The Gwen Ifill School of Media, Humanities and Social Sciences
The Gwen Ifill School of Media, Humanities and Social Sciences cultivates trailblazers and leaders. Here, you'll study the modes of expression through which we record and interpret the human experience.
“We can't expect the world to get better by itself.”— Gwen Ifill
Our students view society through the multi-faceted lenses of language, narrative, art, music, film and contemporary media. You'll hone your creative abilities through real-world projects and on-the-job learning experiences.
As a pioneering Black woman journalist, Gwen Ifill '77 '93HD broke through barriers of prejudice and stands as a model of professional excellence and a purposeful life. The Ifill School aims to carry on that legacy for the next generations. Our mission:
- We are a community of educators and learners guided by intellectual curiosity, critical thinking, and generosity of spirit.
- We derive strength from our differences and pursue civic engagement through humanistic inquiry that values language, lived experience, artistic expression, and imagination.
- We give voice to our stories, past and present, individual and global, told and untold, to influence a future whose questions have yet to be asked.
How will you do the hard work of imagining a more just future?
Meet the Dean
Diane Grossman is the Interim Dean of The Gwen Ifill School of Media, Humanities and Social Sciences.
Our Faculty
You’ll study with faculty who are thought-leaders and award winners, researchers and professionals in their fields.
About the College
Meet Gwen Ifill
Best known as a successful and much admired television news anchor, Gwen Ifill launched her career here at Simmons.
Ifill Forum
The Ifill Forum is our annual signature event in honor of Gwen Ifill and her legacy as a ground-breaking Black woman journalist. We invite alumnae, community members, students, faculty, staff, and friends of Gwen Ifill to experience an event where important national voices come together for a conversation of a pressing issue. The Ifill Forum seeks to ask the questions that Gwen herself would be asking of our world today.
Statement of Solidarity for Racial Justice
Read the Gwen Ifill School of Media, Humanities and Social Sciences' statement of solidarity for racial justice.
Mentoring
Among Gwen Ifill’s legacies is a commitment to mentoring and to nurturing a diverse and talented next generation.
Public Engagement
The Alumni Chair in Public Engagement is a signature program for how The Ifill School engages the world and demonstrates the role of the arts, media, and humanities to a vibrant, diverse democracy.
Student Opportunities
We cultivate a diverse and talented generation of trailblazers who are poised to become leaders in their professions and in their communities.
Current Faculty Resources
Information for our current faculty, including funding opportunities.
The Gwen Ifill School in the News
Why the World Needs Simmons: Insights on Contemporary Feminism from Professor Suzanne Leonard
Suzanne Leonard , Professor of Literature and Writing, and the director of the MA in Gender and Cultural Studies, teaches courses on Feminist Media Studies, Women's and Gender Studies, and American Literature at Simmons. The co-editor of Imagining We in...
Passionate Leaders Project: Spring 2023 Cohort
The Passionate Leaders Project (PLP) supports Simmons undergraduates by enriching their academic and professional interests beyond the confines of the classroom. Students may request up to $4,000 to support their research, internships, and creative endeavors. This semester's cohort is producing...
Professor Bob White Receives 2022 Alden Poole Faculty Mentor Award
Bob White, Professor of Communications in the Gwen Ifill College of Media, Arts, and Humanities, is the 2022 recipient of the Alden Poole Faculty Mentor Award. This award recognizes a faculty member in the Ifill College who has had a...
Simmons Honors White House Correspondent April Ryan at Ifill Forum
On the afternoon of February 11, the Gwen Ifill College of Media, Arts, and Humanities hosted its fourth Ifill Forum. This event honors the legacy of pioneering journalist Gwen Ifill '77, '93HD by bringing together "important national voices for a...
Join the Discussion on "Leadership and Democracy: The Enduring Power of Black Women" at the Ifill Forum
On Saturday, February 11, 2023, the Gwen Ifill College of Media, Arts, and Humanities will host the Ifill Forum, our annual signature event in honor of Gwen Ifill '77, '93HD and her legacy as a ground-breaking Black woman journalist. Each...
Professor Laura Prieto Receives 2021 Alden Poole Faculty Mentor Award
Congratulations to Professor and Alumni Chair in Public Humanities Laura Prieto! The Faculty Mentor Award recognizes a faculty member in the Ifill College who has had a profound impact on the life, career, or direction of students at Simmons University.
The Gwen Ifill College of Media, Arts, and Humanities Hosts Ifill Forum "Truth, Resilience, and Democracy"
Associate Professor Traci Griffith moderated a discussion between Robin Roberts, co-anchor of Good Morning America, Kevin Merida, editor of the Los Angeles Times, and student panelists, Kate Farrell ‘23 and Kylie Collins ‘23.
Join the Virtual Discussion on “Truth, Resilience, and Democracy” at the Ifill Forum
On Saturday, November 6, the Gwen Ifill College of Media, Arts, and Humanities will host the Annual Ifill Forum. This year the Forum will feature the important national voices of Robin Roberts, Michele Norris, and Kevin Merida.
Upcoming Events
2024 Mary Nagel Sweetser Lecture: "Theater of the Picturebook" with Roger Melo
- Jul 25, 2024
- 7:00 pm to 8:00 pm
- Virtual