Media Mentors

Media Mentors, a learning and development series hosted by the Roy Howard Community Journalism Center at The University of Southern Mississippi, is designed to connect students with experienced professionals in journalism, broadcasting, public relations and digital media. Each session provides valuable career advice, industry insights and an opportunity to engage directly with professionals who have been in your shoes.

If you have questions, contact Joshua Wilson at 601-266-4265 or email [email protected].

Why Join Media Mentors?

— Learn from Experts: Gain firsthand knowledge from journalists, PR specialists, broadcasters and media leaders.

— Build Your Network: Make industry connections that can help shape your future.

— Get Career Advice: Learn the skills and strategies needed to succeed in today’s media landscape.

— Engage & Ask Questions: Participate in Q&A discussions and hear real-world experiences.

Upcoming Sessions

All sessions are held from 11 a.m. until 12:30 p.m. in Stout Hall, Room B on the Hattiesburg campus.

— Friday, June 13: Melissa Scallan, director of communications and marketing at the Port of Gulfport, will be the speaker. Scallan previously worked in public relations roles at The University of Southern Mississippi, the Mississippi Development Authority and the Mississippi Department of Marine Resources. She was also the communications director for U.S. Senator Cindy Hyde-Smith’s 2018 campaign. Prior to her public relations work, Scallan was a newspaper reporter for 25 years, including 14 years at The Sun Herald in Biloxi. She covered education, city and county government, and state politics.

— Friday, July 11: Nicole Ruhnke, chief communication officer for The University of Southern Mississippi, will be the speaker. Ruhnke is the spokesperson for the university and also serves as director of the Office of University Communications. This office leads the university’s marketing, media relations, social media management, video production, creative services and website development efforts. Ruhnke graduated from Southern Miss in 2008 with a degree in public relations and has held communications roles in the university’s alumni relations office as well as for international missions and tourism organizations.

— Friday, September 12: Geoff Pender, politics and government editor at Mississippi Today, will be the speaker. He is a veteran journalist with more than 30 years of experience covering Mississippi politics and policy. A Southern Miss journalism graduate, Pender has led political coverage at The Sun Herald and The Clarion-Ledger, earning awards for reporting, commentary and open government advocacy. He now helps shape watchdog and investigative coverage at Mississippi Today, focusing on accountability, transparency and public trust in state leadership and public institutions across Mississippi.

— Friday, October 10: Amanda Fontaine, executive director of the Mississippi Association of Broadcasters, will be the speaker. She is a nonprofit leader with more than 20 years of experience in executive leadership, training and board service. She has coached countless organizations, developed leadership programs for chambers of commerce and taught business courses at Delta State University. A certified Excellence in Action trainer, she has led growth and sustainability workshops across the state. Fontaine has earned recognition from groups like the American Advertising Federation, which presented her with its Silver Medal Award.

— Friday, November 14: Damien Richard, news director of KATC in Lafayette, Louisiana, will be the speaker. He has nearly 30 years of experience in local television news. He began his career as an editor and later worked as a cameraman and producer before taking on his current leadership role. He has covered major events including the St. Martin Parish jail hostage crisis, Hurricane Katrina and the Deepwater Horizon oil spill. His work has earned multiple honors from the Louisiana Associated Press as well as national recognition for videography. In addition to his newsroom role, Richard also serves as an NCAA basketball referee.

— Friday, December 5: Layne Bruce, executive director of the Mississippi Press Association, will be the speaker. A career newspaper professional, Bruce was a reporter, editor and publisher before joining the newspaper trade association in 2006 as director of marketing. In 2007, he was named executive director and now oversees management of the association as well as Mississippi Press Services and the MPA Education Foundation. Bruce studied communications and journalism at Mississippi State University. He serves as clerk of Newspaper Association Managers and is a past president of the Mississippi Society of Association Executives.

We are currently finalizing spring 2026 speakers. See those dates, session titles and descriptions, and confirmed speakers here.

Past Sessions

— May 2, 2025: Sean Trcalek, vice president and general manager of KATC in Lafayette, Louisiana, and Wallace, regional creative services director for The E.W. Scripps Company, spoke to students about showing empathy in storytelling, staying true to your passions, and putting in the work to grow in the industry. Drawing from decades of experience in journalism, management and branding, they emphasized the value of heart and hustle in building trust with viewers and advancing your career.

— April 11, 2025: Veteran journalist Emily Wagster Pettus shared lessons from her decades covering Mississippi politics, courts and civil rights for The Associated Press and other news outlets. She spoke about maintaining integrity while covering colorful and complicated figures, navigating emotions in difficult assignments, and the importance of asking good questions. Pettus also answered student questions about her most memorable reporting experiences and the changes she has seen in the profession.

— March 14, 2025: Bestselling author, public speaking coach and U.S. Air Force officer Cody Smith kicked off the Media Mentors series with an engaging session on the power of public speaking. Using humor and personal stories, he encouraged students to overcome fear, build confidence, and develop both a strong stage presence and a kind inner voice.