Mike McKean

Professor Mike McKean is a faculty member at the Missouri School of Journalism, University of Missouri, where he has served since 1986. He founded the School's Convergence Journalism program and led partnerships with Apple, Adobe, Hearst Innovation, AT&T, and Sprint to modernize journalism education through pervasive computing. McKean has advised numerous student award recipients and contributed to global curriculum development, including collaborations with Nanjing University, Shantou University, Moscow State University, and the European Journalism Centre.

• Education: Bachelor's from Missouri School of Journalism (1979), Master's in Political Science from Rice University (1985)
• Key Roles: Host of Views of the News on KBIA-FM/KBIA.org, facilitator for Mizzou Advantage
• International Impact: Lectured and co-designed curricula in China, Russia, Belgium, New Zealand, Chile, and Spain

McKean's research focuses on integrating technology into journalism education, with emphasis on immersive media (e.g., drone journalism, virtual reality), cross-platform storytelling, and innovation in newsroom workflows. His work has driven student projects like smart alarm clocks delivering local news and mobile apps for media outlets.

Notable awards include the Kemper Teaching Fellowship (2011, 2004), MU Faculty-Alumni Award, and the 2007 Excellence in Education Award for extracurricular mentorship. He was an Apple Distinguished Educator (2004) and supported student success through programs like the David Kaplan Memorial Fellowship.

McKean has mentored multiple David Kaplan Fellows, including Tessa Weinberg, Allison Pecorin, Alex Mallin, and Nick Gass, who interned at ABC News Washington Bureau. His collaborations extended to labs like the RJI Application Development Lab and initiatives merging journalism with emerging technologies.