KC McGinnis, Professor of Practice II in Communication and Media Practice at Grand View University, has been selected to present the Sussman Spring 2026 Lecture at Drake University in Des Moines.
KC McGinnis will deliver a lecture titled "Social by Nature: Environmental Photojournalism for a More Hopeful Future." The event will take place on Thursday, March 12, 2026, from 7 to 8 p.m. at the Tom and Ruth Harkin Center on Drake University’s campus.
During the lecture, McGinnis will explore how environmental photojournalism can help shape more constructive and hopeful conversations about the natural world and the communities connected to it. Drawing from his professional experience as a photographer and storyteller, he will share images and narratives that examine the relationship between people and the environment, including topics such as industrial agriculture, family farming, environmental justice and the ways communities are shaped by the land.
The presentation will feature a curated selection of McGinnis’s photographs accompanied by captions that provide deeper context and highlight the human stories behind each image. His work emphasizes visual storytelling as a tool not only for documenting environmental challenges, but also for encouraging dialogue and understanding around shared futures.
The Sussman Spring Lecture is hosted by the The Harkin Institute for Public Policy and Citizen Engagement and is part of an ongoing series designed to engage the campus and community in timely public conversations.
More information about the lecture and McGinnis’s work can be found in the official announcement at https://harkininstitute.drake.edu/2026/02/03/mcginnis-sussman/.