MANHATTAN — A $125,000 gift from the estate of Richard and Ann Dodderidge to the Kansas State University A.Q. Miller School of Media and Communication will enhance research and digital literacy at the university surrounding public discourse, media coverage and consumer trends.
The commitment will now provide the recently established K-State Social Media Listening Lab with Meltwater technology, a digital intelligence platform used in industry for media monitoring, analytics, engagement insights and social listening. K-State is among a small group of universities nationwide to use Meltwater for research and student learning at both the undergraduate and graduate levels.
“Meltwater is a powerful consumer intelligence tool that enables us to replace guesswork with data-driven decision-making when developing social media strategies,” said Jana Thomas, assistant director of strategic initiatives and professor of practice in the A.Q. Miller School of Media and Communication. “It provides insights that strengthen our work in classrooms and labs, while also enhancing the outcomes of applied learning experiences that are essential for career preparation.”
Richard (1926-2019) and Ann (1930-2018) both served as members of the KSU Foundation Board of Trustees and Land Grant Legacy Society, with Richard also serving on the K-State Alumni Association Board. They gave generously to the A.Q. Miller school, where Richard studied journalism and mass communications, graduating with a bachelor’s degree in 1947.
Richard devoted 35 years to the Bruce B. Brewer and Co. Advertising Agency and its successor, Young & Rubicam Advertising, including 10 years as president. In 1985 he joined American Multi-Cinema (AMC) as senior vice president for marketing, retiring in 1991. A staunch supporter of higher education, Richard was appointed to the Kansas Board of Regents in 1986, serving as chairman from 1988-89.
“K-State has been an integral part of our family for over 100 years with four generations receiving KSU degrees,” said John Dodderidge, son of Richard and Ann and a 1980 K-State journalism graduate. “My father always gave credit to K-State for preparing him for his eventful career in advertising and marketing, and our family is grateful to make this important gift in support of the K-State Social Media Listening Lab. Future media and communication students will benefit tremendously from this cutting-edge technology.”
The family’s generosity brings the lab one step closer to expanding access across the school’s full list of university partners, helping researchers develop informed community solutions in support of K-State’s land-grant mission while enhancing career readiness for students. By working with the same dashboards, reports and frameworks used by industry professionals, students build essential skills for fields where audience sentiment, brand perception and real-time feedback inform strategy.
“Our lab allows faculty and students across disciplines to explore and monitor audience-specific shifts in demographics, interests and behaviors, among other key indicators that help inform an evidence-based strategy for their objectives,” said Heather Woods, director of the A.Q. Miller School of Media and Communication. “Social media is a fixture of 21st century life, and K-State is harnessing the inherent opportunities it presents.”
Contributions to the K-State Social Media Listening Lab can be made through the A.Q. Miller Excellence Fund at https://giving.ksufoundation.org/campaigns/15136/donations/new
More about the lab, including information about potential partnerships, can be found at k-state.edu/listeninglab.
As Kansas State University’s strategic partner for philanthropy, the KSU Foundation inspires and guides philanthropy toward university priorities to boldly advance K-State.
Visit www.ksufoundation.org/impact/category/release for more information.