w w w w w w w w w w w 144 r T Iquip- mqqmp- T qw T T 14W 114or T 1 Wrl'ters (Continued from Page 3) for yourself. It's downright scary at fir- st. We've spent agonizing days and nights trying to squeeze as much as we can from the program before the time slips by." The age difference between the fellows and their classmates presents few problems. Though the fellows are in their 30s, they say classmates don't ap- pear intimated by their presence. Deborah Saul, a reporter for the Monroe Evening News, admits to having been surprised to discover the instructor for a class on the 1960s was younger than herself. But she adds, "he does a good job and has brought in- sights to me." Although each Fellow determines the majority of his own curriculum, there are two seminars designed specifically for them. Each meets once a week in a lounge in the Frieze Building. The Humanities seminar is taught by University faculty. The overall theme of the course is "America since the Great Depression." Experts on literature, art history, music, com- munications, law, and history discuss developments in these areas since the New Deal. Dianne Selditch, editor of The Orlan- do Sentinel's Florida Magazine, says the humanities seminar has taught her humility. "It's made me see that journalists aren't the only ones trying to understand society." Others say the seminar has helped to fill in gaps in their knowledge of politics and economics. Communications professor Frank Beaver teaches a four-week series each March on how films since the Great Depression reflect the changing national mood. He also provides an in- troductory lecture which he calls an "orientation to film opportunities in Ann Arbor." Beaver says he enjoys teaching the fellows: "They've been out in the world and have interesting perspectives on film. People such as political writers and art critics make discussions stimulating." The other seminar is on journalism. Each week a discussion is led by a dif- ferent guest journalist. Although the lecturers receive only small monetary compensation, Hovey says he never has trouble convincing them to come teach. Sessions are informal wine and snack gatherings during which the fellows ex- change ideas on operational and ethical problems of journalism. Discussions get serious but not so intense that joking in inappropriate. In a recent conversation about the danger of reporters becoming biased to the viewpoints of their sources, the question was raised, "How far should you go? How close should you get to your source?" Alan Berlow, defense correspondent for National Public Radio, replied with mock seriousness, "heavy petting." The participants agree that one of the most valuable aspects of the program is the chance to ex- change ideas and information with journalists of various backgrounds. They come from all over the world and represent news media of many types. The diverse group quickly becomes a closely-knit one. Several fellows describe Hovey and his administrative assistant, Margaret DeMuth, as being so kind and supportive that they are almost like parents. Friendships formed here continue when the fellows return to their jobs. Winter says there is a group of former fellows on the East Coast who arrange an annual reunion. Some of the journalists attend the program specifically to help them ad- vance professionally. Nak-Cheon Baek, economics reporter for the Korean Broadcasting System, had distinct Bennett explains, "I had been covering the courts, where you have to become an expert in an instant. You begin to wonder what you're looking at. It's a chance here to step back and see it all from a theoretical point of view." 3erlow agrees. "I'm concentrating on subjects that I've been interested in for a long time. You don't get a lot of time to do that; when you're working. It's a good break from the rat race." "I think we become much more aware of what we actually care about," Selditch says of the program's impact. "When I return, my contributions to the 'We cannot allow the program to be discon- tinued. It's good' for the University, but more than that, it's better for the industry' - Fred Brown former fellow had time to-do, now is the time to do it," she says. Berlow adds, "I have a much healthier lifestyle here. I define my existence here more than I do in the real world where I wind up working a lot of overtime." Baek travelled to Sewerd, Alaska, last month to cover the establishment of a Korean coal mine for a television program in his country. He says he missed not getting feedback on the program, but a Korean doctoral student at the University told him about seeing it while on vacation. Baek says, "I would like to stay longer here, but in another way I have a desire to work again. Sometimes I think working in the media, especially television, is like drugs." Nearly all of the 131 journalists who have participated in Journalists in Residence have remained in the jour- nalism field. Even after his successful series on Appalachia, Brown says he would like to return to Journalists in Residence. "I loved it. There's a grand resource in that institution and Graham Hovey does a fine job of bringing in top notch folks." Hovey credits his predecessor, Ben Yablonky, for building a vibrant program during his seven years as director of the program. Hovey will retire next year to teach journalism at the University of Shanghai. A replacement for him has not been found yet, but University officials say the success of the fund-raising drive has secured the place of Journalists in Residence on campus. Brown says, "We can not allow the program to be discontinued. It's good for the University, but more than that, it's better for the industry. "And for the journalists who win the fellowships.it's irreplaceable." Folz is a Daily staff writer goals when he decided to attend a program so far from his home. He wan- ts to learn more about cable television before it is installed in Korea to broad- cast the 1988 Olympics. "During the 1988 Olympics there will be much need for using the English language. After I finish the program I hope I can speak more English." he ad- ds. Fellows also say the program gives them an opportunity to take a step back from the day-to-day grind of professional journalism and examine their goals. paper will be more fully me." After spending nine months in the academic routine some journalists wonder if they can make the transition back to their professional work. "Daily journalism is more creative than an assembly line, but there's still an assembly line type aspect to the process," Selditch says. The fellows say they have more free time here to exercise and pursue out- side interests than they do on their job. Saul, for example, is enrolled in a dance class along with her academic courses. "They tell us, if there's something you've always wanted to do and never Fellows in Residence: an informal gathering to discuss the goals of journalism. 4 Weekend/Friday, February 22, 1985 Weekend/Friday.