MANHATTAN, Kan. – Spencer O’Daniel has been named director of Collegian Media Group. He will
begin his duties July 20.
“After an extensive national search, the Collegian Media Group board is thrilled to have Spencer join us to lead our team of talented and award-winning student journalists at K-State,” said Andrew Smith, chairman of the Collegian Media Group board of directors and assistant director for news and sports media in the A.Q. Miller School of Media and Communication. “He brings great experience in advising and student media as well as forward thinking in helping to grow the corporation. The students and CMG will be in great hands with Spencer.”
In this role O’Daniel is responsible for overall management and strategic planning of Collegian Media Group, a nonprofit 501(c)(3) which produces several student-run publications at Kansas State University including The Kansas State Collegian newspaper, The Royal Purple yearbook and Manhappenin’ magazine. O’Daniel will serve as adviser to the Kansas State Collegian, supervise the full-time faculty advisers employed by the corporation and engage with the corporation’s board of directors. Additionally, he will serve as an instructor in the A.Q. Miller School of Media and Communication at K-State, teaching in the news and sports media sequence.
“The School is pleased to have partnered with the Collegian Media Group to bring Spencer back to K-State,” said Heather Woods, director of the A.Q. Miller School. “Our faculty, staff, students, and external stakeholders were enthusiastic about Spencer’s experience, strategic vision, and passion for supporting students. We anticipate he will bring innovative instruction to our classrooms, our newsroom, and beyond.”
“My goals for the Collegian Media Group are the same goals I have had throughout my entire career of advising and mentoring student journalists,” O’Daniel said. “I will help our students create an impactful program that serves our campus, community, and most importantly, building future leaders with the skills they need to be valuable contributors to society. If you’re focused on building up the students and people around you, the recognition, awards, and program success will follow.”
O’Daniel currently serves 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. 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.
In the past two years 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.
He and his wife, Jenna, have two children, Everett and Brooks.
“To me, there’s always been unfinished business and work to do at the Collegian Media Group and SMC at Kansas State,” said O’Daniel. “Our first son was born in Manhattan, and I learned how to be a college media adviser and instructor in Kedzie Hall. I always hoped later in my career I would have the chance to come back to the place where I felt so much purpose advising, teaching, and leading collegiate students within journalism and communications. My wife, Jenna, and I are excited to be coming home to the Sunflower State, and I am grateful for the chance to impact K-State students and scholastic journalism in my home state again.”
Collegian Media Group shares the stories of Kansas State University and Manhattan with communities on and off campus.
The A.Q. Miller School of Media and Communication at Kansas State University is a forward-thinking, skills-based and research-driven community that cares deeply about cultivating communication, inspiring stories and elevating voices for the common good. With a variety of undergraduate and graduate programs, our School is committed to helping students and learners of all ages influence, inspire and inform.