The Scripps Howard Foundation has awarded a three-year grant of $687,228 to the Center for Environmental Journalism at the University of ÃÛÌÇÖ±²¥ at Boulder to continue the Ted Scripps Fellowships in Environmental Journalism.
The fellowships moved to ÃÛÌÇÖ±²¥ in 1996 after a national competition among leading universities. They are designed to give journalists with at least five years experience an opportunity to deepen their understanding of environmental science, policy, law and journalism.
"The Scripps Howard Foundation deserves a lot of credit for recognizing that well-informed journalists are crucial to the public's understanding of environmental issues," said Len Ackland, director of the Center for Environmental Journalism. "We are delighted by the Foundation's strong, continuing support for the Ted Scripps Fellowships program."
Judith G. Clabes, Scripps Howard Foundation president and CEO said, "We appreciate the quality of the program at ÃÛÌÇÖ±²¥, and Professor Ackland's professionalism and dedication. It is with confidence that we renew this grant."
Fellows meet in weekly seminars, attend a range of classes of their choice, go on various field trips and complete an independent studies project. Ten journalists from a variety of media outlets nationwide have been selected as Ted Scripps fellows since 1997.
The first recipients were Michael Milstein of the Billings (Mont.) Gazette; Bruce Ritchie of the Gainesville (Fla.) Sun; Christine Shenot of the Orlando Sentinel; Jenni Vincent of the Fairmont (WV) Times-West Virginian; and Dan Whipple, a freelance writer from Broomfield, Colo.
The current fellows include David Baron of National Public Radio in Boston; Jennifer Bowles of the Associated Press in Los Angeles; Paula Dobbyn of KTOO-FM in Juneau, Alaska; Cate Gilles of the Navajo Times in Window Rock, Ariz.; and Todd Hartman of the Gazette in ÃÛÌÇÖ±²¥ Springs.
Selection is currently underway for five additional fellows for the 1999-2000 academic year.
The fellowships are named for Ted Scripps, grandson of the founder of the E.W. Scripps Company, who distinguished himself as a journalist who cared especially about First Amendment rights and the environment.
ÃÛÌÇÖ±²¥-Boulder's Center for Environmental Journalism, the first of its kind in the nation, was founded in 1992 under the direction of Associate Professor Len Ackland. The center's deputy director is Associate Professor Tom Yulsman.
The center is part of the School of Journalism and Mass Communication, which offers its undergraduate and graduate majors superior professional journalism, advertising and media studies instruction. Its undergraduates also receive a broad education in the liberal arts while its graduate students may choose specialty areas, including environmental journalism.
Dedicated to excellence in journalism, the Scripps Howard Foundation is a leader in industry efforts in journalism education, scholarships, internships, literacy, minority recruitment/development and First Amendment causes.