Alumni

2 minutes with...

Amanda J. McManus — Wed, 26 Feb 2025 20:09:47 +0000

2 minutes with... Amanda J. McManus Wed, 02/26/2025 - 13:09

Max Pollak (Advert鈥�10)
Creative Director, Deutsch LA

After years away from Boulder, Pollak returned to CU for a collaboration between NerdWallet and Travis Hunter. Pollak and his team shot a video where Hunter talked about the 鈥淪martest NIL鈥� campaign and a giveaway where fans could win a collectible cutout piece of Hunter鈥檚 contract with the brand. The highlight for Pollak? A selfie with 鈥淗eisman鈥� Hunter.

How did you land Travis Hunter? In his Heisman season, no less?
I鈥檓 a huge CU fan with season tickets, and it just so happens that NerdWallet already has a partnership with CU. I knew Travis Hunter would be a great brand ambassador, and we even sneaked into the Coach Prime documentary.

As to the Heisman, I thought he should win it and I thought there was a big chance. I鈥檓 happy it happened, but I can鈥檛 say I predicted it.

What鈥檚 the best advice you鈥檝e been given?
Focus on what you love. Success comes out of that.

I鈥檓 actually stoked for what I get paid to do. I like advertising because it鈥檚 a puzzle to figure out鈥攊t鈥檚 both strategic and creative, and I like intertwining all that.

You used to be a firefighter. What鈥檚 something memorable about that job?
You never want something bad to happen鈥攂ut there鈥檚 [an adrenaline rush] when you hear the bells and sirens.

My best friend鈥攁lso a volunteer, now with FDNY鈥攁nd I were driving to a car show when we got the page that his house went up in flames. We had to put out a fire that was going through his house, which we had played in as kids. It makes you sympathize with people.

Best compliment you鈥檝e ever received?
I was at Barchetta recently and my wife was sitting there with our kid, and this guy walked up to me and said, 鈥淵ou have a great spot鈥濃€攎eaning the table in the restaurant. I thought it was weird, but I said, 鈥淵eah, I know.鈥� He was like, 鈥淲ow, how confident!鈥� and walked away. I saw my wife was dying laughing, and she told me what he actually said was, 鈥淵ou have a great smile!鈥�

Rory Fitzgerald Bledsoe
PhD Candidate, Media Studies

Rory Fitzgerald Bledsoe is a PhD candidate in media studies who runs a multimodal art gallery, Space__Space, in East Boulder. Her first exhibition, 鈥淧hones are Heavy,鈥� ran from November through January; 鈥淎rchive Fever Dream鈥� opens in March.

Why did you want to open a gallery?
This space is public scholarship. I鈥檓 interested in creating discourse on cultural issues that transcend the limits of the law. I also ran a gallery in Boston where I gave solo shows to artists who hadn鈥檛 had one before, and it鈥檚 gratifying to elevate emerging artists and underrepresented ideas.

Was there a gallery you had in mind as you envisioned what Space__Space could look like?
I did an artist/curatorial residency in New York, at Flux Factory, and that has been a big influence on my drive for cultivating experimentation and community.

Something you hope visitors notice as they walk through the gallery?
The work, of course. And maybe the sunset-pink trim. Pink has connotations of being frivolous, but I see it as subversive鈥攁 power color. So I put it in the bottom trim around the gallery, where it鈥檚 a secret signature that doesn鈥檛 get in the way of the work.

Tell me about those sunsets.
I鈥檓 used to underground, windowless art spaces in New York and Boston. From the back of Space__Space, you can see mountains, and from the front, you get the sunset. Someday, I want to do a site-specific installation that harnesses sunsets, because they are so spectacular.

Biggest surprise?
Being able to do it. Every time you take the risk of creating something鈥攍ike in Boston, running Space 121 out of my apartment, I wasn鈥檛 sure what would happen. But I鈥檝e started to believe if you build it, when there is a thirst, they will come.

Wait, the gallery in Boston was out of your apartment? What did your landlord say about that?
They never found out. (Laughs) We had openings; we just called them parties.

Last one. A favorite work from your first exhibit?
The brilliant Flora Wilds flew in to install her sculptures, which was a magical collaboration. But I will say everyone who came in had a different favorite, and that is a mark of a resonant and successful show.

A selection of works from Space__Space鈥檚 inaugural exhibit, which closed in January. From left, works by Maya Buffett-Davis, a 蜜桃传媒破解版下载 graduate student; Ana Gonz谩lez Barrag谩n; Devon Narine-Singh; and Flora Wilds. Photos by Kimberly Coffin (CritMedia, StratComm鈥�18).

A regular feature catching up with people in our community who are doing interesting and impactful work. In this edition, a commercial with Travis Hunter and a new art gallery in East Boulder.

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Paying it forward

Anonymous — Thu, 15 Aug 2024 22:59:39 +0000

Paying it forward Anonymous (not verified) Thu, 08/15/2024 - 16:59

By Lauren Irwin (Jour'22)

How to support CMCI

Alumni, parents and friends who want to support CMCI while creating a personal legacy often choose to establish an endowment with the University of Colorado Foundation. Endowments are held in perpetuity and invested to provide annual support for donor-specified purposes through market gains.

Donors can create endowments to support scholarships, programs, departments, faculty chairs and professorships, or nearly anything else at CMCI. The minimum gift to establish an endowment is $25,000, which can be given over up to five years. To learn more or establish an endowment, contact Mary Beth Searles, CMCI assistant dean for advancement.

An internship in Washington, D.C., changed Heidi Wagner鈥檚 life. Now, she鈥檚 working alongside her alma mater to create similar opportunities for CMCI students.

鈥淒.C. is one of those places that opens doors,鈥� said Wagner (Jour鈥�86). 鈥淵ou really can鈥檛 go wrong getting some experience here in Washington.鈥�

As a college senior, Wagner was accepted to the Sears Congressional Internship, where she did media-related and administrative work for Rep. Stan Parris, of Virginia.

Wagner had set out to be a broadcast reporter but was surprised by how much she liked learning about politics, policy and process鈥攁n interest 鈥渢hat just grew exponentially from being a part of it all.鈥�

鈥淭hat internship changed the trajectory of my life.鈥�

She stayed in D.C. after graduation and is currently senior vice president and global head of government affairs at ElevateBio, a biotechnology company. Additionally, she serves as a university trustee and member of the University of Colorado Foundation Board, and was a founding member of CMCI鈥檚 advisory board.

It wasn鈥檛 a path the Boulder native envisioned when she enrolled at the university, but her time at CU 鈥済ave me a sense of the possibility that was out there for me,鈥� she said.

Looking back to the beginning of her career, she wanted to be a part of providing students with life-changing opportunities similar to what she experienced. CMCI in D.C., which allows students to earn both course and internship credit as they explore Washington, matches that vision.

鈥淭hat internship changed the trajectory of my life.鈥�
Heidi Wagner

The CMCI in D.C. staff leverages an extensive network of professional contacts to curate internships in the fall, spring or summer semesters that suit the interests and career goals of each student. Over the summer, 20 students studying advertising, information science, journalism and media studies lived in Washington, where they interned at The Hill, The Brand Guild, Williams Whittle, The Parks Channel and elsewhere.

As both the biggest benefactor and 鈥渘umber one cheerleader鈥� of the program鈥攕he regularly meets with participants while they鈥檙e in D.C.鈥擶agner hopes students appreciate the possibilities Washington has to offer.

鈥淚t鈥檚 really important to expose yourself to other things, because you just don鈥檛 know what鈥檚 out there,鈥� she said.

Wagner said she and Dean Lori Bergen set a goal that a D.C.-based experience shouldn鈥檛 be limited to those who can afford to make the move. Over the last five years, she has created an endowment that allows CMCI to offer this experience to more students.

鈥淚f the barriers aren鈥檛 eliminated, then there鈥檚 all kinds of reasons not to do it,鈥� Wagner said. 鈥淪o, if we can eliminate those barriers, let鈥檚 do it.鈥�

After graduating with her journalism degree, Wagner worked in political communications before going to law school, holding multiple high-profile roles in government affairs and policy. She said the skills she learned in her journalism courses have been invaluable to her success working in policy and lobbying.

鈥淚 rely heavily on what I learned in journalism classes, just in terms of writing well, writing quickly, writing succinctly, being able to communicate directly and effectively, and being able to advocate internally very effectively,鈥� she said.

Whether it鈥檚 journalism, public relations or corporate communications, Wagner hopes the internship program creates a strong pipeline of CMCI students in Washington. She knows the opportunities are waiting to be grasped.

鈥淚 certainly found a life here that I love and a career and all that comes with it, but I think Washington is a uniquely wonderful place for young professionals,鈥� she said.

An internship in D.C. changed Heidi Wagner鈥檚 life. Now, she wants to recreate that experience for current students.

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From peaks to front lines

Anonymous — Tue, 13 Aug 2024 19:41:38 +0000

From peaks to front lines Anonymous (not verified) Tue, 08/13/2024 - 13:41

Jordan Campbell takes a selfie after spending more than a week in what he called a 鈥榥ot-so-safe safehouse鈥� that was under attack from Russian forces. Photo by Jordan Campbell.

By Hannah Stewart (Comm鈥�19)

The clouds and clear skies fought for dominance over Kyiv, reflecting the tension on the ground, as Jordan Campbell stepped off the worst bus ride of his life鈥攁 24-hour slog from Krak贸w, Poland, to Ukraine鈥檚 capital.

It was the second of what would be many trips to Ukraine, and the beginning of an ambitious documentary film. Standing at the bus station, weighted under camera
gear and body armor, he considered himself a storyteller.

Now, after three further visits to the front lines, he sees himself as a war journalist.

鈥淚t鈥檚 breaking my heart to see one of my favorite countries being hit like this,鈥� Campbell (Comm鈥�91) said. 鈥淚 was embedded with NGOs, riding around in an ambulance, because I鈥檓 fascinated by humanitarians doing amazing work around the world. And the best thing I can do to serve humanity is go out, tell the stories and come back safe.鈥�

Campbell traversed literal and figurative mountains to become the filmmaker he is today. Climbs in Tibet and Nepal gave him an up-close look at injustice and inequality, awakening a passion for humanitarianism. His work in media鈥攊n a senior communications role with Marmot and as a freelancer for National Geographic鈥攇ave him the tools to tell life-changing stories from across the globe.

鈥淚 was a corporate guy with a love of moonlight journalism,鈥� he said.

In 2011, on assignment for National Geographic in war-ravaged South Sudan, Campbell documented the work of cataract surgeon Dr. Geoff Tabin. Upon returning to the States, he was approached by filmmaker Michael Herbener鈥攚ho is also working on the Ukraine project鈥攚ith the idea of using Campbell鈥檚 footage to make a documentary.

That film, Duk County: Peace Is in Sight in the New South Sudan, went on to win awards and was screened twice at the United Nations.

鈥淭he awards feel good, but I want to connect with the audience and have them feel the same way I felt when I was in the field,鈥� Campbell said. 鈥淭o take it to the United Nations twice, that鈥檚 the stuff that makes me feel like we鈥檙e having an impact.鈥�

The desire for humanitarian impact鈥攃ombined with his experience as a communications professional and visual storyteller鈥攑rompted Campbell to found Ramro Global
in 2019.

Its seven-person advisory council contributes insights into global challenges. Christina Tobias-Nahi, who specializes in the Middle East and North Africa for Ramro, met Campbell in 2018 when she spoke at 蜜桃传媒破解版下载 Conference on World Affairs.

She is based in Washington, D.C., and as director of public affairs, research and advocacy for Islamic Relief USA, she often travels to places with mass displacement.

鈥淚 do a lot of advocacy,鈥� she said. 鈥淓verything is so political and contentious, and I admire Jordan鈥檚 willingness to use his voice to change political will in Washington.鈥�

Somewhat unconventionally, Campbell also appoints advisors for issues that demand global attention, which is how Michael Carter鈥攁n expert in the geopolitics of power and energy鈥攃ame to the board.

Carter鈥檚 experience comes from more than 25 years in the energy industry, where he works on issues of transparency and inequity, like lack of access to sustainable power and movement toward a lower-carbon future.

鈥淚t takes a very thoughtful and calm, compassionate mind to look at inequity and do something about it,鈥� he said. 鈥淭hat鈥檚 the essence of what Jordan is trying to accomplish.鈥�

As a business strategist, Carter has helped Campbell develop Ramro Global from concept to company. As an energy expert, he provides unique insight into the humanitarian projects Campbell chronicles.

Jordan puts his life in danger to bring these stories to people. I really admire his bravery.鈥�

Christina Tobias-Nahi

鈥淪ome of the first targets the Russian army hit were the Ukrainian power plants,鈥� Carter said. 鈥淧ower allows us to communicate鈥攅specially through mobile phones鈥攁nd I want to help Jordan communicate his message. He has dedicated himself to humanitarianism.鈥�

Campbell is also dedicated to truth and authenticity, which is why he kept returning to Ukraine despite the rising risk. He hasn鈥檛 shied from documenting the desperation and destruction he saw working alongside Project Konstantin, a front-line medical evacuation team. Last year, when the U.S. Senate hosted a Parliamentary Intelligence-Security Forum event, Campbell presented a six-minute cut of the film, Ukraine Under Fire. He also met with Ukrainian Embassy staff.

鈥淭here were representatives from 60 countries in attendance who appreciated my testimony because I was an expert witness on what was going on there,鈥� he said. 鈥淚鈥檓 not a cataract surgeon, I鈥檓 not a pediatric cardiac surgeon. But I鈥檓 a journalist and I鈥檓 a visual storyteller, and I can make some noise and do good things in the world.鈥�

Campbell鈥檚 goal with Ukraine Under Fire is to capture a slice of the war while focusing on themes like democracy, sovereignty and鈥攑erhaps most important鈥攔esilience. He posted a teaser on the company鈥檚 website for public viewing and hopes screenings of the completed film in Washington and throughout Europe will help to further those themes.

鈥淭his can turn into such a bigger conflict,鈥� he said. 鈥淭he scale and scope drew me to the subject. And if you鈥檙e a journalist, you want to capture something, add value鈥攁nd then get out of the way.鈥�

Not only has he been shaken by the devastation while on the front lines, but
the impacts have followed him home: Nearly every place he visited has since been bombed, and he鈥檚 lost friends to the conflict, as well. It has, as he put it, 鈥済otten under my rib cage.鈥�

That鈥檚 only strengthened Campbell鈥檚 commitment to honoring their courage and sacrifice through his film.

鈥淪ome people become the bystanders, and some people become the heroes,鈥� Tobias-Nahi said. 鈥淛ordan puts his life in danger to bring these stories to people, and it gives a face to that humanitarian need. I really admire his bravery.鈥�

To get to the front lines of Ukraine, Jordan Campbell (Comm'91) took the road less traveled鈥攆rom corporate communications to the mountains of Nepal鈥攂efore stepping foot on the streets of Kyiv.

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Peak performer

Anonymous — Wed, 31 Jan 2024 21:41:53 +0000

Peak performer Anonymous (not verified) Wed, 01/31/2024 - 14:41

By Joe Arney

As much as she was ready for a new professional challenge, leaving the Front Range where she鈥檇 lived her whole life was hard for Keely Walker. So she made a promise to herself鈥攚herever she wound up, she鈥檇 still have her view of the mountains.

But not all mountains are created equal, as she learned when she interviewed for a producer position with KOMO, in Seattle.

鈥淭he news director asked me how I liked the mountains out there, and I told him they were beautiful,鈥� said Walker (Jour鈥�06), now nightside executive producer at KING 5 Media Group. 鈥淭hen he told me, 鈥榃ell, what鈥檚 better is that ours explode.鈥�

鈥淚 was like, no, no, that鈥檚 not a selling point!鈥� Walker said, laughing.

Maybe backyard volcanoes aren鈥檛 quite her thing, but it鈥檚 no question Walker has hit her stride since arriving in the Pacific Northwest. Since joining KING, a Tegna-owned, NBC-affiliated station, the self-described 鈥淐olorado girl, through and through鈥� has rapidly climbed the ranks while producing journalism that鈥檚 both award winning and thought provoking.

Climbing the ranks

Moving to Seattle, she said, was a chance to challenge herself professionally without sacrificing those mountain views.

鈥淚 knew the Denver market inside and out after eight years,鈥� she said. 鈥淎 lot of people talk about Seattle news being smart news. People don鈥檛 want the surface story鈥攜ou need to really dig into the news, which was a new challenge.鈥�

It meant learning about things like salmon and orcas that don鈥檛 typically enter the conversation in Colorado, but what hasn鈥檛 changed are the fundamental skills she built studying broadcast journalism at CU and being a trusted leader in the media space.

Don鈥檛 touch that dial

Keely Walker is like a lot of journalists, in that when you ask her what her biggest challenge is, it鈥檚 that no one is watching. When she visited a CMCI class in the fall, 鈥渨e asked the students who watches the news, and no hands went up,鈥� Walker said.

Her dirty little secret? 鈥淚 don鈥檛 have cable, either,鈥� she said.

That鈥檚 not unusual for Generation Z鈥攐r the Seattle market, where engagement through mobile apps or over-the-top media services like Roku, Hulu or Apple TV is incredibly significant. So, her station typically airs content for TV first before repackaging it for digital distribution. 鈥淥ur biggest business challenge is, how do you get people to watch when it鈥檚 not part of their routine?鈥� she said.

Patrick Ferrucci, associate professor and chair of the journalism department, said curricular refreshes and conversations with his board of advisors are helping guide CMCI students toward new jobs in news.

鈥淛ournalism now is less platform dependent,鈥� Ferrucci said. 鈥淭here are still paths to traditional broadcast jobs, but what we鈥檙e increasingly trying to do is embed visual and multimedia journalism into all aspects of our curriculum, so that our students learn how to tell good stories regardless of format.鈥�

鈥淚 have such pride in being a CU alumna,鈥� Walker said. 鈥淭he campus is beautiful and the academics are great, but it鈥檚 more than that鈥攊t鈥檚 like, hey, we have astronauts, we have Nobel Prize winners. There鈥檚 a lot to brag about.鈥�

Including, for the first time in a while, the football team. Walker remains a longtime Buffs season-ticket holder whose earliest visits to Boulder involved playing on the turf at Folsom Field during a family weekend game.

More recently, she was on the field in the fall, after the Buffaloes defeated Nebraska in an early-season rivalry game.

鈥淪ome of my co-workers have been like, 鈥楽o are you going to rush the field after every game now?鈥欌€� she said. 鈥淵ou know, it鈥檚 been a hard few years, OK? Just let us appreciate this and do what we want to do.鈥�

Hands on with the news

That鈥檚 also the motto that鈥檚 guided her career in news. In her current role, Walker is responsible for the nightside newscast. Early each day, she works with reporters to identify the most promising stories, coaching them as the news moves from pitch to production. She also leads a team of producers who make each broadcast come together.

鈥淚鈥檓 a teacher, when it comes down to it,鈥� Walker said. 鈥淚 love teaching young producers, sharing my knowledge with them and then watching them succeed.鈥�

Joyce Taylor, an anchor at KING 5 who鈥檚 been covering Seattle for decades, said Walker鈥檚 enthusiasm and positivity make her a strong mentor, whose hands-on involvement in sourcing and scripting help reporters become better at their craft.

鈥淜eely is a great listener and communicator,鈥� Taylor said. 鈥淚n a newsroom, you find all different types of personalities. Having someone in a leadership role who can work with all those kinds of personalities is a huge asset for us.鈥�

Walker鈥檚 work has been recognized with multiple Emmys, as well as awards from Peabody and Scripps Howard, but more important to her than hardware is impact. She鈥檚 extremely proud of a project she worked on as a producer shortly after joining KING 5 that investigated racial inequality, racism and racial privilege, especially in the Seattle metro area.

Facing Race was proposed in the wake of George Floyd鈥檚 murder and the resulting uprising around the country; the 13-part series was impressive for both how it handled sensitive material and the relative skeleton crew that produced it during the pandemic.

鈥淚t was hard鈥擨 had to find a new comfort zone of talking about race, equity and inclusion, because we hadn鈥檛 seen this kind of a discussion on TV before,鈥� said Walker, who produced the show on top of her daily broadcasts; Taylor hosted each edition. 鈥淏ut I look back at these episodes, and it鈥檚 like鈥攄ang, we really made people think.

鈥淚t鈥檚 the shining accomplishment of my career, and I think will be until it鈥檚 over.鈥�

Following that award-winning series, the station created a dedicated unit鈥攊ncluding a reporter, executive producer, photographer and support staff鈥攆or Facing Race stories, which Walker said have consistently been supported by leadership. The show ran after the station鈥檚 Seahawks coverage ended, giving a controversial topic substantial coverage.

鈥楧oing the work because she loves the work鈥�

Part of what makes her successful is that, even though there can be hard days in the news business, Walker finds ways to make work fun; her colleagues praised her sense of humor in the face of a demanding job.

鈥淲e鈥檙e here to seek the truth and solve problems,鈥� Taylor said. 鈥淭here is no task where Keely can鈥檛 find a way to get the job done, get the best information and meet the challenge, whatever it is.

鈥淚n these times, journalism has never been more important, and Keely sets a great example as somebody who鈥檚 doing the work because she loves the work and really sees the importance of journalism and its role in our democracy.鈥�

Walker said she enjoys the challenge to be a little better every day, and to make the workplace more fun.

鈥淚f you talk to anyone in my newsroom, they know my laugh, because I laugh all day鈥擨 crack jokes and things like that,鈥� she said. 鈥淧eople work better when they鈥檙e having a good time.鈥�

In a recent visit to a CMCI class, she tried to share some of that perspective with a group of students.

鈥淵ou need to find a way to unplug after those days when it feels like you鈥檝e been hit by a truck,鈥� Walker said. 鈥淒o that and the next day, you find you can laugh at work, you can find things to look forward to in the news world.鈥�

She reinforces her own positive attitude by exploring her new home state, kayaking, and through a mix of reading 鈥渁nd really trashy reality TV. That鈥檚 how I escape the news,鈥� she said, laughing.

Each fall, though, escape comes from one of her first loves.

鈥淭here鈥檚 a great alumni group in Seattle that gets together to watch football鈥攁nd there鈥檚 more people showing up this year, which is fun,鈥� she said. 鈥淎nd I usually make it back to Colorado for a couple of games, too. Some of my best memories from CU are just from being on that beautiful campus, and so much comes back to me when I鈥檓 walking through the quad or seeing the buildings where I took classes.鈥�

鈥淚鈥檓 a teacher, when it comes down to it. I love teaching young producers, sharing my knowledge with them and then watching them succeed.鈥�
Keely Walker (Jour鈥�06)

When an award-winning producer decided to move on from Denver, the one thing she wouldn鈥檛 negotiate on was a view of the mountains.

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What鈥檚 better than fiction?

Anonymous — Sat, 28 Oct 2023 00:41:23 +0000

What鈥檚 better than fiction? Anonymous (not verified) Fri, 10/27/2023 - 18:41

By Malinda Miller (Engl, Jour鈥�92; MJour鈥�98)

Sara Fischer on the set of Bridgerton. Experience has shown her how she can use her voice 鈥榯o change things that aren鈥檛 right.鈥� Photo by Barnaby Boulton.

The novel twist in the Regency-era Bridgerton series, produced by Shondaland, is seeing strong, complex characters of color play significant roles, like that of Queen Charlotte.

But when it came time to hire set designers, cinematographers, lighting and sound specialists, makeup artists, and hairdressers, the crews that were available in the United Kingdom were mainly white, and mostly male.

The contrast of that to the early 1800s England they were creating for viewers spurred Sara Fischer (Jour, Engl鈥�78), Shondaland鈥檚 executive vice president and head of production, to tackle the larger issue鈥攖he racial diversity of workers in the industry鈥檚 behind-the-scenes jobs.

鈥淚 decided that we had to change the way our sets look, to make it look like what you would see when you鈥檙e walking down the street,鈥� Fischer said.

Digging deeper, she found it was not a lack of interest that kept people of color, who had been historically underrepresented in the industry, off their crews. Rather, it was the lack of access to training, on-set experience and, in some cases, even transportation to remote filming locations. She went to Shonda Rhimes, creator of the series, to develop a program to identify and train鈥攚ith pay鈥攑eople for behind-the-scenes roles. That was the start of The Ladder Program.

Fischer is no stranger to discrimination. She was one of the first two women hired in production roles at CBS Sports. During one of her pregnancies, when she was working as an assistant director, she was told she鈥檇 be fired if caught sitting down.

With experience, she鈥檚 learned to use her voice in ways she was afraid to earlier in her career.

"The fact that we鈥檙e changing peoples鈥� lives in such a profound way is the best feeling in the whole world, and I鈥檓 so glad that I鈥檓 able to do it."

鈥擲ara Fischer (Jour, Engl鈥�78)

Righting wrongs by speaking up

Professionals who completed The Ladder said the experience helped them access the networks needed to take on high-level roles in the entertainment industry. Photo by Sherise Blackman

鈥淵ou can right wrongs. You can be vocal, and you can change things that aren鈥檛 right or that make you uncomfortable,鈥� she said.

One of the first areas they tackled were the hairstyles. 鈥淲e had to find and train hairdressers of color who were comfortable working with Black hair in the fancy hairstyles of Bridgerton,鈥� Fischer said.

Fischer launched The Ladder, which is funded and jointly supported by Shondaland and Netflix executives and staff, for Bridgerton鈥檚 second season. During the program, cohorts of 10 to 15 trainees are brought on and paid for the duration of a production. Each selects a specialty鈥攁ssistant directing, sound, camera, props, locations or video鈥攁nd receives mentoring, coaching and hands-on experience.

To reach locals from the United Kingdom who have struggled to get into the industry, Fischer鈥攚ho is from Los Angeles鈥攈ired Sherise Blackman, a British actress and writer, as the program supervisor and diversity coordinator.

Blackman knew she wouldn鈥檛 be able to recruit through the traditional routes, such as agencies. Instead, she built interest through her networks, WhatsApp groups and outreach to diversity organizations.

Three years later, more than 40 professionals have worked on one of the Bridgerton seasons or Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story through The Ladder.

Many of the participants, like cinematographer Roger Russell, have years of professional experience but still encounter closed doors when applying for jobs. Over the course of several decades, he has worked in cinematography for commercials and music videos, but had not been able to access the networks needed to get on to a high-level narrative production.

Another program graduate, Zara Hughes-White, had never been on a set before she joined as a video trainee during the third season of Bridgerton. After completing the program, she left with more than a year of experience and is now working on a British production.

Iona Ryan appreciated the on-set experience and teamwork of the training program when she worked in the locations department on the Queen Charlotte set.

鈥淚鈥檓 grateful for my team, that they allow me to make mistakes and learn and grow. They are always by my side to assist me and help me,鈥� Ryan said in a Shondaland video.

When Sara Fischer sees disparity, 鈥渟he doesn鈥檛 get frustrated and talk about it. She does something about it."

鈥擭oelle Green, Netflix

Behind the scenes, but visible

The success of trainees is only one measure of The Ladder鈥檚 influence. The changes are also appreciated by the actors鈥擨ndia Amarteifio, the young Queen Charlotte, told Fischer she鈥檚 never seen anyone working on a set who looked like her鈥攁nd others visiting behind the scenes.

While filming Bridgerton鈥檚 third season, 鈥渢hree directors of color shadowed our director, and each one said to me that they鈥檇 never been on a set with so many people who looked like them,鈥� Fischer said. 鈥淭hat鈥檚 how much we鈥檝e changed our set.鈥�

Making that level of change required persistence and commitment.

鈥淪ara鈥檚 got a really strong will and a great relationship with Shonda Rhimes that drives a lot of these opportunities,鈥� said Noelle Green, a Netflix film production executive who partners with Fischer on a number of diversity, inclusion and access initiatives. When Fischer sees disparity, 鈥渟he doesn鈥檛 get frustrated and talk about it. She does something about it.鈥�

A Ladder to the U.S.

Access, of course, isn鈥檛 only a challenge in Britain. In 2022, Fischer started working with the Netflix labor department and union representatives to bring The Ladder to Shondaland productions filming in the United States. The experience of working on a set is crucial for trainees, in terms of both skill development and in meeting minimum work requirements to join a union local鈥攌ey to getting any job on a major TV or film set in this country.

For Fischer, the effort is worth it to see individuals such as Mahogany Caldwell鈥攁 Ladder participant who trained in craft services鈥攇ain access to union jobs. Caldwell previously worked as a security guard on a studio lot, a job she found wasn鈥檛 getting her closer to her goal of working on a set.

It鈥檚 been challenging to continue momentum with Hollywood productions shut down due to the strikes by writers and actors, but the slowdown has provided the opportunity to get the word out about both programs. Once the strikes are over, The Ladder will be brought back into action. In the meantime, 鈥渨e鈥檝e stayed in touch with them鈥擨鈥檝e done weekend seminars and we鈥檙e making sure we keep them inspired and excited,鈥� Green said.

Fischer is at the point in her career where many others retire, but she鈥檚 motivated to keep going. She said the approach they鈥檝e taken to roll out The Ladder 鈥渋s time consuming, but relatively easy to implement鈥� and could be adopted by other studios and networks.

She gets emotional talking about the effect the program has had on individuals, and tells the story of meeting two British people recruited by Blackman. The first time she met them, they started crying.

鈥淭he fact that we鈥檙e changing peoples鈥� lives in such a profound way is the best feeling in the whole world, and I鈥檓 so glad that I鈥檓 able to do it,鈥� Fischer said.

鈥淚 love our shows. I go to amazing places, I get to work with amazing people鈥攂ut in the end, they鈥檙e all just shows. And this is changing peoples鈥� lives.鈥�

Take This: Career Advice

Thinking on her feet is a skill Sara Fischer acquired working both in live sports and at a small commercial production company鈥攚here she did everything from estimating costs and hiring crews, to bringing bagels in the morning and taking the film to the lab at night.

The first TV show Fischer worked on was Remington Steele, in 1985, and she has since been involved with production of more than 35 scripted shows, including St. Elsewhere and Thirtysomething early in her career, and more recently, Grey鈥檚 Anatomy, Inventing Anna and the Bridgerton series. Fischer shared a few lessons that have helped her enjoy a meaningful career in the industry she loves.

Be nice to everyone.

鈥淚t鈥檚 really a small industry, and people come back,鈥� Fischer said. 鈥淎nd people remember.鈥� She told the story of interviewing for a line production job when the executive producer asked her, 鈥淒o you remember me? Many years ago, I worked in the copy room at MTM, and you were really nice to me.鈥�

Any job you take is a learning experience.

When work was tight in 2008, she took a producing job on a reboot of Knight Rider鈥攕omething she wasn鈥檛 excited about at first. 鈥淭he car was always going 400 miles an hour, so everything out the window had to be a visual effect,鈥� she said. 鈥淚 learned how to get a car over a cliff and back up, and how to jump a car鈥攏ot to mention all about visual effects.鈥�

Be inquisitive.

When she hires someone, she tells them 鈥渢o read everything鈥攕o that when I say 鈥榗all so-and-so,鈥� you already know who that person is, because you鈥檝e read it on a call sheet, or you鈥檝e read it on a crew list, or you鈥檝e read the script. Be inquisitive and don鈥檛 be afraid to ask questions.鈥�

Hire carefully.

The wrong hire can wreck an organization鈥檚 culture, efficiency and effectiveness, which is why Fischer abides by her 鈥渘o assholes鈥� policy. 鈥淚t鈥檚 self explanatory,鈥� she said.

Illustration of Sara Fischer by Mallory Heyer

Alumna Sara Fischer decided Shondaland鈥檚 sets needed to better reflect the worlds she was helping create on series like Bridgerton.

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The Real People Behind the News

Anonymous — Thu, 24 Nov 2022 05:52:19 +0000

The Real People Behind the News Anonymous (not verified) Wed, 11/23/2022 - 22:52

By Malinda Miller (Engl, Jour鈥�92; MJour鈥�98)

How do journalists connect with audiences? What are the biggest challenges they face? Has social media changed how they report a story?

As news media have fundamentally changed over the years, the Pew Research Center has regularly tracked audience media consumption and gauged the public鈥檚 perceptions of the industry. But in an effort to 鈥渃apture the other side of the story,鈥� last spring it surveyed almost 12,000 journalists, said Amy Mitchell, the center鈥檚 director of journalism research, in a Q&A.

The Pew study found that 77% of journalists surveyed would choose their career again but identified several areas of concern, including political polarization and the impact of social media. Researchers also found that journalists think the pandemic has permanently changed the news industry.

CMCI Dean Lori Bergen had many of the same questions. She talked with three alumni from across the country鈥擩ohn Branch (MJour鈥�89), Jackie Forti茅r (MJour鈥�13) and Vignesh Ramachandran (Jour鈥�11)鈥攐ver Zoom last summer about their day-to-day experiences as journalists.

Lori Bergen, PhD, is the founding dean of CMCI and currently on the boards of the Poynter Institute, Colorado Public Radio and the Colorado Press Association. Before joining academia, Bergen worked for several years as a journalist. She has co-authored several books, most recently News for US: Citizen-Centered Journalism.

John Branch (MJour鈥�89) joined The New York Times in 2005 as a sports reporter. He won the Pulitzer Prize for feature writing in 2013 for 鈥淪now Fall,鈥� a multimedia story about a deadly avalanche in Washington State, and was a finalist for the prize in 2012. He is working on several months long multimedia projects. @JohnBranchNYT

Jackie Forti茅r (MJour鈥�13) is the senior health reporter for KPCC and LAist.com in Southern California and has also worked in public radio in Oklahoma and Colorado. She has won two regional Edward R. Murrow awards in California and one in Oklahoma. She works on quick-turn stories and hopes at some point to not just be reporting on infectious diseases. @jackiefortier

Vignesh Ramachandran (Jour鈥�11) is a multiplatform editor for The Washington Post and co-founder of the Red, White and Brown Media newsletter on Substack, which focuses on South Asian American stories and community engagement. Previously, he worked at the PBS NewsHour, ProPublica, the Stanford Computational Journalism Lab and NBC News Digital. @VigneshR

Bergen: As we鈥檝e been talking, it鈥檚 great to hear the differences in the work that each of you are doing. There鈥檚 this common thread of storytelling and the way each of you have applied your interests and skill sets in ways of connecting. I鈥檓 curious, what are some ways you engage with your audience?

Ramachandran: The last two years the number of in-person interviews has dramatically dwindled. A lot of it has been sourcing engagement through social networks. This year I鈥檝e been experimenting with the audio function on Twitter to host conversations and see what issues people want to talk about. Some of the discussions ended up being more substantive and more engaging than I had expected, so it鈥檚 been a good experiment so far.

鈥淚 just want people to remember, there are real people behind this news.
鈥擩ohn Branch

Branch: Most of my connections are still pretty traditional with readers. It鈥檚 the usual social media and reader comment kind of channels. I鈥檒l give you an interesting quick story, though. We did a big multimedia piece on a story I wrote about 18 months ago about the threat to some of the iconic tree species鈥攖he redwoods, the sequoias, the Joshua trees in California. A musical director at a pretty big concert hall here in California was moved by it and was trying to figure out how to connect arts to climate change. He commissioned several composers to write pieces off of that story. They鈥檒l be performing unique and original works based off something I wrote, which has never happened to me before.

Bergen: Amazing. Whoever thought you鈥檇 be the muse to an orchestral performance? Jackie, has social media changed how you engage with your audiences?

Forti茅r: I鈥檝e never not had social media as a journalist, so it鈥檚 not that different than what I was doing before. (The pandemic) has meant a lot of over-the-phone interviews that I would really have preferred not to do over the phone, but that鈥檚 just the way it had to happen. It鈥檚 been really difficult to have patients, family members, nurses, doctors crying to you on the phone, talking about how difficult it鈥檚 been treating people or going through COVID, and you鈥檙e not there in person. A lot of them didn鈥檛 want to have video on while we were talking. I think that has been the hardest part of the pandemic for me.

Bergen: That鈥檚 interesting. I brought my generational perspective to this because I wanted to delve into how social media may have changed some of your work, but you鈥檙e reminding me that this has always been part of your reporting.

Forti茅r: I covered the Planned Parenthood shooter in Colorado Springs. None of the institutions were on Twitter so I couldn鈥檛 pull any information from that. I was doing live updates because there was this shooter on the loose in Colorado Springs, and it was when people were traveling. It sounds morose to say, but we鈥檙e going to have another breaking news situation, and so now that institutions are actually putting that information out there, it helps from a journalistic perspective.

Ramachandran: In some ways it鈥檚 broken geographic barriers to reach people around the country or world. But in another sense, particularly when trying to reach marginalized communities, are we self-selecting the sorts of people who would want to speak out anyway or who are comfortable with engaging on those platforms?

When I was doing a lot of reporting on the pandemic spike in anti-Asian hate crimes and incidents, there were a lot of folks on the forefront talking about the issue on social platforms. But when talking to some of the folks who have been personally impacted by these issues, it鈥檚 trying to build rapport with someone whose child has been stabbed in a parking lot because of a hate crime. Trying to do that interview over Zoom is just a very different dynamic versus really ingraining yourself in the community and trying to understand the story and all its nuances and complexities. I think in some ways (Zoom) is such a useful tool, but in other ways, I think it鈥檚 a means to launch a conversation in a traditional way.

Branch: I think it鈥檚 just a different conversation when you and I are looking at each other, even if it鈥檚 through a camera. But I do worry that media companies will use it as a crutch and not send people out because it鈥檚 too simple and much cheaper to do it this way. I still think the best reporting is face to face, in person, not face to face over a monitor. It鈥檚 a totally different dynamic. I mean, I can see you in your little box right now, but I don鈥檛 know what the environment is around you. There鈥檚 not a whole lot of spontaneity when you and I are talking like this. There鈥檚 no, 鈥淟et鈥檚 just jump in the car and go get coffee somewhere,鈥� or I can鈥檛 see what you have posted on your refrigerator that might elicit a whole line of questions.

Bergen: Good point, John. I鈥檓 curious, what form is most of your content being created in and how is it distributed to audiences?

Forti茅r: Everything I do is multiplatform, from a 20-second spot to a full-fledged feature. If I go out to do a story, it鈥檚 pictures, tweets while I鈥檓 there, video, hopefully, depending on what鈥檚 happened. We create content specifically for TikTok. Usually I鈥檓 trying to find sources, but sometimes just to engage audiences. I kind of feel like the legacy journalists are just kind of catching up, to be honest with you, now that The New York Times and The Washington Post are like, 鈥淥h, audio is a thing.鈥�

Bergen: Well, that sounded like you guys need to respond to that one.

Ramachandran: Honestly, the last 10 years have been everything from print to writing for the web to audio work to video work to data analysis. I think the best editors have always given me the advice to just tell the story in the medium that tells the story best.

Bergen: I love that. It鈥檚 what we try to teach our students, but it always sounds so much better when somebody else says that.

Branch: I鈥檒l say that what has been one of the changes post-鈥淪now Fall鈥� is we have had a lot more conversations about the best way to present the story. Now, it鈥檚 like, what if this is nothing but a photo essay? What if this is actually a big, dynamic graphic? What if it is text? What if it鈥檚 video?

I鈥檓 working on a story now that we hope to make a full-length documentary. Some of my stories they鈥檒l have me read so we can deliver them to podcast and audio audiences.

I think it has kind of exploded the environment and the imagination that we have for what鈥檚 the best way to deliver this to people. It鈥檚 exciting times to be a part of it.

Making a difference

Bergen: Could each of you talk a little bit about your experience with how journalism has made a difference?

Forti茅r: I was the only health journalist in Oklahoma. We had a huge opioid lawsuit against Purdue (Pharma) settled, but Johnson & Johnson was the one that actually went to trial.

The trial happened to be in the town that I lived in, Norman, Oklahoma. I did a bunch of stories leading up to it, and then I just filed and filed and filed with NPR鈥檚 newscast. I was the only reporter that was there every day.

Because I tweeted the whole thing鈥攁nd that was really the only way that people knew it was happening because it wasn鈥檛 being broadcast live鈥擨 had a ton of people following me on Twitter, both for and against opioid companies, which was interesting.

It showed me how important local journalism is because I was there. I had other journalists telling me the only reason they came was because their editor heard what I was doing and thought, 鈥淥h, we better get over there.鈥� Parachuting in has its merits in some cases, but most of the time you need local people who know the ins and outs and the subtleties of what鈥檚 going on.

Bergen: Although my question was, how does journalism have an impact, what you鈥檝e really underscored is, journalists have an impact.

Ramachandran: Before the pandemic, I worked for ProPublica鈥檚 Chicago office. We were local reporters living in the communities that we were reporting on. There were tangible impacts of laws changed. We had colleagues who did investigations on the tax assessment system there; the corrupt assessor who ended up getting voted out the next election; how they were targeting Black and brown communities of Chicago in disproportionate ways; and then how those policies were kind of changed in Chicago.

In my own reporting on Asian American communities, it鈥檚 interesting to see a different sort of impact. I did a few stories on how South Asian Americans have a higher risk of cardiovascular ailments, and I got emails saying, 鈥淗ey, I signed up to get a heart scan,鈥� or, 鈥淚鈥檓 going to be talking to my primary care doctor.鈥�

Branch: One theme I鈥檝e had the last 10 years has been stories about CTE, the chronic brain disease caused by repetitive hits in a lot of sports. I鈥檓 here in Colorado right now, and I just saw a friend the other night who said, 鈥淚 can鈥檛 watch hockey the way I used to anymore, thanks to you. I can鈥檛 watch football the way I used to because of the reporting that you and your colleagues have done.鈥�

You know, anytime you hear somebody talk about political news or sports news or celebrity news, or on global news of some sort, I want to say, 鈥淵ou realize that鈥檚 media, right? You鈥檝e been bashing the media, but you realize everything that you talk about, everything that connects us through conversation is media.鈥�

I just want people to remember, there are real people behind this news.

Moments of joy

Bergen: I鈥檓 just curious, are there moments of joy in your work?

Ramachandran: I think when you tell the stories that you want to tell, tell the stories that impact folks, that kind of stuff is what keeps me going.

Branch: I find joy in small places, like when I鈥檝e written a nice sentence. Most of my joy comes in very private moments: When I鈥檝e received a callback that I鈥檝e been waiting for, or just got off the phone on a really good interview, and I can鈥檛 wait to tell my editor what I鈥檝e just found out.

Forti茅r: I think I find the most joy when I get to take a listener somewhere that they don鈥檛 normally go or hear from someone that they wouldn鈥檛 think to speak to. What I really love about audio is that I can take 20 seconds and let that quote breathe. It has a pacing to it. It鈥檚 very experiential.

Trust and credibility

Bergen: What are the biggest challenges you face as journalists?

Branch: Credibility and maintaining trust with audiences that are as fractured as ever. I work in what鈥檚 derisively called the mainstream media. I worry about how we get that mainstream news to a wide swath of people, across socioeconomic lines, across political lines, across racial divides, so that we鈥檙e all working with a core set of facts. That鈥檚 become trickier and trickier as the years have gone by.

Bergen: And that鈥檚 probably not going to change in the future.

Branch: Our goal at The New York Times is to keep delivering truth as we believe it should be told and hope that people come around, and not try to bend to certain people, not just play to your audience. I think that鈥檚 what the original journalism tenets were鈥攄eliver truth as unbiased as possible and let people absorb it as they absorb it, but don鈥檛 try to steer your news to an audience necessarily. That鈥檚 tricky, because you get into conversations about bias and unintended biases and so on. We鈥檝e been doing it for 170 years. We鈥檒l keep going and hope that more people keep believing what we鈥檙e delivering.

Forti茅r: I would add to that: staying relevant. In order to be consumable by younger audiences, we really need to get more Black and brown people in newsrooms and in positions of power within newsrooms. You know, I can think of one public radio station that has a woman as the CEO or president off the top of my head. So, we talk about diversity all the time. We talk about diversity in sources, but we really need more diversity
in journalism.

Ramachandran: I feel like earlier in my career, I would鈥檝e said it鈥檚 the economics of journalism, which I think is definitely a concern, but it feels like we鈥檙e going to figure that out. But to John鈥檚 point, I鈥檓 personally very concerned鈥攁nd I feel like it鈥檚 a challenge for journalism鈥攖his credibility and trust question. I think that鈥檚 just the biggest thing we鈥檙e going to be grappling with for many years.

Forti茅r: I will say having been a reporter in Oklahoma at a public radio station where people don鈥檛 really like journalists, that as I consistently did accurate, solid reporting, I got respect. It took a little while, but as I kept doing the good work, people realized that I wasn鈥檛 biased.

Bergen: Just a good reminder how much relationship building can have an impact on this.

Branch: To what Jackie said, that鈥檚 my mission, just keep doing the good work. I don鈥檛 know what else we can do.

CMCI Dean Lori Bergen talked with three alumni from across the country鈥擩ohn Branch (MJour鈥�89), Jackie Forti茅r (MJour鈥�13) and Vignesh Ramachandran (Jour鈥�11)鈥攐ver Zoom last summer about their day-to-day experiences as journalists.

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Then and Now: Fall 2022

Anonymous — Tue, 22 Nov 2022 07:29:40 +0000

Then and Now: Fall 2022 Anonymous (not verified) Tue, 11/22/2022 - 00:29

Download desktop wallpaper of this collage

Explore 100 years of journalism education at the University of Colorado Boulder in "Then and Now." From telegraphs and typewriters to virtual reality, this collection of photographs offers a glimpse into student life from the 1920s to today.

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Journalism Through the Decades

Anonymous — Wed, 26 Oct 2022 16:14:49 +0000

Journalism Through the Decades Anonymous (not verified) Wed, 10/26/2022 - 10:14

Journalism students in class, date unknown. Photo by Charles Snow

By Shannon Mullane (MJour鈥�19)

On April 21, 1922, the University of Colorado Board of Regents approved the new Department of Journalism and set in motion a century of journalism education in Colorado.

That fall, the university鈥檚 first four-year journalism degree program launched with two professors and about 25 students. Over the past 100 years, the program has seen many changes: It has taken up residence in numerous buildings across campus, shifted its organizational structure and pursued journalistic excellence amid the biggest historical events of the 20th and 21st centuries.

That first semester of classes laid the foundation of the College of Media, Communication and Information, which houses the current journalism department at 蜜桃传媒破解版下载. In late 2021, faculty, staff, students and historians took to the archives to learn more about the department鈥檚 history, searching through old yearbooks, photography collections, newspaper archives and historical documents. Their research resurfaced details about the department鈥檚 history that help connect the past to journalism education today.

CMCI kicked off a yearlong celebration of the 100th anniversary on April 21 in 21st-century style: with social media posts, an interactive multimedia timeline, a website and online articles.

鈥淚t鈥檚 such an honor to celebrate the extraordinary work by journalism students and faculty, now and in the past,鈥� said Lori Bergen, founding dean of CMCI. 鈥淭he journalism industry has seen tremendous change over the past 10 decades, but our goal has been the same: teach students to find truth and hold power to account. As we move into the next century, we鈥檙e excited to continue that pursuit鈥攎aybe in ways we can鈥檛 even imagine today!鈥�

Media Archaeology Lab collection.
Photo by Kimberly Coffin (CritMedia, StratComm'18)

The first years

In early 2022, Mona Lambrecht started combing through student directories, yearbooks, newspaper articles and more to uncover the first years of the new journalism program.

鈥淩esearching the 1920s is actually a lot of fun,鈥� said Lambrecht, curator of history and collections at 蜜桃传媒破解版下载 Heritage Center. 鈥淓ach source provides different bits of information and adds another piece to the puzzle.鈥�

She learned that journalism classes, which began in 1907, were initially taught in the English language department but were connected to the College of Commerce. The focus seemed to be on professionalizing the trade 鈥渇or the practical demands of business.鈥�

By 1920, Boulder had about 11,000 residents, and 2,800 students studied on campus. The university, established with just one building鈥擮ld Main鈥攊n 1876, had grown to include more than 20 buildings and 30 academic departments.

Two years later, the journalism department was established with Professor Ralph Crosman at its helm. Students walked to class through the halls of Old Main, where the journalism program was housed, and joined the student newspaper, The Silver and Gold.

Some classes were similar to those offered today, like Reporting, News and News Writing, and Newspaper Production, a practical laboratory course that simulated a newsroom. Others taught about methods of preparing telegraph copy and legal matters, like government censorship in wartime, according to the 1922鈥�23 course catalog. Several of the four-year program鈥檚 first graduates, the class of 1926, went on to careers in local, state and national news.

鈥淩esearching the people has been the most satisfying, albeit time-consuming, part of this project,鈥� Lambrecht said. 鈥淥f the 13 known students initially considered journalism alumni, only six completed all the specified courses and received their degrees.鈥�

Students in the School of Journalism work on typewriters, pull feed from news wires, consult with faculty and develop photos in darkrooms, dates unknown.
Source: University Libraries Rare and Distinctive Collections

The war and Red Scare

A student processes photos in a dark room, date unknown.
Source: University Libraries Rare and Distinctive Collections

The 1920s and 1930s were marked by new buildings, expanding departments and financial blows. The Boulder campus even faced near-closure as it vied for support in the Colorado Legislature and for limited state funds during the economic turbulence of the Great Depression, according to The University of Colorado 1876鈥�1976.

In the 1920s, The Silver and Gold issued editorials condemning the Ku Klux Klan, which held power in the state at the time. In 1937, the journalism department became the College of Journalism, housed within the College of Arts and Sciences.

As the 1940s rolled into the 1950s, Boulder鈥檚 population grew to about 19,900 residents, including 7,700 university students. During World War II, the campus was used for education and as a naval installation. In 1953, The Silver and Gold ended, and the next student publication, the Colorado Daily, began.

Student newspapers covered the Red Scare, the hysteria over the perceived threat posed by Communists in the U.S. during the Cold War, as it seeped into campus life. The state Legislature demanded a sweeping investigation of Communist influences at state schools, including CU.

Melvin Mencher (Jour鈥�47), who taught journalism at Columbia University for 30 years, landed in Boulder in the early 1940s after a stint in the Navy. He picked CU because it had a good journalism department鈥攁nd journalism and dentistry were the two careers that escaped unscathed from the Great Depression, Mencher said.

鈥淚 didn鈥檛 want to spend my life looking into people鈥檚 mouths, so I went into journalism,鈥� he said. 鈥淚 grew up in a practical era.鈥�

During one of his first classes in 1946, Mencher remembered Professor Zell Mabee鈥攁n alumnus who studied journalism at CU before graduating in 1924鈥攈anding him a fact sheet so he could type up an article. The only issue was that he did not know how to use a typewriter. Plus, the machines in the journalism department had blank keys, he said.

鈥淚 was terrified because I had no idea,鈥� he said. 鈥淭hey have a system of grading where you lost five points for every typographical error. Of course, my first paper was something like minus 85.鈥�

During his studies, most of the classroom assignments relied on fact sheets. Students rarely reported in the Boulder community, he said. He described the journalism of the time as 鈥渉e-said, she-said.鈥�

鈥淲e just quoted people, and we didn鈥檛 dig beneath the surface,鈥� said Mencher, who wrote News Reporting and Writing, a journalism textbook used by more than a quarter of a million students. 鈥淭oday鈥檚 journalism student should be dedicated to digging.鈥�

Watergate and new journalism

John Mitchell鈥檚 Public Affairs class seemed brutal but provided the most lasting lesson. Understanding how government was supposed to work and how it actually worked provided a foundation for a lot of the reporting we did then, and it鈥檚 still crucial today."
Jeanette Chavez (Jour鈥�73)
鈥擣ormer managing editor at The Denver Post

In the 1960s and 1970s, the journalism program, formerly housed within the College of Arts and Sciences, became a separate entity called the School of Journalism. In 1964, the school launched its master鈥檚 degree program and began a broadcast news sequence two years later. Meanwhile, newswriting practices were shifting during the New Journalism era, when writers started incorporating literary techniques into their articles.

In 1970, John Leach began his studies as a math major. Realizing that wasn鈥檛 the right fit, Leach soon turned to journalism.

鈥淚鈥檓 the only former math major I鈥檝e ever met among any journalists or journalism students,鈥� said Leach (Jour鈥�74), who was a reporter and editor for more than 40 years. He is now a journalism lecturer in CMCI.

Taking classes in Macky Auditorium, journalism students took up the tools of the trade: pens, paper, phones, typewriters and photography darkrooms. Broadcast equipment was relatively primitive, and tape recorders were still in the not-so-distant future, Leach said.

News reporting was primarily event-driven: Reporters would go to a meeting, find a story, turn it in. But after the Watergate scandal, students鈥擫each included wanted to investigate waste, fraud and abuse, to dig deeper and to be more skeptical, he said.

In one memorable class, Reporting of Public Affairs with faculty member John Mitchell, students completed nine stories and covered Boulder City Council. If the council meeting ended at 2 a.m., the article was still due at 5 p.m. that day. Points were deducted if it was late, and students failed if they had any factual errors in their stories.

鈥淚t frankly caused some people to leave journalism, which might鈥檝e been healthy, and was legendary in my era,鈥� Leach said. 鈥淚 went from that to covering government politics for the Boulder Daily Camera, and boy, I was ready to roll based on that course.鈥�

The rise of the internet

In 1986, the school was renamed the School of Journalism and Mass Communication. The next year, NewsTeam Boulder aired its first 30-minute newscast, laying the groundwork for a long-running, student-run TV broadcast program. In 1989, the SJMC launched its postdoctoral degree program.

Then, the rise of the internet in the 1990s fundamentally transformed the news industry.

The flow of advertising revenue morphed or dropped, in many cases cratering newsroom budgets. As publications consolidated, daily newspapers began to shutter鈥攄ropping from about 1,600 daily publications in 1990 to 1,380 in 2012, according to Statista based on U.S. census data.

Print articles became online news packages stuffed with slideshows, videos and other multimedia components. Journalists had access to more databases and reporting resources online.

In classrooms, lessons on page design gave way to multimedia editing and web design. Students learned about updating online breaking news stories over time and how to incorporate audio, video and interactive graphics.

鈥淚 went from newspapers that had one or two deadlines a day to doing the web, and it鈥檚 like a deadline every minute essentially,鈥� Leach said.

I started a print publication for Black students called Extensions that featured personal essays, poetry and artwork by and for the African American students on campus and communities of color in the Boulder area. I was a Black studies minor and was inspired by the classes I took in that area. At the time there was no media targeted to us, so the experience really deepened and enhanced my time at CU."
Linda Villarosa (Jour鈥�81)
鈥擩ournalism educator and contributing writer for The New York Times Magazine

During my last semester at CU in the spring of 1996, one class I took connected us to internships. I covered high school sports for the Boulder Daily Camera, including Broomfield girls basketball on deadline. It helped me understand how important the basics are to a story, including keeping statistics, making detailed notes and getting things right."
Brent Schrotenboer (Jour鈥�96)
鈥�Sports investigative journalist at USA Today

The new college

"I was an intern at the Daily Camera my junior year and then Dave (Martinez) connected me with the Chips Quinn Scholars program, an initiative that connects student journalists of color with paid internship opportunities and mentorship. Through this, I was able to get a summer internship at the St. Paul Pioneer Press, which led to my internship at The Denver Post during my senior year. I was hired at the Post out of my internship and learned so much from all these experiences.
Elizabeth Hernandez (Jour鈥�15)
鈥�Enterprise reporter at The Denver Post

Just before the turn of the 21st century, the SJMC incorporated the Ted Scripps Fellowships in Environmental Journalism and later moved into the Armory building. The student newspaper, now called The Campus Press, became an online-only publication in 2006, years ahead of most college newspapers.

However, challenges within the School of Journalism and Mass Communication rose to a boil in the 2000s and cast uncertainty on the program鈥檚 future.

In 2011, the university discontinued the SJMC, citing the need for strategic and budgetary realignment, and the desire to explore a more interdisciplinary approach in response to the changing media landscape.

That same year the school ran into accreditation issues. It was out of compliance on academic standards because of 鈥渋ntractable disputes鈥� in the school鈥檚 governance, according to a report from the Accrediting Council on Education in Journalism and Mass Communication. The graduate program faced additional compliance issues related to assessing learning outcomes, and diversity and inclusiveness.

By 2012, the school was back in compliance, and the ACEJMC recommended it for reaccreditation. Throughout the disruption, the program was enrolling students and attracting new faculty. Students were graduating, generally seemed content and were finding jobs, the ACEJMC report said.

Two years later, the university鈥檚 effort to follow a more modern 鈥淛ournalism Plus鈥� model reached its final form: The Board of Regents voted to approve CMCI. The new college held six departments: Advertising, Public Relations and Media Design; Communication; Critical Media Practices; Information Science; Journalism; and Media Studies. The next year, the university appointed Lori Bergen, a former journalist and longtime journalism educator with a doctorate in mass communication, as CMCI鈥檚 founding dean.

Previously siloed in their own fields, faculty formed new relationships across disciplines. New departments coalesced, and students gained access to a uniquely interdisciplinary educational experience, said Leach, who was chair of the Journalism Advisory Board at the time.

Within the new college, students focused on sports journalism can pick up minors in information science, or combine their interests and double major in public relations and journalism.

Current students can join courses about designing virtual reality experiences; check out drones, cameras and other top-of-the-line equipment from The Vault; and participate in new enrichment programs outside the classroom.

For Hayley Sanchez (Jour鈥�17), enrichment programs and the journalism training at 蜜桃传媒破解版下载 helped prepare her to take on her current role as a host and editor at Colorado Public Radio. At first interested in print journalism, she remembered studying newspaper layout and design at CU, and learning about multimedia storytelling using photos, audio and text.

Those skills have come in handy at CPR, she said, where journalists are often expected to produce both radio and written pieces. As a student, Sanchez also took advantage of new programs offered to CMCI students, like the Pathways to Excellence summer bridge program and CU in D.C., which sends CMCI students to Washington, D.C., for internships.

鈥淢entorship was something that鈥檚 really, really meaningful to me. I learned a lot about making connections and networking through (Pathways),鈥� Sanchez said. 鈥淚 wanted to help students coming behind me, and even now in my career, I鈥檓 finding mentors who can help me grow.鈥�

Journalism student photographs the Homecoming game in 2021.

Photo by Kimberly Coffin, CMCI

Paul Moloney teaches photojournalism in 2008.

Courtesy of Kevin Moloney

News Corps students report in the field in 2020.

Photo by Kimberly Coffin, CMCI

The view from today

Since its founding, CMCI has grown into the fourth-largest college on campus with about 2,400 students and 100 faculty. The university as a whole has also grown: 蜜桃传媒破解版下载 30,000 students live in a city of about 108,000 residents, according to recent estimates.

In 2020, journalism students shifted into remote classes during the worldwide upheaval caused by the coronavirus pandemic. They reported on the widespread social unrest that followed and a mass shooting within miles of campus. Today, they continue a 130-year legacy of providing student-led coverage for their community.

Looking ahead, Sanchez anticipated that diversifying staff will be increasingly important for newsrooms. As the U.S. population becomes more diverse, news outlets will need to reflect that shift and incorporate broader perspectives in their coverage.

One lesson for young journalists: Always be prepared, whether that means having a go-bag in your car or the right writing tools for any situation, she said.

In the future, Leach hopes the journalism industry can find a way to maintain its audience and secure stable funding. Students should keep an open mind if jobs are scarce鈥攑ublic relations and editing are always good options, he said.

鈥淔ind a way to do storytelling if that鈥檚 what you鈥檙e ultimately about,鈥� Leach said.

At Columbia University, Mencher became famous for his one-liners. 鈥淔ollow the buck,鈥� he would tell students. 鈥淚f they like you, you鈥檙e doing something wrong.鈥�

His advice for students today: 鈥淨uestion authority.鈥�

鈥淚 just hope that students have the same drive that students of my era had, which was to serve the public by giving people the information they need to lead decent, fulfilling lives,鈥� he said. 鈥淚 just hope they have the same drive for finding out the truth.鈥�

Media Archaeology Lab collection. Photos by Kimberly Coffin, CMCI

One hundred years ago, the University of Colorado approved a new Department of Journalism and launched its first four-year journalism degree program. This year, CMCI launched an effort to explore its own heritage鈥攁nd to uncover how the past impacts journalism education today.

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鈥楨very Story Is Important鈥� Anonymous (not verified) Sun, 08/21/2022 - 23:53

Juan Espinosa鈥檚 Journalism Legacy

University of Colorado Boulder students march to Regent Hall to peacefully protest in response to late financial aid in fall 1973.

By Anthony Albidrez
Photos by Juan Espinosa (Jour鈥�74)

Juan Espinosa captures a self-portrait with his
Pentax 35 mm camera, circa 1971鈥�74

The clock hit 3 a.m., and only three men remained in the game. For the men stationed at Da Nang Air Base in Vietnam, payday meant a long, late night of poker. During this particular game in 1968, Juan Espinosa (Jour鈥�74) would cash out with more than just the winning pot.

鈥淭here were only about three of us still playing, and the pot was huge because we had all the money of everybody that already dropped out,鈥� Espinosa said, recalling his time in the U.S. Air Force.

During the final hand, Espinosa threw in $20.

鈥淥ne of the guys that was still in, he says, 鈥楲ook, I don鈥檛 have 20 bucks, but I got this camera. I鈥檒l throw it in the pot if you鈥檒l accept,鈥欌€� Espinosa recalled. 鈥淗e threw the camera in the pot. And I won the pot, and I won the camera.鈥�

For Espinosa, that camera, a 35 mm Canon rangefinder, and that early morning in 1968 marked the beginning of his photographic career. Now 74 years old, he has kept his finger on the shutter button ever since.

Espinosa鈥檚 decadeslong, illustrious career in Colorado journalism has been marked by leadership and deep roots in his community. At 蜜桃传媒破解版下载 in the early 1970s, he launched El Diario de la Gente as a member of the campus group United Mexican American Students (UMAS), which aims to build cultural awareness of the Chicano community in Boulder.

He later moved to Pueblo, Colorado, where he co-founded the alternative community newspaper La Cucaracha and embarked on a 22-year journey in community journalism at The Pueblo Chieftain.

Through his journalism and photography, Espinosa has captured Colorado history, documenting Chicano movements and activism. His extensive photographic archive has been featured in museum exhibits, documentaries and news stories.

鈥淚 have always worked for my community, my whole journalistic career,鈥� Espinosa said. 鈥淚f I saw something wrong, I reported it just the way I saw it.鈥�

A new voice in Boulder

"I have always worked for my community, my whole journalistic career. If I saw something wrong, I reported it just the way I saw it.
-Juan Espinosa

After his time in the Air Force, Espinosa completed his associate degree at Mesa College in Grand Junction then enrolled as a journalism student at 蜜桃传媒破解版下载 in 1971.

His arrival followed the swell of Chicano activism in the Southwest in the 1960s, known as the Chicano Movement or El Movimiento. At CU, Espinosa quickly deepened his involvement with UMAS and the growing Chicano community on campus.

By 1972, he and other students launched El Diario de la Gente, an independent Chicano newspaper on campus, to give the community its own platform. The newspaper covered a wide range of topics, such as boycotts, protests and tensions with 蜜桃传媒破解版下载 administration.

鈥淲e felt we were being misrepresented in the mass media, that they didn鈥檛 know who Mexicans were. They didn鈥檛 know who Chicanos were,鈥� Espinosa said. 鈥淎nd we decided that we needed our own publication to tell our own story, in our own words, using our own vocabulary, and that was really one of the goals that I set for myself in starting El Diario.鈥�

That same year, he photographed students as they protested the firing of Ricardo Falc贸n, assistant director of UMAS Educational Opportunity Program (EOP), who was later killed in a racially motivated confrontation in New Mexico.

In 1973, Espinosa was covering a campaign stop by Chicano and workers rights leader C茅sar Ch谩vez in Denver when Ch谩vez recruited Espinosa to work for the United Farm Workers鈥� (UFW) newspaper, El Malcriado. There Espinosa photographed many pivotal moments during UFW鈥檚 struggle for farmworkers鈥� labor rights in California.

Back in Boulder, Espinosa covered increasing tensions between Chicano students and the 蜜桃传媒破解版下载 administration over financial aid. When administrators lost financial aid files and issued late stipend checks, students enrolled in the EOP couldn鈥檛 pay tuition
or living expenses.

Many believed the issues were purposeful鈥攎eant to deter Chicano students from enrolling in the program.

鈥淢ost of us had never even aspired to go to the University of Colorado. And all of a sudden, the doors were open, and we could attend,鈥� said Espinosa, who both covered the events and joined student protests. 鈥淲e think it was an attempt on the part of the university to keep UMAS from growing so fast.鈥�

In May 1974, UMAS students occupied Temporary Building 1 (TB-1), a small, administrative building at 1715 Pleasant St., to urge negotiations and remedy the ongoing issues.

While TB-1 was occupied, loud blasts could be heard all over Boulder. Within two days, two cars were bombed, killing six activists and students who had been involved in the protests. The six people killed would come to be known as Los Seis de Boulder: Una Jaakola, Reyes Martinez, Neva Romero, Francisco Dougherty, Heriberto Teran and Florencio Granado.

鈥淚t wasn鈥檛 until cars started blowing up and students started dying from these car bombings that the university agreed to negotiate,鈥� Espinosa said.

After 18 days of occupation, the administration agreed to negotiate with the students. All demands were met, and the occupation of TB-1 ended.

Espinosa documented these events within the pages of El Diario. Based on Espinosa鈥檚 photography, 蜜桃传媒破解版下载 alumna Jasmine Baetz in 2019 created images of each of the Los Seis de Boulder victims on a sculpture that is located in front of the Albert and Vera Ramirez Temporary Building 1 next to the 蜜桃传媒破解版下载 Recreation Center. In September 2020, the University Libraries announced that it had acquired the sculpture as part of its Rare and Distinctive Collections.

鈥淚f students had power, student publications also had political power. My goal was to make a publication that had power,鈥� Espinosa said. 鈥淲hat we really were trying to do was tell our own story. We were not represented well in the media.鈥�

鈥楾he truth speaks for itself鈥�

When Espinosa moved to Pueblo after graduation, he found that Chicano communities also lacked media representation in the city.

Espinosa co-founded La Cucaracha in 1976 with his wife, Deborah Espinosa, and David Martinez, longtime friend and colleague. After his time at La Cucaracha, he began reporting at The Pueblo Chieftain in 1988. As a Chicano journalist, Espinosa reported for both publications on issues and challenges facing the Chicano community.

鈥淭he things that we wanted to accomplish with our own newspapers, I was trying to accomplish at a daily newspaper,鈥� he said. 鈥淚 was trying to represent Chicanos and people of color accurately and let them speak for themselves as much as possible.鈥�

Espinosa began at The Chieftain on the police beat but would later cover the education and government beats. He wrote a popular column titled 鈥淛uan鈥檚 World鈥� for 17 years.

鈥淗e鈥檇 been publishing La Cucaracha, which was a wonderful protest newspaper. And it just really attacked wrongdoing in the district attorney鈥檚 office and other places, and his journalism was just exemplary,鈥� said Steve Henson, who reported alongside Espinosa before becoming managing editor of The Pueblo Chieftain.

Henson鈥檚 predecessor recruited Espinosa, saying the young journalist鈥檚 perspective was needed in their newsroom.

鈥淲e were all thrilled because we all admired Juan and what he had done,鈥� Henson recalled. 鈥淔or a young guy like Juan, who was in his 20s, to be taking on this kind of power was pretty courageous.鈥�

La Cucaracha published weekly until 1983, and special editions have been published thereafter. After his 22-year journey at The Pueblo Chieftain, Espinosa retired in 2009. While working at the daily newspaper, Espinosa also taught social studies from 1993 to 2007 at Centennial High School in Pueblo.

鈥淚 was trying to represent Chicanos and people of color accurately and let them speak for themselves as much as possible.
-Juan Espinosa

Espinosa鈥檚 journalism tells us the story of life, culture and society in Pueblo, which he calls home to this day.

鈥淭he truth speaks for itself, and Juan鈥檚 always been about that,鈥� Henson said.

Honoring a journalism legacy

In May 2022, CU regents awarded Espinosa an honorary doctorate for outstanding achievement in the field of journalism.

鈥淲e both look back in awe that we saw so much history. We have witnessed change. We changed ourselves, grew tremendously with all of the experiences,鈥� said his wife, Deborah Espinosa, who was the director of El Pueblo History Museum for 25 years and worked for History Colorado. 鈥淎nd now we鈥檙e considered elders often sought for our opinions, direction, research. We assist a lot of students who are wanting to know about that era鈥攁lthough it鈥檚 not an era to us, it鈥檚 our life.鈥�

Martinez was one of many friends, colleagues and supporters to nominate Espinosa for the honorary doctorate.

鈥淚t鈥檚 a very notable punctuation as well as recognition for the good work that he has created and produced during his own journalistic career. He is also a role model for future journalists,鈥� Martinez said. 鈥淧robably the most important component of his work is the education that was brought to his audiences.鈥�

For Espinosa, his career in journalism was like having a front seat to history. Camera in hand, he captured significant moments in Boulder and around Colorado.

鈥淓very assignment, every story is important,鈥� Espinosa said. 鈥淎nd together, they create a knowledge about a community. I believe that my stories have helped define who we are as Chicanos in this country and in the part of the world that I鈥檝e interacted with. And I think that鈥檚 really important.鈥�

In the 1970s, Juan Espinosa (Jour鈥�74) embarked on a journalism career that has spanned a lifetime and documents key moments in Colorado history. In May 2022, CU Regents awarded Espinosa with an honorary doctorate degree for outstanding achievement in the field of journalism.

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Anonymous — Wed, 10 Nov 2021 21:22:28 +0000

Payden's Passion Anonymous (not verified) Wed, 11/10/2021 - 14:22

Bill Payden (Jour鈥�57) loved traveling the world and being a journalist. He loved his collection of miniature cars and airplanes. He loved his older sister, Joan Payden, and his cat, Neely. And he loved being a professor.

In 2005, his passion for teaching and desire to reward those who have chosen teaching as a career led him to establish an eponymous faculty award given out annually at the College of Media, Communication and Information.

Payden and his sister were born in Connecticut but attended grade school in Jakarta, Indonesia, where their father worked for Union Carbide. He started college at Notre Dame and very much enjoyed the academics, but the weather and his desire to go West convinced him to make a move after two years. He鈥檇 spent a summer in Colorado working near the Four Corners and, because of that, chose to finish his undergraduate studies at the University of Colorado Boulder in the School of Journalism and Mass Communication. According to Joan Payden, he knew immediately that 蜜桃传媒破解版下载 was the right fit.

After graduation, Payden returned to the East Coast and became a reporter and feature writer for the Mamaroneck (N.Y.) Daily Times. He liked small-town life and once turned down an opportunity to write for The New York Times because he did not want to live in the city. Eventually, he paused his reporting career and moved to California to earn a master鈥檚 degree in American studies from California State University, Los Angeles.

In 1970, 13 years after graduating from 蜜桃传媒破解版下载, he turned his attention to teaching. He joined the faculty at Los Angeles Valley College, developed its journalism program and chaired the journalism department for more than a decade.

Payden never forgot 蜜桃传媒破解版下载 and was a loyal donor for many decades. In 2005, he started the William R. Payden Faculty Excellence Award, which recognizes superior teaching and research or creative work with a $20,000 cash prize. This prize, first given in the School of Journalism and Mass Communication and now at CMCI, is the largest faculty award given at the school or college level at 蜜桃传媒破解版下载.

鈥淏ill thought professors gave up a lot in order to teach,鈥� Joan Payden says. 鈥淗e was very conscious of that.鈥�

In 2010, he donated $500,000 to endow this award and ensure its future.

鈥淭he Payden Award provides CMCI the unique opportunity to present a significant monetary award to an outstanding professor,鈥� says Lori Bergen, founding dean of CMCI. 鈥淔aculty members in higher education seldom receive this level of acknowledgment and reward.鈥�

Although Bergen never had the opportunity to meet Bill Payden, she has gotten to know him through conversations with his sister. 鈥淲e are very proud to have him as an alumnus and very grateful for the impact he has had at CMCI,鈥� Bergen says.

Although he died in 2013, Payden鈥檚 impact at CMCI continues to grow.

Joan Payden, who runs Payden & Rygel, a global investment management firm, contributed to Bill鈥檚 legacy by directing more than $800,000 from his estate to CMCI. Those funds were used to create a second endowment, the William R. Payden Endowment for Teaching Excellence, which is used to award smaller grants to CMCI faculty to reward outstanding work and support innovation in teaching, professional development and research. In June 2021, Joan donated an additional $500,000 to the Payden teaching grant endowment, ensuring that faculty can benefit from the award for years to come.

Payden teaching grants have helped CMCI evolve by supporting faculty engagement in curricular development. In 2019, Pat Ferrucci, an associate professor in the Department of Journalism, received a Payden teaching grant for his leadership in establishing CMCI鈥檚 sports media minor. Ferrucci also received the Payden Award in 2020.

鈥淩eceiving the Payden Award meant a great deal to me,鈥� Ferrucci says. 鈥淎s a professor, I started teaching to make a difference and maybe help students think about journalism through a more critical and equitable lens. This award is a nice recognition that I鈥檓 hopefully accomplishing these goals.鈥�

When Joan Payden thinks of her brother, two words come to mind. 鈥淏ill was passionate and committed no matter what he did,鈥� she says.

Journalist Bill Payden (Jour'57) created the William R. Payden Faculty Excellence Award, the largest faculty award given at the college level at 蜜桃传媒破解版下载, to recognize superior teaching, research or creative work.

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Alumni

2 minutes with...

Max Pollak (Advert鈥�10)Creative Director, Deutsch LA

Rory Fitzgerald BledsoePhD Candidate, Media Studies

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Paying it forward

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From peaks to front lines

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Peak performer

Climbing the ranks

Hands on with the news

鈥楧oing the work because she loves the work鈥�

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What鈥檚 better than fiction?

Righting wrongs by speaking up

Behind the scenes, but visible

A Ladder to the U.S.

Take This: Career Advice

Be nice to everyone.

Any job you take is a learning experience.

Be inquisitive.

Hire carefully.

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The Real People Behind the News

Making a difference

Moments of joy

Trust and credibility

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Then and Now: Fall 2022

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Journalism Through the Decades

The first years

The war and Red Scare

Watergate and new journalism

The rise of the internet

The new college

The view from today

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鈥楨very Story Is Important鈥�

A new voice in Boulder

鈥楾he truth speaks for itself鈥�

Honoring a journalism legacy

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Payden's Passion

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Max Pollak (Advert鈥�10)
Creative Director, Deutsch LA

Rory Fitzgerald Bledsoe
PhD Candidate, Media Studies