Tuesday, January 27, 2009

Freedom Forum Names 11 Chips Quinn Scholars for Spring 2009 Internship Program

NASHVILLE, TENN. — Eleven students and young journalists from diverse backgrounds have been named Chips Quinn Scholars for spring 2009 by the Freedom Forum Diversity Institute and participating news organizations.

Scholars are employed at or will work in paid internships in 10 different newsrooms immediately following a week-long orientation program and multimedia journalism class.

They bring to 1,151 the number of men and women placed as reporters, copy editors, photographers, graphic artists and multimedia journalists since the program began with six Scholars in 1991. Of the Chips Quinn Scholars who have completed their education, 63 percent are employed today at news organizations throughout the United States.

Chips Quinn Scholars are college students or recent graduates interested in journalism careers. After completing the intensive orientation and multimedia training program with veteran journalists, Jan. 22-30, at the Freedom Forum’s John Seigenthaler Center in Nashville, Tenn., they will work in 10- to 12-week internships or in full-time jobs. Scholars are eligible for up to $1,600 in scholarships and stipends and ongoing mentoring from the Freedom Forum.

“These Chips Quinn Scholars bring much-needed diversity to newsrooms throughout the nation and help to raise the quality of journalism with their fresh perspectives and distinctive backgrounds,” said Jack Marsh, Freedom Forum’s vice president/diversity programs.

The training sessions in Nashville will include presentations and teaching by experienced journalists and industry leaders. Among the speakers are John C. Quinn, founder of the Chips Quinn Scholars program; John Seigenthaler, founder of the First Amendment Center; Ellyn Angelotti, interactivity editor and adjunct faculty of the Poynter Institute; Val Hoeppner, manager of multimedia education for the Diversity Institute; Gene Policinski, vice president of the First Amendment Center; career coaches Colleen Fitzpatrick and Mary Ann Hogan; Gethan Ward, health-care business reporter at The Tennessean; Sue Stock, retail reporter, The News & Observer in Raleigh, N.C.; Javacia Harris, staff writer, Velocity (The Courier-Journal), Louisville, Ky.; Edd Bowser, assistant slot editor, The Courier-Journal, Louisville, Ky.; Ryan Hiraki, reporter, The News-Press, Fort Myers, Fla.; Patrina Bostic, correspondent, Sarasota (Fla.) Herald-Tribune; Shannon Shaw, communications coordinator, Osage Nation, Pawhuska, Okla.; and Mae Yousif-Bashi, reporter, The News-Press at Fort Myers, Fla.

The Chips Quinn Scholars program (www.chipsquinn.org) is a major initiative of the Freedom Forum Diversity Institute to help news organizations increase diversity in their newsrooms. A fellowship component of the program provides professional-development opportunities for alumni who have been working in newsrooms for two or more years.

Information about Freedom Forum diversity programs is available at www.freedomforumdiversity.org.

Freedom Forum former trustee John C. Quinn and his late wife, Loie, established the Chips Quinn Scholars program in memory of their son John C. “Chips” Quinn Jr., who was managing editor of the Poughkeepsie (N.Y.) Journal when he died in an automobile accident in 1990 at the age of 34.

The Spring 2009 Scholars, their schools and sponsoring media organizations are:

Lanz Banes
Webster University
Times-Herald (Vallejo, Calif.)

Javier Barrera
City University of New York- Hunter College
America Abroad Media

Dalina Castellanos
University of Arizona
Tri-City Herald (Kennewick, Wash.)

Jacqueline Coe
Arizona State University
The Arizona Republic, Phoenix

Karen Francis
University of New Mexico-Gallup
Gallup (N.M.) Independent

Bettina Hansen
Arizona State University
The Advocate (Baton Rouge, La.)

Jakob Rodgers
University of Northern Colorado
Greeley (Colo.) Daily Tribune

Marjon Rostami
University of Texas
The Arizona Republic, Phoenix

Nicole Santa Cruz
University of Arizona
The Bulletin (Bend, Ore.)

Marco Santana
Eastern Illinois University
The Associated Press
(Des Moines, Iowa)

Anthony Williams
University of Texas-Arlington
The Observer (La Grande, Ore.)

Contact:
Karen Catone, 202/292-6271