From Our Archive
June
9, 2003
Scripps Howard Foundation names director for "Semester in Washington" program
CINCINNATI -- Scripps Howard
Foundation has named scholar, educator and professional
journalist Jody Beck to head its "Semester in Washington"
reporting laboratory for college journalism
students.
Beck, 53, became director of the "Semester in
Washington" program effective June 2.
She succeeds
Martha Wilson, who led the program since 1999. Beck has 24
years experience as a broadcast television and newspaper
journalist. She’s been a lecturer at the University of
Maryland’s Philip Merrill College of Journalism since
2001.
"The Semester in Washington program
exists to provide journalism students with a realistic setting
where they can learn firsthand what it's like to be a
professional journalist working in our nation's capital," said
Judith G. Clabes, president and CEO of the Foundation. "The
key to the program's success is finding the person with the
right credentials and background to serve as mentor and
teacher. Jody Beck fits that profile and I'm confident that
her appointment will strengthen what already has been a
successful academic program."
"Semester in Washington" was created by the
Foundation in 1998. The program offers students from selected
colleges and universities hands-on reporting and editing
experience during three full semester sessions and one inter-session.
At least three international students participate through
a partnership with the International Center for Journalists.
The student journalists report for the Scripps Howard
Foundation Wire www.shfwire.com and
take freelance assignments. Their stories are made available
to news organizations around the
country.
Students
work out of an office adjacent to the Scripps Howard News
Service Washington bureau. Housing is provided by the
Foundation and each student receives a stipend to cover other
living expenses while in
Washington.
As director of “Semester in Washington,” Beck will be
working directly with the students, giving them story
assignments, working with them on story development and
finding outlets for their work. She also will present a weekly
“Press and Politics” seminar.
As a
lecturer at the Philip Merrill College of Journalism, Beck
taught print and broadcast reporting classes and was editor of
Suburban Newsline, an online publication for the work of
mid-level print reporting students. Before becoming a lecturer
at Maryland, she served as a member of the university's
adjunct faculty. From 1999 to 2001 Beck also served as adjunct
faculty at Catholic University of America, The American
University, Northern Virginia Community College and Montgomery
College.
Before becoming an educator, Beck worked 16 years as a
metro editor and assignment manager for WRC-TV in Washington,
D.C. At WRC, she was responsible for coordinating daily news
coverage plans with the station’s managing editor. She came to
WRC from The Washington Star, where she began her career as a
professional journalist shortly after she graduated from
college. Beck started at the Star in 1973, taking dictation
and serving as a freelance writer. Two years later she was
reporting for the newspaper's metro staff. She also served as
an assistant metro editor and copy editor before the newspaper
ceased publication in 1981.
Beck has a master's degree in journalism from the
University of Maryland. She earned her bachelor's degree in
journalism from the University of
Nebraska-Lincoln.
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.
Contact: Judy Clabes, Scripps Howard Foundation, 513-977-3048, clabes@scripps.com