Daily news made accessible

Daily news made accessible Categories: Features Daily news made accessible Drake University students support the visually impaired community with IRIS readings Jean Hall, Contributing Writer • Oct 8, 2026 Microphone and binder used inside the IRIS audio booth in the basement of Meredith Hall. Jean Hall Starting its impact in 1989, the Iowa Radio Reading Information Services for the Blind and Print Handicapped serves 11,000 listeners daily with free volunteer-based readings of local newspapers across the state of Iowa around the clock. Drake University’s Community Engaged Learning and School of Journalism and Mass Communication has been a partner of IRIS dating back to 2009. Students volunteer to read the Council Bluffs Daily Nonpareil on weekday mornings from 7-11 a.m. Following a brief training session hosted by the student coordinator, students can read at a dedicated audio booth in Meredith Hall or a professional microphone from a returning volunteer.  Since the partnership began, Reporting and Writing Principles, a course necessary for graduation for every School of Journalism and Mass Communication major, requires students to volunteer to read and record at least once. “[IRIS] is another way to keep our news, our communication [and] the work that [journalists] are doing out there and alive,” said Mallory Quinn, assistant dean of the SJMC and current IRIS supervisor.  Students are encouraged to view IRIS readings as an opportunity for awareness and community growth. “I think learning about accessibility early on in journalism is so essential to it,” IRIS Coordinator and junior Kellan Holland said.  Holland believes that pushing future journalists to include accessibility is a skill that will carry them throughout their profession.    Alongside accessibility, IRIS readings expose students to skills such as grammar, how imaging affects reader or listener experiences, time management skills and audio navigation through reading these news stories. “IRIS is a really sweet opportunity for the average journalist to recognize that their stories have an impact,” said senior Zoey Borkowski, a former IRIS coordinator. “But also it gives a chance [for] people to serve people.” Amanda Martin, assistant director of the Office of Community Engaged Learning and  former IRIS supervisor, explains that listeners are looking for people, not perfection. “The blind population is already so isolated that I think there’s so much value in having human people read it, having those mistakes, having a giggle or a cough, because that’s just real,” Borkowski said. Although a majority of IRIS readers are Reporting and Writing Principles students, Holland uses platforms like DUgood, scheduled talks with social sorority Delta Gamma, whose philanthropy is Service for Sight, and other classes to increase opportunities for service hours to “open up” engagement outside of the SJMC.  One of Holland’s goals for next semester is to add more reading slots for written texts outside of just the newspaper. This would include Drake students reading adult and children’s books at allotted times as well as a stronger push for volunteering at the Iowa Radio Reading Info Services building.  “I think college has so many opportunities to serve your community,” Holland said. “What’s really important is learning how to continue to serve your community and be involved outside of college.”  Editor’s note: Zoey Borkowski is a Times-Delphic staff member. View Story Comments 0 Like This Story Share on Facebook Share on X Email this Story Print this Story Leave a Comment Donate to The Times-Delphic Your donation will support the student journalists of Drake University and help us maintain our website. Donate More to Discover More in Features Optimism blooms at the Iowa Environmental Council’s annual conference Drake responds to record-breaking rainfall How an indie filmmaker brought a Drake grad Pulitzer Prize winner’s play back to its Iowa roots Randall Langford joins the Safe Ride squad Small organisms, big discoveries: Drake senior’s findings key for water quality research Booked in Des Moines celebrates romance readers and writers