Fellowships awarded to college educators
The Radio and Television News Directors Foundation has announced the 2005 recipients of its Educator in the Newsroom fellowships. Each summer, the program places university-level broadcast educators in radio and television newsrooms for four weeks to refresh their skills and master new technologies. The project improves the flow of information between journalists and educators that is necessary for sustained, high-quality journalism education.
SPJ members chosen to participate and their summer host stations are:
* Stephen Adams, Cameron University, Lawton, Ohio – WAKR-AM, Akron, Ohio.
* Sybril Bennett, Belmont University, Nashville, Tenn. – WTVF-TV, Nashville, Tenn.
* Phil Bremen, Ball State University, Muncie, Ind. – KETV-TV, Omaha, Neb.
* Ken Fischer, Southern Illinois University, Carbondale, Ill. – KERO-TV, Bakersfield, Calif.
* Daniel Foley, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Tenn. – WXIX-TV, Cincinnati.
* Barbara Croll Fought, Syracuse University, Syracuse, N.Y. – WPTZ-TV, Plattsburg, N.Y.
* Deborah Halpern Wenger, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, Va. – KPNX-TV, Phoenix.
In all, 19 fellowships were awarded this year. For more information on the fellowships, contact Carol Knopes, director of education programs, at (202) 467-5215 or carolk@rtndf.org
Callahan named founding dean
Chris Callahan, associate dean of the Philip Merrill College of Journalism at the University of Maryland, was recently appointed as founding dean of the Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication at Arizona State University.
Callahan has been a faculty member at the University of Maryland since 1990 and was named associate dean of the journalism college in 1998 after five years as assistant dean. He has taught more than 20 courses in journalism at Maryland, Boston University and Columbia College in Chicago.
“I understand that Mr. Cronkite approved of the experience and skills I bring to the job,” Callahan said. “I am honored that the man who has so influenced the field of journalism, and who I so admire, has confidence in my ability to lead the school that bears his name.”
Bugeja wins research award
Professor Michael Bugeja of Iowa State University recently won the 2005 Clifford G. Christians Ethics Research Award for his book Interpersonal Divide: The Search for Community in a Technological Age. In his award-winning book, Bugeja analyzes the interpersonal divide – the void that develops between people spending too much time in virtual, rather than real, communities – and makes a case for face-to-face communication in a technological world.
The Christians Award will be presented during the media ethics division business meeting at the Annual Convention of the Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication from Aug. 10-13 in San Antonio.
Poggi, Williams named top scholars
Jeanine Poggi, a senior at Northwestern University, and Megan Williams, a senior at the University of Tennessee, recently were named “Top Ten” Scripps Howard Foundation scholarship winners.
The two SPJ members, along with eight others, were chosen from nominations throughout the country based on their academic achievement, demonstrated interest in journalism, portfolio and an essay about their long-term career goals. The Scripps foundation awarded $100,000 in scholarships to the 10 winners.
Catholic Digest’s Stauffer promoted
Kathleen Stauffer was promoted on June 1 to president and publisher of Catholic Digest and the group of consumer magazines produced by Bayard Inc., including Living With Christ and God’s Word Today.
Dr. Warren K. Agee, 88, died June 14, 2005 of heart failure.
The native Texan worked 11 years on the news staff of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram and was a champion for opening SPJ membership to women.
He was a member since 1947.
From 1969 to 1975, he served as dean of the Grady College of Journalism and Mass Communication at the University of Georgia.
Soon after his retirement in 1987, Agee received the Distinguished Teaching in Journalism Award from SPJ.
Agee was co-author of the popular textbook “Introduction to Mass Communications,” which has been published in eight languages and 12 editions.
Survivors include his wife, Edda Agee; two daughters, Kim Kendall of Austin, Texas, and Robyn Ansley of Athens; and three grandchildren.
William Block, whose leadership helped shape the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette for nearly 60 years, died June 20 at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center Shadyside of pneumonia. He was 89 and lived in Oakland.
A member of a now four-generation newspaper family, Block began his career as co-publisher of the Post-Gazette in smoky post-World War II Pittsburgh at a time of intense competition among three daily metropolitan newspapers. He ended his formal involvement with the paper in 2001, when he stepped down as chairman of Block Communications Inc.
He was an SPJ member since 1962 and had been a member of the Pittsburgh pro chapter.
