Faces Profile : Anne Medley

By Will Freihofer

Anne Medley spent the summer working with the Freedom Forum Diversity Institute, teaching courses in both Nashville, Tenn., and Vermillion, S.D., before returning to Missoula this fall. At the Freedom Forum, Medley, a graduate student in journalism at UM, taught multimedia journalism to minority students – including several current UM students.

Working with students involved with the Chips Quinn Scholars Program, Black College Wire, and American Indian Journalism Institute, Medley helped served the Freedom Forum’s goal of getting minority students into newsrooms across the country. “I really support their mission,” Medley said.

Reznet director and former J-School professor Denny McAuliffe helped facilitate Medley’s hiring by forwarding a video she produced for NewWest.net to Val Hoeppner, manager of multimedia education at the Freedom Forum. “It was on the urban chicken controversy,” Medley said, referring to an odd but contentious issue that divided the Missoula City Council last year.

Medley enjoyed her experience, and is looking forward to continued work with the Freedom Forum this winter, when she’ll be heading back to both Nashville and Vermillion to work as an instructor for additional courses.

“It’s just been a great opportunity for me,” Medley said, “I’m very grateful.”