Missouri School of Journalism

When it comes to testing new teaching methods or implementing classroom technology, Amy Simons is the “go to” faculty member at the Missouri School of Journalism.

Over the years, she has proven her mettle in applying her skills to data-driven challenges in higher education — consistently turning good courses into exceptional ones. Beyond that, Simons is a beloved mentor whose unwavering support and insightful guidance have shaped nearly a generation of communicators.

Charles Minshew, MA ’13 and data editor at The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, attributes much of his success as a journalist to the lessons he learned from Simons.

“She sees it as her personal responsibility that students succeed,” he wrote in a letter supporting Simons’ nomination. “She encourages us as journalists to always dig deeper and discover stories that others might ignore. She seeks excellence from us, holding us to high standards while encouraging us to care for ourselves and others. She sees us not only as students but as professional journalists and expects us to report and to lead with respect and empathy for others.”

Annie Goldman, a current student in the journalism school, said Simons embodies everything she could have hoped for in a journalism professor.

“She shares candid advice stemming from her immense professional experience,” Goldman wrote in her letter of support. “She is passionate about uplifting young journalists and strategic communicators hoping to break into their careers.”

After working for more than 15 years in television, radio and newspaper newsrooms, Simons brought her experience to Mizzou in 2010. She immediately excelled in various teaching responsibilities, contributing to both undergraduate and graduate curricula. Over the years, she has taught 13 different courses. Today, she teaches three classes at the journalism school — The News Media: Journalism and Advertising in a Democratic Society, Engaged Journalism, and Online Audience Development. In addition to her teaching, she serves as course coordinator for Applied Projects in Journalism and Strategic Communications, a hands-on multimedia undergraduate course. Her colleagues credit her as the driving force behind its creation in 2019.

That same year, the journalism school introduced a revamped undergraduate core curriculum, a transformation in which Simons played a key role. Her contributions were particularly significant in designing introductory courses that integrate multimedia skills for both journalism and strategic communication students. Simons is widely recognized by her colleagues as an early adopter of social media.

In 2016, she lead teams of students and faculty nationwide in a fact-verification project called Electionland. From that experience, she developed media literacy modules that are now a required part of the journalism curriculum at Mizzou.

“She not only excels in various teaching responsibilities but has also contributed significantly and effectively to both our undergraduate and graduate curricula by creating, designing, developing and implementing new courses,” Kurpius wrote in his nomination letter. “Professor Simons is known for setting high standards for students while being passionately committed to their learning and deeply caring for their professional and personal growth.”

Over the years, Simons has received several awards, including the Provost’s Award for Faculty Mentoring in 2024 and the Baskett Mosse Award for Faculty Development from the Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication in 2023. In spring 2019, Simons was awarded the William Randolph Hearst Faculty Fellowship Grant, which is offered for the purpose of exploring ways to ensure more opportunities for women in journalism. A year later, she was awarded the John A. Walsh Reynolds Faculty Fellowship, which provides support for scholarship and research in the areas of sports and technology journalism.

“Every newsroom needs a Simons,” Minshew wrote. “And in a sense, the University of Missouri is making it possible. With every student who is mentored by Amy and every one that takes a class she teaches or develops, the university is doing the next best thing: sending empathetic, strong and trustworthy leaders into the world.”

Simons received her bachelor of journalism from the Missouri School of Journalism in 1999. She also received a master of science in learning technology and design from Mizzou’s College of Education and Human Development in 2019.