Two LIFT Grad Students Win Top Graduate Student Awards

On Friday, March 13, 2026, two of our student researchers were honored as the MSU School of Journalism Top Graduate students: Jasmine Snow, a journalism masters student and lead graduate researcher on the LIFT Project, and Jessica Pettengill, I&M PhD candidate. I am Jasmine's advisor and a member of Jessica's committee. They are both uniquely remarkable in many ways. Their work contributes not only to realizing the full humanity of the communities they care about most, but also to the strength of our democracy, which relies on thinkers and doers like them. They're truly such important parts of our community. And I am SO excited to see them thrive and serve the public good.

Congratulations Jasmine and Jessica! We are all so grateful for you and all your contributions to our community, big and small.

Of course, I hope Jasmine and Jessica keep partnering on fun ideas and meaningful work, but I'd be lying if I didn't say that I am already tinged by a deeply unsettling sadness as I think about them completing our program. I won't have an empty nest, though! My talented and incredibly diligent PhD student Eric Hsieh is completing his first full year. He will still be in residence, building out meaningful research in Michigan. And we have our fingers crossed our graduate team will expand next year too! I am so proud of my incredibly diverse research and creative teams and partners that work with me both in East Lansing and around the United States.