Assistant Dean Steve Jones, left, gives Colorado Press Association editors a tour of the new ATLAS facility during the editors' annual visit in September.

This fall, Jodi Rave ('96) returned to the School as a Hearst Professional-in-Residence to talk about her work as a reporter for Lee Enterprises covering Native American issues for 56 daily newspapers in 22 states.

Rave is based at the Missoulian in Missoula, Mont., which she joined after completing a 2004 Nieman Fellowship at Harvard University.

Her reporting is included in the book, "The Authentic Voice," highlighting the best reporting on race and ethnicity. She told students that as journalists they can immerse themselves in an unfamiliar community, all while maintaining their respect for that community.

Although Rave is a member of the Mandan and Hidatsa tribes indigenous to North Dakota, she isn't familiar with all native tribes.

"Just because I am native doesn't mean that I am familiar with every tribe's specific custom and culture," Rave said. "My tribe is one of hundreds."

To gain the trust of other communities, Rave told students she made connections with members of the community who could advise her on how to get into the places no one else could access. If communities remained uncomfortable with Rave, she said that she would continue to show up to show sincere interest.

"You don't have to pull out your notebook on the first meeting," Rave said. "Let people become familiar with you." 

Jim Sheeler

That is how journalists build relationships, and it is through the respect given to each relationship that journalists get the stories others will not see, she said.

Another visiting Hearst Professional-in-Residence this fall was Tad Bartimus, former AP special correspondent and columnist. Bartimus was on a September panel with Sue Deans (MA '75), former editor of the Boulder Daily Camera; Nancy Lankford, former director of the National Women and Media Collection at the University of Missouri-Columbia; and Julia Martinez, editorial page writer at The Denver Post. They discussed the disparity between the number of women in journalism schools compared to those in leadership roles in the media.

Rocky Mountain News reporter Jim Sheeler talked about his Pulitzer-winning series "Final Salute" in October to a new required class, "Principles of Journalism."

Sheeler, a research master's student at the School, expects to complete his degree in spring. Sheeler and photographer Todd Heisler spent a year with Marines stationed at Aurora's Buckley Air Force Base who have found themselves called on to notify families of the deaths of their sons and daughters in Iraq. In each case in this story, the families agreed to let Sheeler and Heisler chronicle their loss and grief. Sheeler won the Pulitzer for feature writing and Heisler for feature photography.

Representatives of the Colorado Press Association visited the School in October, talking to several classes and touring the new broadcast studio in the ATLAS building.

The board of directors of the Colorado Broadcasters Association held its meeting in the ATLAS building in October and had lunch with broadcast students.

Jodi Rave

Brad Karsh, former vice president and director of talent acquisition at Leo Burnett, and a speaker on what it takes to land that first job, talked to students about resumes, interviewing, networking and business etiquette in November.

Teri Fildey ('99), who has returned to Boulder to as director of client services at TDA, talked to a Principles of Advertising class.

In June, Dick Weiss, the longtime writing coach and metro editor at the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, conducted a daylong writing workshop.

In July, Jonathan Weil ('91), former reporter for The Wall Street Journal, talked about breaking the business story of the decade – the Enron scandal – and how journalism impacts American business.

Weil is managing director and editor of financial research for Glass Lewis & Co.