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School of Journalism and New Media
University of Mississippi

Learn about our journalism graduates who are in the
real world, right now.

Students learn to become critical thinkers, truth-seekers and effective communicators as they gain real-world experience in reporting. Along the way, they develop storytelling skills that can be used in a wide variety of journalism and media careers.

It starts here with the School of Journalism and New Media at Ole Miss.

More About Journalism

Kellie Norton

"With my Journalism degree from
Ole Miss...

I became a Communications Specialist at TikTok.

When people hear that I work at TikTok, it’s usually met with lots of excitement. But, also intrigue from people who still have yet to download the app and get involved on the platform.”

Before joining TikTok, Norton started her career working for various PR agencies in New York. 

“When you work at a PR agency, you have this unique opportunity to gain skill sets from across different industry verticals. One minute, you’re planning the launch of a fashion client’s fall collection; the next, you’re producing an event on the top of the Freedom Tower. I will always recommend new graduates to look into starting off at an agency setting. The amount of doors that open from that type of experience is incredible.

It was because of the Act2 Experience that I was able to network with one of the PR panelists and land my first PR internship in New York post-graduation.

The way professors would take the extra step outside of lectures and syllabi to be a valuable resource to students by hosting networking events or being a mentor outside of the classroom – it’s that type of dedication to their students that helped push me into a successful career in PR after Ole Miss, and it’s something I will forever be grateful for.”

About Our Journalism Program
About Our Social Media Specialization

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"With my Journalism degree from
Ole Miss...

I am now the area manager at Amazon."

Jessica Duffield graduated in 2020 with a degree in print journalism and a minor in general business. She is now the area manager at Amazon.

Some of her responsibilities include coaching, managing and developing a team of 50 to 200 Amazon associates. She communicates policies to the team and acts as the primary information source for the team. She analyzes and dives deep into data to provide thought-provoking, workable business solutions. She motivates others with strong communication skills.

About Our Journalism Program
Jessica Duffield

jessica duffield

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Sarah Bryon

"With my Journalism degree from
Ole Miss...

I became the Marketing Coordinator for Hearst Magazines."

Sarah Byron graduated in 2018 with a degree in print journalism with an emphasis in public relations and a minor in Spanish. She previously worked as the marketing research coordinator at O, The Oprah Magazine. Now she works as the marketing coordinator for Hearst Magazines.

“This means I get to work with all of the brands at Hearst,” she said.

A few of those titles include Cosmopolitan, Women’s Health; O, The Oprah Magazine; Elle and Esquire.

“As a marketing coordinator, I work closely with the Hearst corporate sales team to come up with innovative and creative marketing campaigns in order to achieve our advertisers’ goals,” she said. “Part of my job includes working as a liaison between a multitude of groups, like the sales team, the research department, and branded content editors. It’s a lot of hard work, but quite honestly, I love how there’s never really a dull moment.

Without my background in print journalism and an emphasis in public relations, I wouldn’t be nearly as prepared for this role. The skills I was able to learn and hone are the very skills that I use every day. 

I’m thankful for the Ole Miss School of Journalism and the opportunities that have allowed me to fulfill my dream of working with top magazine brands.”

About Our Journalism Program
About Our Magazine Specialization

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