The School of Journalism at the University of Montana is accepting applications from journalists with distinguished credentials who would like to teach at the University of Montana for the fall semester of 2003.

The T. Anthony Pollner Distinguished Professorship was established to honor the memory of Anthony Pollner, a 1999 graduate of the UM School of Journalism. After Anthony died in an accident in May 2001, his friends and family created an endowment that allows the school to bring a working journalist to Missoula for one semester each academic year.

The Pollner professor teaches a seminar on a topic of his or her choice and works with the staff of the Montana Kaimin, the student newspaper that is published four days a week. Anthony's greatest interest while attending J-School was working for the Kaimin.

Jonathan Weber

In addition to teaching and working with student journalists, the Pollner professor delivers the annual Pollner lecture on a topic relating to the news media.

The first Pollner professor was Jonathan Weber, who, after several years as a business reporter and technology editor at the Los Angeles Times, became founding editor of The Industry Standard. At UM, Weber taught a seminar on globalization and the press. His lecture examined the rise and fall of The Industry Standard, the fastest-growing magazine in American history.

Tom Cheatham, an Emmy-winning foreign correspondent and editor for NBC News, was the Pollner professor during fall semester 2002. Cheatham began his career with UPI and was wounded as a correspondent in Vietnam. His seminar subject was war correspondence; his lecture topic was the role of the press in wartime.

Tom Cheatham

Fall semester 2003 begins at the end of August and ends the third week of December. Compensation for the Pollner professor is $43,000 for the semester. Letters of interest, including a vita, should be sent to Carol Van Valkenburg, School of Journalism, 32 Campus Drive, Missoula, MT, 59812.

The school expects to select the next Pollner professor by late February.