Irish agricultural journalist and media researcher Claire Mc Cormack has been named the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign’s first Visiting Global Agricultural Journalist.

This year, May 18 is more than just a warm, quiet Thursday after the end-of-the-semester festivities. It’s also the 12th annual Global Accessibility Awareness Day (GAAD). 

GAAD is (as its name suggests) a global event that strives to bring awareness to the necessity of ensuring digital content is accessible to those with and without disabilities. 

URBANA, Ill. – Now more than ever, with an ever-evolving agriculture industry, support for global efforts in agricultural communication is needed. Journalists representing the International Federation of Agricultural Journalists (IFAJ) from member regions across the globe are working together to make new recommendations for education, training, and professional development programs to provide that support.

URBANA, Ill. – Fast and reliable internet access is fundamental for research and development activity around the world. Seamless connectivity is a privilege we often take for granted. But in developing nations, technological limitations can become stumbling blocks to efficient communication and cause significant disadvantages.

URBANA, Ill. – This month, the Illinois State Board of Higher Education voted to officially approve the merger of the agricultural education and agricultural communications programs in the College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences at the University of Illinois. The new program, Agricultural Leadership, Education, and Communications (ALEC), went into effect immediately following the decision. 

The merged program will host agricultural education, agricultural communications, and organizational and community leadership.

URBANA, Ill. – Run your finger over a map of Illinois, and you’re sure to find some exotic sounding cities; Cairo and Marseilles come to mind. While these Illinois cities may bear the name of world-famous destinations, many cities and towns across the state feature uniquely “Illinois” pronunciations. 

For a radio or TV broadcaster, public speaker, or announcer, mispronouncing a city’s name could hurt their credibility or offend the locals. But finding proper pronunciations of places not listed in dictionaries can be difficult.