Thomas W. Volek

School of Journalism and Mass Communications - Journalism, Journalism Administration

Associate Professor

Associate Dean for Undergraduate Studies

Ph.D., Mass Communication, University of Minnesota

twvolek@ku.edu

Primary office:

785-864-7622

Stauffer-Flint Hall
Room 200

University of Kansas

1435 Jayhawk Boulevard

Lawrence, KS 6645-7575

Bio
Academics
Publications
Presentations

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.