Winter 2026 COJO Newsletter

First-ever Dyekman/Callaway Director of Debate named

The Communication and Journalism Department has a new position that is named after a wellknown debate coach and a former debater for the University of Wyoming.

The new Greg Dyekman and Wayne Callaway Director of Debate is David Rooney. Rooney is associate professor of practice and teaches persuasive argumentation, political communication, and other communication classes.

Dyekman, a lawyer for Long Reimer Winegar LLP in Cheyenne, created the fund to honor Callaway, who positively influenced the experience of many members of the UW debate team during his tenure.

“As a debater, that was my most beneficial activity

in college. I’m acutely aware of how often I use those skills every day now and I have the desire to share that opportunity with as many students as we can get to try it,” Dyekman said. “The other reason I wanted to do it is because I want to give debate a fighting chance of surviving at the University of Wyoming when it’s not surviving in a lot of other universities these days.”

The COJO Department and the debate community is thrilled that the program now has a solid foundation for years to come.

“The impact of the Greg Dyekman & Wayne Callaway Director of Debate position on the department, the college and the university cannot be

overstated,” Department Head Justin Stewart said. “It permits Wyoming Debate to continue to compete at the highest level, to recruit and develop student debaters, and to win championships. The future of Wyoming Debate is very bright!”

Dyekman also emphasized the rich history that UW Debate has created over the past decades.

“Debate is one of those areas where Wyoming’s always been very competitive,” he said. “They debate the best teams in the country. I got there when we were at the top; we were nationally prominent in every way.”

Rooney intends to continue this national prominence. Born and raised in Ireland, he was introduced to debate when he moved to the United States at 11 years old. Rooney was not a native English speaker coming into the U.S., but his parents saw how debate could help him learn and improve his command of the language.

“My parents really pushed me to do debate, because you have to process and read a lot of information very quickly, and they thought it would brush up on my skills and confidence,” he said.

Rooney’s relationship with UW’s debate team began in 2021 as an online assistant coach while he was working on his doctorate at the University of Texas at Austin. Now as the coach, he has new goals for his team.

“We had four returning debaters, two seniors and two sophomores. I want to make the team bigger,” he said. “We have about 14 active members, the vast majority of whom are people who have little experience in debate, so I’m really happy that we have this wide base that we can have four years to grow.”

Overall, Rooney hopes to qualify for one of the available slots in the national debate tournament.

“Our region is relatively small, so we have a very fierce competition with the local schools for only two spots in the tournament,” Rooney said. “My goal is to send the maximum number of teams, which is two. We sent one last year and I would like to have that continue.”

Rooney aims to build on UW Debate’s legacy of great competition by leading the next generation of students to compete on the national stage, using newfound institutional support along with a healthy relationship with the people who helped make the team great in the past.

Greg Dyekman

Written by Micaela Myers

Greg Dyekman is the recipient of the 2025 UW Medallion Service Award, the university’s highest honor for volunteer service.

Dyekman’s passion for debate was ignited when he joined the debate team at East High School in Cheyenne. The topic that year focused on the jury system, which immersed him in legal research. “Debate makes you synthesize all the other skills you were learning into a competitive framework,” Dyekman said. The experience was so powerful that, by high school graduation, he knew he wanted to attend law school.

Today, Dyekman’s service portfolio reads like a who’s who of Wyoming organizations: UW Foundation board chair, College of Arts and Sciences Board of Visitors chair, Boy Scouts Board president, College of Business Advisory Board chair, Cheyenne Symphony Orchestra president, church treasurer for 39 years, and countless campaign leadership roles.

His total giving to UW exceeds $2.4 million, including the recent establishment of the Greg Dyekman and Wayne Calloway Director of Debate Fund — a transformational gift that, with state matching funds, totaled $500,000.

Meet COJO’s most valuable players (MVPs) — alumni and former students who inspire, lead, and represent the University of Wyoming with integrity, leaving a lasting impact in their professions, communities, and beyond.

Written by Micaela Myers

Carol Tome

UNITED PARCEL SERVICE CEO

When Carol Tomé came to the University of Wyoming to study communication, she planned to take over the family bank in Jackson upon graduation in 1979.

“In my last year of graduate school, my father sold the bank, but when one door closes, another one opens,” Tomé said. In fact, she went on to open many doors: starting at Colorado’s largest bank and going on to serve as chief financial officer of The Home Depot for nearly two decades before taking on the role of chief executive officer of United Parcel Service in 2020.

“My UW degree focused on organizational communication, which was really helpful to me,” said Tomé, who went on to earn her MBA in finance at the University of Denver. “When I went into the workplace, I understood how organizations work and how to optimize those organizations, which has been instrumental in running large

companies. I really credit UW for that learning.”

Tomé also made lifelong friends and networks in Laramie and met her husband, Ramon. Ramon worked for more than two decades at the Georgia Department of Natural Resources Air Protection Branch and is now retired.

UPS delivers 6 percent of the U.S. gross domestic product (GDP) and 2 percent of the world’s GDP daily. The company operates in over 200 countries and territories worldwide and employs more than 400,000 people. Tomé plans to grow UPS in strategic areas, including internationally and in complex health-care logistics.

Her honors include UW’s 2011 Distinguished Alumni Award, the 2009 CFO of the Year Award by the CFO Roundtable, and ranking No. 16 in Forbes magazine’s 2008 list of the World’s 100 Most Powerful Women.

Josh Allen

BUFFALO BILLS QUARTERBACK

Buffalo Bills quarterback and former COJO major

Josh Allen took home the NFL’s 2024 Most Valuable Player (MVP) award after a historic season in which he led his team to the AFC championship game.

Allen also holds the record for the most touchdowns in a player’s first seven seasons. The list of accolades goes on, but it all started right here at UW — the only Division I school to take a chance on Allen.

“There was a lot of hard work, a lot of sweat, a lot of blood that was poured into our practice facility to go out there on game day and have some really special games,” Allen said, adding that the lifelong friendships he made with teammates at UW are the greatest legacy. “It’s a really cool feeling knowing that we worked so hard but we developed a lifelong bond in Laramie and at the University of Wyoming.”

Allen stood 6-foot-5 and weighed 235 pounds as a Cowboys quarterback, but as a senior in high school, in the small farming community of Firebaugh, Calif., Allen topped out at 185. He received almost no interest from NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision

schools and ended up playing his freshman season at a community college near home before joining the Cowboys in 2015.

At UW, Allen flourished, helping take the Cowboys to the Mountain West Conference division title and on to the 2017 San Diego County Credit Union Poinsettia Bowl. In 2018, he was drafted in the first round and has stayed with the Buffalo Bills, earning multiple Pro Bowl berths. Last fall, Allen was inducted into the UW Athletics Hall of Fame. He also appeared at the Cowboys game against Nevada on November 22, where UW retired his number 17 jersey, making him the first player to have their jersey number retired in the program’s history

“To have the support that I do in Wyoming, it’s really unbelievable,” Allen said. “It’s always fun — sometimes you see those maps of where games are being played or who fans are rooting for and you look at Wyoming and it’s (Bills) blue, not orange. It’s an honor to have that support that I do.”

Amanda Vandervort

GAINBRIDGE SUPER LEAGUE PRESIDENT

Amanda Vandervort came to UW from Tucson, Ariz., in 1997, only the second year of the women’s soccer team.

“My experience as a studentathlete was pretty special — feeling the support of the community and of the university,” she said.

Vandervort graduated with her degree in communication in 2001 and went on to hold positions with Women’s Professional Soccer, Major League Soccer and FIFPRO — the global players association based in Amsterdam — before being named president of Gainbridge Super League, a USL Property, in 2021.

“I do a lot of public speaking and interviews with the media, and my degree really prepared me,” said Vandervort, who went on to earn a master’s degree in educational technology. “In my current role, I oversee the women’s professional soccer league in the U.S.” That includes the league’s nine teams and governance, administration and oversight.

As president, she hopes to take her league to new heights as one of the best in the world. Vandervort also serves on the board of U.S. Soccer, which is preparing for the men’s World Cup next summer and the women’s World Cup in 2031.

Joe Riis

Riis is a National Geographic Explorer and the author of the award-winning book “Yellowstone Migrations.” His cinematography is featured in the BBC “Asia” TV series (2024).

PHOTOJOURNALIST & FIRST-EVER LARSH BRISTOL AWARD WINNER

An award-winning photo Riis took as part of his Larsh Bristol photojournalism project documenting pronghorn winter migration in Wyoming, 2008.

Mary Gitau

UNIVERSITY OF TENNESSEE ASSOCIATE DEAN & GAZELLE IMPACT KENYA FOUNDER

Mary Gitau grew up in Kinangop, Kenya. She came to the University of Wyoming for a master’s degree in communication (2007) but went on to earn her master’s degree in social work (2012) and a Ph.D. in adult learning and postsecondary education (2011).

“I was part of three different colleges over that 10-year period,” Gitau saysidNow I use all of them at the same time. I’ve been able to pull a lot of strength from all those areas. I can look at something from very different angles.”

For nearly a decade, Gitau served on the social work faculty at Clarke University in Iowa. In 2023, she accepted a new position at the University of Tennessee, where she now serves as associate dean of access, belonging and global engagement and associate professor of

As a student, did you know you wanted to pursue wildlife photojournalism?

I became interested in wildlife photography while in high school taking pictures of deer in my backyard with my mom’s old film camera I found in our basement. But I didn’t really see photography as an option as a job until I was junior at UW. That was when everything started to align for me. I received an arts and sciences independent summer study award and spent that summer photographing a tern story on the Missouri River. After I graduated, I started photographing pronghorn migration, leading to a 17-plus-year project photographing ungulate migrations in the greater Yellowstone ecosystem.

practice.

Gitau also serves as president of the nonprofit she founded: Gazelle Impact on Women and Youth - Kenya. “Social work led to a passion for helping poor communities and rural people, whether here in the U.S. or globally,” she said. “Our dual mission includes empowering rural communities in Kenya while providing an opportunity for American students to travel to Kenya and experience cultural immersion.”

Gazelle Impact Kenya’s projects include providing a community computer lab and training, tutoring for youth, employment skill-building, health and wellness education and clean water. For example, in one community, the nonprofit fundraised for drilling a 270-meter-deep solar-powered borehole.

What have been some of the highlights of your life and career thus far?

The biggest highlights of my life have been the births of my kids in 2019 and 2023. Workwise, some highlights have been getting my first feature assignment from National Geographic in 2011 to photograph the gobi bear in Mongolia and seeing my photographs in that yellow-bordered magazine. Other highlights include the cover of Science, an Emmy award, an award from the Prince of Monaco for elk migration photography, a yearlong photo fellowship from National Geographic Society, the publication of my first book, and hearing David Attenborough narrate a gobi bear story that I filmed in 2024.

COJO ALUM & FORMER UW BASKETBALL PLAYER

RETURNS TO CAMPUS TO SEE HIS DAUGHTER PLAY

Former UW basketball player and COJO alum Ugo Udezue returned to campus this fall to discuss his post-playing days career with current students in the same public relations class he once took as a student. But being a guest speaker wasn’t his only plan while back in Laramie. He also watched his daughter, Evelyn, play volleyball for the University of Wyoming.

The current CEO of AFA Sports discussed his early career and how he learned a foundation on which he could build his career from the communication and PR classes he took.

“I remember when he was in class that he made a link with the content,” Associate Professor Cindy Price Schultz said. “I talked about how image was perceptual reality and he told me how that connected with him.”

After graduating from UW with a degree in communication and an emphasis in public relations, Udezue found his footing after he stopped playing basketball professionally.

“I ended up being a sports agent,” Udezue said. “It wasn’t something I thought I would be, but my PR background gave me all I needed to be successful. I represented over 20 players in the NBA.”

After spending 17 years as an agent, Udezue decided to leave his position and return to Nigeria, where he started the Continental Basketball League in 2017. Though the league saw success, Udezue cited his difficulties in returning to Africa with a newfound American view of how things should be done there.

“Although I’m African, I had lived away from there, so I didn’t understand the lay of the land,” Udezue said. “So I failed miserably – not because we didn’t have a successful basketball league, but because I didn’t know how to work within the society.”

A crucial thing Udezue told the class was to not fear failure, as it only provides a chance to learn and grow. So he targeted a new endeavor – building a new sports brand with Africa as its center audience: Africa for Africa Sports, or AFA Sports.

The company produces shoes, jerseys, basketballs and other equipment for the CBL and Nigerian national team. At first, AFA sports products were manufactured in China, but once the pandemic hit production stopped, so Udezue decided to find a solution.

“When COVID happened, we couldn’t import anything anymore. I didn’t know anything about manufacturing at that time, but I had a dream that kept pushing me: you have to learn how to manufacture.”

After not knowing how to build a brand, Udezue learned through online tutorials and understood that if he set his mind to it, he could start making products in Nigeria. To this day, AFA Sports has continued to produce its products there.

Evelyn Udezue was a student in the PR class. She is a communication major, just like her father was.

“I’ve always been drawn towards the communications aspect of things like writing and

PR,” she explained. “Then just hearing how important it was for my dad is also a reason why I chose here.”

Udezue had nothing but praise for his daughter, giving her credit for her maturity.

“Evelyn has always been a special kid,” he said. “She’s been grown since she was six, so I trust her as someone that decides what she wants. I always support everything she does.”

Part of the fun of having Udezue speak in the class was Price Schultz’s memories of his daughter as a child.

“When Ugo worked in Denver, he came and spoke to my class to talk about PR in sports,” Price Schultz said. “Evelyn came with her mom to watch him. It’s really a full-circle moment to have had Ugo in class in my first year at UW and now have his daughter. It’s great to see what COJO students can accomplish!”

INSPIRING

A NEW GENERATION OF LEADERS IN WYOMING’S AGRICULTURE

After decades of having an agricultural communications degree, the University of Wyoming finally has a faculty member tied directly to the major.

Meet Haylee Henry, the new agricultural communications instructor who began teaching classes this spring.

Although officially under the College of Agriculture, Life Sciences, and Natural Resources, Henry is unofficially part of COJO because she is teaching Business and Professional Communication and other communication courses. She is also developing and teaching classes specifically for the agricultural communications degree, starting with Introduction to Agricultural Communications.

“I am beyond excited to be at the University of Wyoming and to begin this new chapter as a lecturer in Agricultural Communications,” Henry said. “I am passionate about helping students find their voice, build confidence, and understand the impact communication can have on agriculture and our communities. I am honored to be part of this program and look forward to growing alongside my students.”

Originally from London, Ohio, Henry holds dual bachelor’s degrees in agricultural communications and agricultural leadership from South Dakota State University, as well as a master’s degree in agricultural extension and education with a concentration in agricultural communications.

“We are thrilled to have a faculty member leading our agricultural communications degree,” said Christine Wade, Associate Dean for the College of Agriculture, Life Sciences, and Natural Resources. “Haylee will teach communication courses tailored specifically to the industry, cultivate strong partnerships with businesses to create valuable connections and opportunities for our students, enhance the relationship between the agricultural communications program and the Communication and Journalism Department, and provide leadership for both the Agricultural Communicators of Tomorrow student organization and the agricultural communications curriculum.”

Wade also emphasized how Henry’s role will support students in preparing them for postgraduation life, and the positive impact she will have on the local agricultural business here in Wyoming

Henry’s approach to the position includes an emphasis on youth development. She also wants to increase efforts to communicate the importance of agriculture by demonstrating the diversity that the subject matter has – both for production and the numerous avenues of communication that can be applied to the business.

Starting in the fall, Henry will create and teach a capstone course targeted towards juniors and seniors. In this class, students will be in groups with the objective of creating marketing materials for clients in the industry, giving them realistic situations dealing with deadlines while also developing the students’ own portfolios.

“There are many different things you could do in ag communications. In my own experience, I worked for the South Dakota State Fair when I was an undergraduate,” she said. “It’s really diverse. For example, you could do something like animal nutrition, marketing, sales or event planning.”

In addition, Henry highlighted the work available within livestock shows, banks, social media and even concerts. She explained that with these in mind, she is designing the program to be approachable for students from all walks of life.

“That’s what I advocate for in our degree – being able to give students the opportunity to network and develop their personal skills,” she said. “I think it’s important to connect and do internships even if you aren’t sure you want to go into that field because the experience is worth so much more.”

Former COJO Department Head Cindy Price Schultz is excited for both the ag comm students and the broader field.

“I have been working with individuals in the College of Ag for a decade to try to have a faculty member whose job it is to work with the ag comm majors,” she said. “It is exciting to witness this coming to fruition and see Haylee’s enthusiasm for moving this degree forward!”

Through Henry’s past industry experience with program, youth and communication development, she plans to strengthen the connection between students and Wyoming’s agricultural industry while prepping graduates for strong post-college careers. She also is looking forward to working with the Communication and Journalism Department as she guides agricultural communicators into the next decade.

COJO kudos ‘25

Ushering in a new year by celebrating the achievements of our students, faculty, and alumni!

JUNE

STUDENTS AND FACULTY PRESENT THEIR RESEARCH AT CONFERENCES

Professors Hye Soo Nah, Li Li, Shane Epping, and graduate student Md. Saddam Hossain presented at the 75th International Communication Association (ICA) Conference in Denver.

Professors Kayla Clark, Shane Epping, and Hye Soo Nah, emeritus professor Mike Brown, and graduate students Molly Walters, Mahbuba Siddiqua, and Niko Sims presented at the 39th Visual Communication Conference in Estes Park, Colorado, cohosted by Shane Epping.

Director of debate David Rooney presented on rhetoric in environmental and foodrelated debates at the Conference on Communication and Environment (COCE) in Hobart, Tasmania, Australia.

JULY

SHANE EPPING WORKS ALONGSIDE A FORMER NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC PHOTOGRAPHER

Professor Shane Epping was among 10 photographers selected to participate in “Moving Forward in Photography”, a weeklong workshop in Maine led by renowned photojournalist Sam Abell, a National Geographic photographer for 33 years and inductee of the International Photography Hall of Fame.

AUGUST

KAYLA CLARK BRINGS TYPOGRAPHY TO CASPER, WY

Professor Kayla Clark completed a residency with the Natrona County Library in Casper. This community-based workshop and residency explored the history of typography, from handwriting to moveable type to digital systems. Community members printed artwork and viewed Kayla’s interactive exhibition.

MIKE BROWN’S ARTICLE PUBLISHED IN A JOURNAL

Professor emeritus Mike Brown published an article in the Journal of the American Historical Society of Germans from Russia. His article, “My German Russian Relatives in Kazakhstan: A Genealogical Adventure,” focused on his Fall 2024 visit to a rural village in Kazakhstan where his relations lived in the early 1900s. Cindy Price Schultz’s picture from the village was the cover of the journal.

FACULTY PRESENTS AT AEJMC

Faculty members Mitzi Stewart, Shane Epping, and Hye Soo Nah attended the 108th Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication (AEJMC) Conference in San Francisco, where they explored pedagogical practices and research projects.

COJO TRAVELS TO NORWAY

Professor Sandy Hsu and alumnus Katie Welniak presented “Is it Time to BeReal? The Influence of Photo Sharing Social Media, Fear of Missing Out, and Willingness to Communicate on Loneliness among International Students” at the World Communication Association (WCA) in Oslo, Norway.

SEPTEMBER

FORMER LARSH BRISTOL RECIPIENT PUBLISHES A BOOK

Julia Cook, a Fall 2022 recipient of the Larsh Bristol Photojournalism Fellowship, has published a book, “Wild Wonders: The Untamed and Enigmatic Animals that Inhabit Yellowstone National Park”.

“Several months after graduating in 2023, a publisher reached out to ask if I would be interested in providing photos for a book about Yellowstone,” Cook said. “The image featured in my book on the page discussing the future of Yellowstone (a grizzly bear crossing the road between cars) was originally captured as part of my final Larsh Bristol project. I intentionally chose that photograph so that at least one image from that experience would be included in the finished book.”

DAVID ROONEY INVITED TO A PODCAST

Director of debate David Rooney was a guest on The Animal Turn podcast, S8E3: “Rhetoric and Supremacy with S. Marek Muller, David Rooney, and Lauren Cornman.” The episode examined the challenges animal studies faces when engaging with Black studies scholarship.

SHANE EPPING FOR BUSINESS INSIDER

Business Insider, a Pulitzer Prize-winning multinational financial and business news website, published several photos taken by professor Shane Epping about Upton High School in northeastern Wyoming.

OCTOBER

LI LI NAMED VICE CHAIR OF ICA DIVISION

Dr. Li Li was elected Vice Chair for the Instructional and Developmental Communication Division within the International Communication Association (ICA). Her service will begin at the close of the annual ICA conference in June 2026. The Vice Chair role involves a total commitment of four years. After two years as Vice Chair, Li will take on the role of Chair.

STUDY ABROAD WITH COJO

COJO developed a relationship with the Cheetah Conservation Fund that culminated in a meeting with CCF intern Forrest Cole, donor Christy Bidstrup and COJO Study Abroad class coordinator Cindy Price Schultz. Bidstrup’s fund allowed Cole to become the first communication intern at CCF last summer. In May, COJO students, as well as Price Schultz, Shane Epping and Kayla Clark, will be at CCF in Namibia for two weeks during the class, Cheetah Conservation Fund: Promoting Charity.

SHANE EPPING’S PHOTOGRAPHY FEATURED IN EXHIBITIONS ACROSS 6 STATES

1. Between Us Exhibit

Crooked Tree Arts Center, Traverse City, MI

2. Post-It Exhibit

The Firefly Artists Gallery, Northport, NY

3. 44th Annual Western Spirit

Juried Art Show

Cheyenne Frontier Days Old West Museum, Cheyenne, WY

4. Focus: Shadow and Light Exhibition Portland, OR

5. Freedom Isn’t Free Exhibition

Memento Mori Gallery, 40 West Arts District, Lakewood, CO

6. This Is 75 Exhibition

Two of the pictures were recognized as Staff Picks. Arlington, VA

7. Interpretations VII Exhibit Columbia Art League, MO

8. Northwest College

Photographic Communications' 4th Annual Community Photo Contest & Exhibition Northwest College, Powell, WY

9. Between Here and There

A D'Art Satellite Member Exhibition, D'Art Gallery, Denver, CO

NOVEMBER

GIVING DAY SUCCESS

Photojournalism exceeded the Giving Day 2025 goal, attracting 36 donors and raising $3,852 — surpassing last year’s totals. Thank you for your support of the Larsh Bristol and Bobby Model Photojournalism Funds!

The UW Debate Team reached 124% of its donor goal, with 62 donors and $21,550. Additionally, debate campaign for the Mack Kramer Excellence fund reached 104% of the donor goal, with 52 donors and $5,339.

ARTICLE OF THE YEAR AWARD

Director of debate David Rooney won the 2025 Association for the Rhetoric of Science, Technology and Medicine (ARSTM) article of the year award for his article, “Long Live the Liver King: Right-Wing Carnivorism and the Digital Dissemination of Primal Rhetoric,” at the National Communication Association.

STUDENTS AND ALUMNI PRESENT AT NCA

At the National Communication Association convention in Denver, COJO alumni

Rhema Boabeng and Belinda Adjetey, along with their English Department colleague, presented, “Migration of Black Americans to Ghana and Kenya: The Persistence of Racism in the United States.” Alumnus Chaley Dimoff and Dr. Sandy Hsu presented a Top 4 paper “That’s Not My Job! How Communication Apprehension, Competence, and Attitudes Influence Career Satisfaction among Engineers.”

TOP 6 PAPER AWARD

Alumnus Josie Campbell and Dr. Cindy Price Schultz received a Top 6 Paper award at the Southwest Education Council for Journalism and Mass Communication conference in Albuquerque, New Mexico, for “Move. Sweat. Beer! Adapting Michelob Ultra’s Movement Live Campaign to Resonate with Rural Audiences.”

DECEMBER

PROFESSOR WINS A PHOTO CONTEST

Shane Epping was selected as a winner in Wyoming Public Media’s photo contest, Wyoming’s History Through Listeners’ Eyes. His image, highlighting the state’s rich history and natural beauty, was chosen by top listener and viewer votes. The photos will be featured online, in the 2026 calendar, on greeting cards, and in a traveling exhibit.

Design and layout: Ivy Willis

Writer: Eric Trujillo

Back cover: Shane Epping

Vector graphics by Freepik

COJO Department Ross Hall 223/224 1000 E. University Ave. Laramie, WY 82071

uwyo.edu/cojo cojoofc@uwyo.edu (307) 766-3122