Ball State Professor Adam Kuban Earns National Journalism Teaching Honor

When Dr. Adam Kuban learned he had been named Journalism & Mass Communication Teacher of the Year as part of the 73rd Scripps Howard Journalism Awards, he viewed the national honor as a personal achievement—and as recognition of Ball State University’s commitment to immersive, community-engaged education.

“This is a national award, and I think it’s an important moment of recognition for the work Ball State has been doing,” said Dr. Kuban, professor in the School of Journalism and Strategic Communication within the College of Communication, Information, and Media (CCIM). “To be recognized alongside past recipients from institutions like the University of Missouri and the University of Wisconsin-Madison is an incredible honor for Ball State and the State of Indiana.”

The Scripps Howard Journalism Awards, presented by the Scripps Howard Fund and The E.W. Scripps Company, recognize outstanding journalism across 12 categories and are among the nation’s top journalism competitions. This year’s winners and finalists were selected from more than 600 entries by a panel of veteran journalists and media leaders.

Dr. Kuban is the second Ball State faculty member to receive the Journalism & Mass Communication Teacher of the Year award. Dr. Jennifer Palilonis, ’96 MA ’04, the George and Frances Ball Distinguished Professor of Multimedia Journalism, earned the distinction in 2012 and now directs the school’s Center for Emerging Media Design and Development.

Since joining Ball State’s faculty in 2011, Dr. Kuban has built a reputation for creating immersive media projects that connect students with real-world storytelling opportunities and community partners. His students have produced books, documentaries, websites, magazines, and multimedia projects focused on issues ranging from science and water quality to sports and nonprofit initiatives.

At the heart of his teaching philosophy is the belief that students should learn by engaging directly with communities.

“One way we do that is through partnerships with nonprofit organizations,” Dr. Kuban said. “Students work with organizations that have communication needs. They apply what they’re learning while also learning how nonprofit organizations function and support their communities.”

Dr. Kuban credits Ball State and CCIM for helping those projects flourish.

“Ball State’s values aligned with what I value as an educator, especially the emphasis on Immersive Learning and community engagement,” he said.

The University’s Immersive Learning grants, institutional support, and recognition of community-engaged scholarship allowed him and his students to pursue meaningful projects that might not otherwise have been possible, he explained.

“I have to express gratitude to Ball State for taking a chance on me,” Dr. Kuban said. “This was my first full-time faculty position after earning my doctoral degree. Fifteen years later, I’m still here.”