Milwaukee Foundation Journal Foundation
Ione Quinby Griggs Journalism Scholarship

Paul is a journalism major entering his senior year at UWM. He graduated in 2014 from Appleton East High School in Appleton, Wisconsin, where he discovered his love for sports journalism while writing for East’s school newspaper. Since coming to UWM, Paul has covered many different types of events including sports and political rallies. He’s been recognized with several awards for his work in JAMS classes. Paul also serves as an active member and current vice president of UWM’s Journalism Club After school, he hopes to continue with sports journalism in a print, broadcast or online capacity.

Geaneth Garcia
Greater Milwaukee Foundation Journal Foundation
Ione Quinby Griggs Journalism Scholarship

Geaneth Garcia was born in Miami, FL. She lived most of her life in Minnesota and decided to attend college out-of-state. Geaneth is now a senior at the University of Wisconsin – Milwaukee. Majoring in Journalism with a minor in Communications. Having a passion for arts and culture, she developed a focus on audio storytelling. She hopes to travel and record stories on culture, music and performing arts. She enjoys spending time with her family and learning new languages.

Vianca Fuster
Greater Milwaukee Foundation Journal Foundation
Donald and Barbara Abert Fund Scholarship

My name is Vianca Fuster and I am a senior JAMS student, with a concentration in print journalism.

I spent the last two semester as a video producer intern at 88Nine Radio Milwaukee and am now working as a contracted photographer and associate video producer. I also work part-time with University Relations as a video producer in which I create content for our social media following.

As a woman and a Puerto Rican, my priority is being a voice for different minority communities. I take pride in being able to tell stories of those who lack a strong voice or the means to tell their stories. This has inspired me to use my education to tell their stories using multimedia, specifically video. My work is most rewarding to me when I work on documentary series or publish written articles that impacts the lives of the subjects and teaches my audience in the process.

Ambitious and always striving to be the best, I am competitive and plan to pursue tough ventures post-graduation. With my degree, I hope to go after multimedia producer jobs within minority-based publications such as Remezcla, and more prestigious platforms such as The New York Times or HBO. One of my ultimate goals would be to start a documentary production company. As a former athlete and sports fanatic, one of my bucket list goals would be to produce an ESPN 30 for 30 documentary!

Benjamin Slowey
Greater Milwaukee Foundation Journal Foundation
Donald and Barbara Abert Fund Scholarship

My name is Ben and I’m a journalism major with a psychology and communication dual minor here at UWM. I aspire to be a music journalist with focus on the psychological aspects of music between the artists and the listeners. I’m also Jewish and am heavily involved in Jewish and Israel activism on campus. I’ve got my hands full but I do it all because I care.

Auburn Geller
Michael J. Petrick Journalism Scholarship

Auburn Grace Geller is a junior at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. She is double majoring with a degree in Journalism, Advertising and Media Studies with a focus on Advertising, as well as a degree in Digital Arts and Culture. She was born in 1997 and grew up in Verona, Wisconsin, a suburb of Madison. In 2015, she started college at UW-Milwaukee due to her interest in the JAMS program. Auburn feels that majoring in a degree that combines those three careers into one field of study is both exhilarating and rewarding. She loves following current world events and the ever-evolving world of media and technology. Outside of classes, Auburn is a peer mentor in the Best Buddies program at UW-Milwaukee, and enjoys spending time with her friend and buddy, Cheri. Some of her other interests include: photography, reading, watching movies, attending live music concerts, spending time at the Milwaukee Art Museum, becoming fluent in American Sign Language, visiting with her nearby grandparents, and hiking in the Boundary Waters of northern Minnesota. For the rest of her time at UWM, Auburn plans on interning with a Milwaukee advertising agency before she graduates in 2019. She also plans on strengthening her skills in Photoshop, InDesign, and other Adobe Creative Suite programs, and finally trying an infamous Oakland Gyro.

Hailey McLaughlin
Francie and Albert Silverman/Milwaukee Press Club Endowment Ltd. Scholarship

Hailey McLaughlin is a junior double majoring in Journalism and Creative Writing. She has been writing her whole life, and after being encouraged by family and teachers, she knew that she needed to peruse her love of writing when she came to college. Hailey is the current Editor-in-Chief and the News Editor of the UWM Post. She also writes for a local newspaper near her hometown as well.