Spencer O'Daniel, MJE

Spencer O’Daniel (M.A. in Communications, Wichita State University) returned to Collegian Media Group and the A.Q. Miller School of Media and Communication in July 2025. O’Daniel has advised high school and collegiate student media for over a decade, instructing and coaching students in newspaper, yearbook, magazine, television, podcasting and other content-creation mediums.

O'Daniel recently served as the associate director of student media at Texas A&M University. Prior to his two years leading their student media and publications, O'Daniel spent nine years as a high school adviser at two high schools in the Wichita area, where he helped Wichita West earn a 6A Sweepstakes Kansas Scholastic Press Association journalism championship, in addition to building a combined journalism and media program at Maize High School and Maize South High School into a national powerhouse qualifying for several National Scholastic Press Association Pacemaker awards.

During his first tenure at K-State from 2017-2019, O'Daniel served as the assistant director of student media for the Collegian Media Group, where he helped Manhappenin' magazine and Royal Purple yearbook grab more exposure on campus, increased book sales, and several state and national awards.

At Texas A&M, O'Daniel advised The Battalion newspaper and website, Maroon Life magazine (a new stand-alone publication at Texas A&M) along with The Aggieland yearbook, earning several ACP Pacemaker finalists and over 140+ awards alone in the 2023-2024 school year.

O'Daniel has advised student media for 13 years, and is one of the only student media advisers in the country to win Pacemaker awards at the high school and collegiate level, in addition to six different publications earning the distinction. O'Daniel is also highly involved in local, state and national student press associations such as the Kansas Scholastic Press Association, Texas Association of Journalism Educators, Texas
Interscholastic Press Association, College Media Business Association Managers, Associated Collegiate Press and the College Media Association.

A graduate of Wichita State University, O’Daniel has a bachelor’s degree in secondary education and a master’s degree in mass communication and media studies. Additionally, O’Daniel is recognized as a master journalism educator by the Journalism Education Association.


Adviser Service and Contributions to the Field

-Reynolds Institute of Journalism fellow-Arizona State University (2013)
-Speaker/presenter for the Kansas Scholastic Press Association, Journalism -Education Association, Associated Collegiate Press, Texas Interscholastic Press Association, Texas Area Journalism Educators
-Former leader for the Wichita Area Journalism Educators group
-Former Kansas Scholastic Press Association board member
-Technology cadre for USD 266 (Maize)
-Workshop instructor at the Flint Hills Media Workshop, Jayhawk Media Workshop, Wichita State summer journalism workshop and self-created OneMaize Media middle school multimedia camp
-Communications instructor-Upward Bound program at Wichita State University
-High school journalism contest judge for 15+ states over the past 13 years
-Business show host-Great Plains Television Network in Wichita, Kansas
-WSU camera operator for Shocker basketball and baseball games
-Contributor for Hutchinson news, Wichita Eagle, Ark Valley news, Manhattan magazine and 313 magazine in Kansas
-Regular contributor to JEADigitalMedia.com
-Externships with Ron’s Sign Shop, NAI Martens Real Estate in Wichita, Kansas
-Journalism Education Association critique training certified
-Journalism Education Association mentor training certified