ALUMNI PROFILE
BORN TO WRITE
Dr. Ann Brill started to write
at the age of 4 – on the kitchen wall. Her mother told
her she had to find a better place. Look where she ended up.
 By Mike Thee
Brill is dean of the William
Allen White School of Journalism and Mass Communications at the University
of Kansas. Today’s students, she points out, have access
to more communication formats. “That’s why we need
to expose students to as many communication platforms as we
can so that whatever path they choose they will know how to
best reach their audience,” she says.
After working as
a reporter and in public relations, Brill earned a master
of journalism degree at Marquette. Inspired by faculty and
her experiences as a teaching assistant, she decided to teach.
She was also drawn to academia for the opportunity to do
research. “I
like the idea of exploring and analyzing where the profession
of journalism is going,” says Brill.
Of particular interest is the erosion of
public trust in the media. “It’s not enough to teach our students how
to use a camera or write a press release,” she says. “We
also need to help them form the values that will restore a
good name to the profession of journalism.”
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