Conversations with COJO

Student host Alex Olson interviews Jason Hove, SDSU's Assistant Athletic Director for Communications, about his path from college journalist to athletic communications professional, how sports information has changed, and how digital tools and AI are shaping the field.

Student host Lydia Hill talks with Dr. Kevin Kessler, director of athletic bands and assistant professor of music, about his leadership of The Pride of the Dakotas Marching Band and his impact on music education at South Dakota State University.

In this episode student host Claire Booth talks to Anna Peters, director of news and multimedia content at KELOLAND Media Group. She discusses the challenges of rural reporting, building trust with sources, the role of social media and ethics, and tips on how to get internships, craft strong stories, and grow in broadcasting.

Student Host Emily Attrill interviews photojournalist and COJO alum, Tyler Teal, about his path from Sioux Falls and college internships to working at KARE-11 in Minneapolis. He discusses mentorship, the learning curve of shooting and editing, and offers practical advice for aspiring journalists.

Student Host Amina Aidarkhanova wraps up her conversation with Dean David Earnest, dean of the College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences at South Dakota State University.

Student Host Amina Aidarkhanova talks with Dean David Earnest, dean of the College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences at South Dakota State University. In this episode, they discuss leadership in higher education, the role of the humanities and social sciences today, and how programs like COJO prepare students for a rapidly changing world.

Student Host Ryann Davis talks with COJO alum Wren Murphy. Wren is a reporter at the Madison Daily Leader in Madison, South Dakota.  They graduated from SDSU in 2021 with a Bachelor of Arts in journalism with minors in Spanish and English.  Wren has worked at the Mobridge Tribune, The Beacon in Beulah, North Dakota, as well as the Collegian when they were a students.

Our first episode of the new year features student host Emily DeCock talking with Dr. Jamie Folsom.  She is an Assistant Professor of American Indian and Indigenous Studies in the School of American & Global Studies at SDSU. Dr. Folsom is an experienced journalist, who also teaching journalism courses for COJO.

Student host Kyla Andvik talks with COJO student Sydney Meissner. Sydney was crowned Miss SDSU 2026 earlier this fall. She is a Communication Studies major with double minors in Spanish and theater from Rapid City, SD.

Student host Jordan Roemeling talks with Tom Nieman, an SDSU alum whose career began in broadcast journalism and expanded into sports reporting, play-by-play announcing and sales. Today, he serves as a Development Director at the SDSU Foundation for the College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences.

Student host Jordan Roemeling talks with Jeremy Waltner. Waltner is a second-generation publisher/editor of the Freeman Courier, a South Dakota Weekly newspaper, following his father, Tim Waltner. He also runs a photography/design studio called Waltner Media.

Student host Kayla Walsh visits with Alison Simon. Alison graduated in 2021 with a degree in Agricultural Education, Communication and Leadership. She has worked as a reporter for the Collegian, the Mobridge Tribune, and the Brookings Register.  She was also the state president for the Future Farmers of America.

This week, student host Emily DeCock talks with COJO alum Greta Goede.  Greta graduated cin May of 2024 with a bachelor's degree in journalism. She was the Editor-in-chief of The Collegian and interned with South Dakota News Watch while in college.  Greta currently works as a reporter at KMTV in Omaha, Nebraska.

COJO student Annie Witt talks with Tyler Merriam.  Tyler is the "Voice of the Jackrabbits" for SDSU athletics and the Jackrabbit Sports Network.  He also hosts weekly radio sports shows. Tyler grew up in Pierre, S.D. and graduated from SDSU with a Bachelor of Science degree in journalism. 

In the first episode of the fall 2025 semester, student Brayden Byers talks to COJO alum Josh Munce.  Josh has worked in television news, advertising and live sports, and is currently the Sports Operations Manager for Midco Sports.  His work has earned him two regional Emmy awards, and he will be recognized as a Distinguished Alum in COJO this fall.

Student host Taylor Tennant talks with Landon Dierks, who is an SDSU journalism alumni and sports editor for the Mitchell Republic. 

Student host Jordan Roemeling talks with COJO graduate alum Stefanie Fauth. Stefanie is a Senior Communications Specialist at Dominium, Inc. and also an actor and filmmaker.  Her graduate project was a documentary film entitled "Women in Film in Minnesota," which will be featured during the COJO Cinema event at the South Dakota Art Museum on April 14.

Student host Annie Witt talks with Steve Jurrens, who is the News Director at KXLG Radio 99.1 in Watertown, South Dakota.

Student host Natalie Dean talks to Jeanine Basinger.  Basinger is the Corwin-Fuller Professor of Film Studies at Wesleyan University, where she is also the founder and curator of the Wesleyan Cinema Archives and chair of the Film Studies Department. She has a bachelor’s and a master’s degree from SDSU, and has authored several books on film history.

Student hosts Coryn Wolff and Tessa Henderson talk to COJO graduate student Finn Kane.  Finn is a teaching assistant in the Basic Media Writing course and it is working on a documentary for his graduate professional project. This is the last episode of the fall semester, however look for new episodes in January.

Student hosts Coryn Wolff Tessa Henderson talk with COJO faculty member Dr. Mary Jo Nesmith, who has designed and taught the online SPCM 101 course for over 10 years.

Student host Anna Poull talks to COJO alum Lura Roti . Lura is an agriculture journalism and Master of Mass Communication graduate of SDSU. She grew up on a ranch in western South Dakota but today she calls the Cathedral Historic District of Sioux Falls home. Lura has worked as a freelance journalist and media relations specialist for more than two decades. She loves telling the stories of agricul...

Student hosts Coryn Wolff and Tessa Henderson talk to playwright, actor, author, storyteller and cultural advocate Kevin Kling . Kevin visited SDSU on October 16th, and Coryn and Tessa talked with him prior to his visit.

Student host Anna Poull talks with V.J. Smith , a 1978 graduate of SDSU. V.J. worked as an assistant athletic director and then executive director of the SDSU Alumni Association. He is a motivational speaker and author, including a book entitled " Jackrabbit Tales ."

Student hosts Coryn Wolff and Tessa Henderson talk with Jon Bakken , who is the elementary 4th and 5th grade orchestra teacher in Brookings. He is also the author of the book Tiger Meat: The Stories Behind South Dakota’s Best Music, which will be featured at the South Dakota Festival of Books on campus this weekend.  Jon is also hosts the website Tiger Meat: South Dakota Music.