Thomas W. Volek
School of Journalism and Mass Communications - Journalism, Journalism AdministrationRoom 200
Tom Volek is Associate Dean at the School of Journalism. He spent 15 years in commercial television prior to joining KU's faculty. Volek consulted and taught in Russia and Eastern Europe for the U.S. State Department from 1995-2008 for about 4 weeks each year. Volek co-directed the J-School's Media and the Military project from 2007-2014. Volek has over $1 million in external grant funding.
Education
Ph.D., Mass Communication, University of Minnesota
M.A., Speech -- Radio-TV-Film, University of Wisconsin
B.J., Broadcasting, University of Missouri
Teaching
Volek taught graduate courses and seminars to Master's and PhD students and worked with graduate students, including supervision of doctoral and master's theses. Continues to teach undergraduate news & information and strategic communications writing, production and performance courses, media history, media law, international communications and media.
Developed and co-administered $395,000 program “Military and the Media” with the Command and General Staff College at Ft. Leavenworth, Kan. Project includes integrated course of Army majors and KU students, week-long “boot camp” for mid-career journalists at Ft. Leavenworth, and e-journal publication examining media and the military issues. Project funded by McCormick Foundation for five years.
Volek continues to teach and collaborate at CGSC on an ad-hoc basis.
Teaching Interests
- Military
- Media
- Law
- First Amendment
- Television.
Research
Volek currently works with and researches the relationship between the military and the media. He has co-developed and co-administered the School's Military and the Media initiative, funded by the McCormick Foundation.
Research Interests
- Russia
- Former Soviet Union
- Military
- Army.
Service
Volek served/serves on a number of important University committees such as search committees, dean's review committees, graduate studies committees and others, in addition to service within the J-School.
Selected Publications
Volek, T. W. & Thomas, J. (Eds.). (2012). Military-Media Issues. Military-Media Issues(1) Lawrence, Kan. http://military-media.kuinteractive.com/
Volek, T. W. & Thomas, J. (Eds.). (2010). Military-Media Issues. Military-Media Issues(1) Lawrence, Kan. http://military-media.kuinteractive.com/
Selected Presentations
Volek, T. . (11/30/2015). Several Panels. Conference on Post-Traumatic Stress. Washington, DC. Available Here
