Homepage News Journalism Program News

Prof. Sissel McCarthy’s Spring 2022 Welcome Letter

Professor Sissel McCarthy smiles into the camera in her director's letter welcoming to students to the new semester.
Journalism Program Director Sissel McCarthy welcomes back students and faculty for Spring 2022. In her letter, McCarthy shares news about new faculty, the Spring 2022 academic calendar and important safety guidelines for students on and off campus.

Dear Journalism students and faculty,

Welcome back to Hunter!  I hope you have all had a good break.  We have a great lineup of journalism courses, both on-campus and online.  Your well-being is still our paramount concern, and we will be following all the CUNY guidelines to keep you safe while in the classroom and out reporting your stories.  Check out this link for the latest news students need to know for Spring 2022: https://www.cuny.edu/coronavirus/

Several policies have not changed since the fall semester.  Masks must be worn at all times in communal areas, including the elevators, lobbies, corridors, bathrooms, stairwells, libraries, and lounges.  They will also be required in all classrooms and when visiting academic and administrative offices.

We also recommend wearing a mask and practicing responsible social distancing when interviewing or photographing sources during your reporting assignments.

Finally, if you feel ill (particularly if you have a fever or COVID-19 symptoms), do not come to class.  Contact your professor as soon as possible and make arrangements to make up any missed work.

If you do test positive for COVID-19, please inform your professor as soon as possible and follow this CUNY protocol: https://www.cuny.edu/coronavirus/get-back-faqs/#phy-2

With that out of the way, I am delighted to introduce you to our two new adjuncts,  Jeanie Ahn and Emma Cillekens.

Jeanie is an award-winning journalist with more than 13 years of experience in newsroom management and field producing, reporting, and writing while at ABC News and Yahoo.  At Yahoo, Jeanie hosted a “Women and Money” series interviewing top women in business with reports on both national and local news.  Behind the camera, she led a team of personal finance producers who reported on everything from managing student debt to growing your wealth and building your career.  At ABC News, she covered breaking news and produced live specials, including the 2008 presidential election, Michael Jackson’s death, Japan’s tsunami, Global Health, Homeless Teens, Royal Wedding, and Barbara Walters & Diane Sawyer Specials: Pregnant Man, Sarah Palin, and Jaycee Dugard.  Jeanie will be teaching two sections of News Literacy this semester.

Emma is the co-creator of the MIT Technology Reviews’ podcast, “In Machines We Trust,” with Jennifer Strong.  She has also worked at the Wall Street Journal, Barons, WNYC and ProPublica, winning multiple awards for her reporting, including the New York Press Club Award for Best Podcast and the Webby Award for Best Tech Podcast.  In addition to her outstanding professional credentials, she has taught at the graduate and undergraduate level at NYU’s Arthur Carter School of Journalism.  Emma will be teaching our Radio Reporting and Podcasting class.

Please join me in welcoming them both to Hunter and check out their profiles on our website!

Here are the highlights for the Spring 2022 Academic Calendar:

January 2022:

F 28………………………………. Start of Spring Term

February 2022:

Fr 11 – Su 13…………………. College Closed – No Classes Scheduled

M 21……………………………… College Closed – No Classes Scheduled

April 2022:

F 15 – F 22…………………….. Spring Recess – No Classes Scheduled

May 2022:

Tu 17…………………………….. Reading Day

W 18 – Tu 24………………….. Final Examinations

Tu 24…………………………….. End of Spring Term 

A few final notes:

This semester, we have three new interns working on our Journalism Program website, newsletter, and social media accounts. They are Veronika Lleshi, Rei Wolfsohn and Stella Chu.  A big welcome to them!  This means there will be lots of great stories about our students, faculty and internship opportunities, so please be sure to sign up for our newsletter  and follow us on social media at @hunterjourn and LinkedIn.

Students needing equipment for their coursework will be able to check it out during the first two weeks of the semester.  Your professors will have more info on this.

Hunter is also still loaning laptops to students who need them and offering other types of aid, including mobile hotspot devices, mobile food pantries, and emergency funding.  Check out this link for more info.

We return to campus this spring as press freedom around the world is under attack by a thousand cuts—even here in the United States. This erosion of press freedom is particularly alarming because it is often a precursor to assaults on other democratic institutions. As I write in my NewsLiteracyMatters.com post, there are no easy answers, but it is clear the public must insist on   access to fact-based information and that journalists—and aspiring journalists–must lead this fight.

While this is still a challenging time for everyone, it is also an opportunity to distinguish Hunter’s Journalism Program.  I am grateful for all the enthusiasm and passion our faculty and students bring to our program and look forward to a safe and productive semester.

Warm regards,

Sissel McCarthy

Director of the Journalism Program

Our Journalism Concentration & Minor

The Hunter College journalism program is offered as a concentration or a minor within the Department of Film & Media Studies. Its curriculum is built around production courses in journalism and analytical courses in media studies. Learn more about our course requirements.

Our Archives

Journalism Newsletter Signup

Subscribe to the journalism newsletter

* indicates required

Comments are closed.