JMS Voices: A New Platform Amplifying Creativity, Community, and the Future of Media at Rutgers
Driven by the vision of Journalism and Media Studies faculty members Steve Miller and Neal Bennett, and powered by JMS students Chloe Berwick, Dio Gonzalez, and Melly Merida, JMS Voices is reshaping hands-on media creation at Rutgers in real time.
What Is JMS Voices?
At SC&I, a new initiative is redefining how students create, collaborate, and showcase their media work. JMS Voices, launched this year by the Department of Journalism and Media Studies, is quickly emerging as both a public-facing platform and a training ground for students looking to enter today’s fast-paced media landscape.
JMS Voices is a social media handle/hashtag and brand identity used on Instagram and TikTok to publish and distribute content created by students in the JMS Media Production Specialization and the JMS Media Team (a student production and social media team that supports the JMS Department by creating content for promotion, documentation, and outreach).
A Vision Years in the Making
For Teaching Professor and Director of JMS Undergraduate Studies Steven Miller, the project represents a long-awaited leap forward. “JMS Voices is a monumental first-step into the future for the department,” Miller says. “It will enable our students to finally be able to use social media within the scope of the department of journalism and media studies and help advance their careers and advance the message that JMS is a vibrant and growing major.”
But more importantly, he adds, the project highlights the heart of the program: “It will also show the world what we already knew, that our students’ voices are the most important part of our department and why we are here trying to advance their knowledge and help them as they advance in their world.”
Credit Where It’s Due
While Miller has been a central figure in building the journalism and media studies program at Rutgers for decades, he is quick to redirect credit for the project’s creation. “It’s all Neal,” he said, referring to Assistant Professor of Professional Practice Neal Bennett. “Between Neal, Assistant Teaching Professor Alyse Shorland, and Associate Professor Khadijah Costley White—they are developing what I’ve been trying to do since 1987, which is to establish the Media Production Specialization as the significant part of the journalism media education our students receive here at Rutgers.”
Bennett, who founded the JMS Media Team last semester, said JMS Voices is the natural evolution of a growing interest among students to gain more hands-on experience in media production. “I wanted to create a platform that spotlights the work of both our students and faculty while also helping students develop a stronger professional portfolio to gain employment within today’s fast-paced social media environment. Ultimately, this platform gives students a space where their voices, stories, and creative work can live beyond the classroom.”
Meet the Student Creators Behind JMS Voices
That vision is already reflected in the diverse responsibilities the three founding members of the JMS Media Team have taken on. Chloe Berwick JMS’26, the team’s lead editor, says the project has opened doors to real industry skills. “As we highlight various JMS students, staff, and faculty, I've been able to learn about the wonderful people and experiences that make up this department," Berwick said. "I've also had the opportunity to cover events like the National Association of Broadcaster's Show in New York City.”
Dio Gonzalez JMS’26, who helps oversee the project's leadership and workflow, has grown through its collaborative structure. “For JMS Voices, I oversee the pre-production work, manage our team, and review all of the content before it’s posted,” Gonzalez says. “This role has given me invaluable hands-on experience in how a social media team operates and collaborates.”
Simultaneously, Melly Merida JMS’26, is embracing a role that she said has challenged and expanded her versatility. “My job consists of the production side of JMS Voices,” she explains. “Lately, I've been setting up interviews with faculty, students, and alumni for our spotlight segments and using the equipment provided to record them.”
More Than a Platform — A Movement for Student Voices
Much like Miller, Bennett sees the platform as a recruitment tool for the JMS major. “My hope is that JMS Voices becomes a central hub for student-produced media at SC&I and inspires first and second year students at Rutgers to consider Journalism and Media Studies as a major where they can gain real hands-on experience in research, writing content creation, production workflows, and social media strategy, skills that are essential in today's media landscape.”
For Miller, expanding students’ understanding of how social media fits into modern media production is critical, adding that students who don’t know how to write, post, and measure the success of social media will be at a disadvantage when seeking internships and jobs. “What JMS Voices gives students is an added first-hand opportunity to be able to gain these critical skills. The fact that it helps us publicize and market the department is also a significant added benefit.”
As #JMS Voices continues to grow across platforms and formats, one thing is clear: it’s more than a social media project—it’s a new chapter for journalism and media studies at Rutgers, one built on creativity, collaboration, and the power of students’ voices.
Learn more about the Journalism and Media Studies Department on the Rutgers School of Communication and Information website.
