UM's Van
Valkenburg wins
national journalism award
Carol Van Valkenburg, a professor in UM's School of Journalism, has been
chosen as one of three Journalism Teachers of the Year by the Freedom Forum. The awards
honor outstanding teaching and leadership in the core areas of print and journalism
instruction reporting, editing, journalism history, media law and ethics. "Carol
Van Valkenburg's talent and creativity are abundant," said Charles Overby, chair and
chief executive officer of the Freedom Forum. "She's a respected professional in both
education and journalism, a tireless coach and adviser to her students, and a leader in
efforts to make journalism more inclusive."
A Great Falls native, Van Valkenburg has taught at UM for nearly 20 years, having
previously worked for the Missoulian from 1972 to 1981.
Ten years ago she helped create the Native News Honors Project at the University to
encourage young journalists to broaden coverage of American Indians, Montana's largest
minority population. Student teams of reporters, photographers, editors and designers are
chosen to research a topic, visit the state's seven Indian reservations and produce a
tabloid newspaper that is distributed statewide through daily newspapers and on the
reservations. Last year, for the first time, the student teams produced an hour-long
documentary that aired on public television.
Van Valkenburg serves as faculty adviser to the 101-year-old UM student newspaper, the
Montana Kaimin. She also works as a copy editor for the Philadelphia Inquirer during the
summer and continues her research on Japanese detainees in the United States during World
War II. She is author of a 1995 book "An Alien Place: The Fort Missoula Detention
Camp, 1941-1945."
"I hope I give my students the same passion for this profession that my professors
gave me," said Van Valkenburg. "I tell them that learning journalism is learning
how to think. I believe in asking a lot from students because I'm so impressed with what
they can deliver."
Van Valkenburg will receive a medal and $10,000 for her award, which will be presented
at the Freedom Forum awards luncheon on Wednesday, Aug. 9, at the convention for Education
in Journalism and Mass Communications in Phoenix. She was selected for the award by a
committee of former editors and educators from nominations submitted to the Freedom Forum
by UM journalism Dean Jerry Brown and Associate Professor Dennis Swibold.
This is the fourth year the awards have been given.
"Journalism is fortunate to have such devoted and energetic teachers who set high
standards for their students," said Felix Gutierrez, senior vice president and
executive director of the Freedom Forum Pacific Coast Center. "We're proud to honor
them."
The Freedom Forum is a nonpartisan, international foundation dedicated to free press,
free speech and free spirit for all people.
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