BIDDEFORD — A new University of New England program will designate “Community News Fellows” to cover specific beats or stories identified by local media partners, with guidance and support from the university. The volume of community news outlets has been in decline for years, but the University of New England is taking steps to support local news organizations.
A new University of New England program will designate “Community News Fellows” to cover specific beats or stories identified by local media partners, with guidance and support from the university. Brianna Soukup photo/Press Herald
According to a UNE news release, since 2004, the United States has lost more than 2,100 newspapers. Today, two-thirds of U.S. counties have just one daily newspaper, and more than 200 counties have no local newspaper at all. The new Community News program within UNE’s School of Arts and Humanities seeks to help respond to this challenge by strengthening ties to local news outlets in York and Cumberland counties and deliver quality, student-generated reporting.
The program will designate “Community News Fellows” to cover specific beats or stories identified by local media partners, with guidance and support from the university. This initiative is a component of the school’s newly revised Communications and Media Arts major, which enables students to pursue tracks in sports media, video production, and reporting and public relations.
Notably, it is funded in part by the new Faculty Champions program led by The Center for Community News at the University of Vermont and sponsored by the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation.
The effort is being led by Michael J. Cripps, Ph.D., academic director of the School of Arts and Humanities and professor of rhetoric and composition, and Jesse Miller, M.F.A., assistant teaching professor within the school. Miller teaches journalism and serves as faculty advisor to The Bolt, UNE’s student news outlet.
The Faculty Champions program, according to the news release, seeks to help address the difficulties facing local news by recognizing faculty leaders who are working to build innovative programs across the U.S. It supports faculty at 33 colleges and universities from 21 states who are starting and growing local news partnerships, including 15 from minority-serving institutions.
“Our faculty and students are excited to be a part of a national effort to connect aspiring journalists to community news outlets to help address challenges in local news reporting,” Cripps said in an email. “We are eager to begin conversations with area news outlets to discover how our students might help support local reporting needs.”
The Faculty Champions project is part of a larger initiative to expand experiential learning opportunities for students in the School of Arts and Humanities through credit-bearing and paid internships, curriculum-based projects, and co-curricular activities.
University of Maine announces fall 2022 Dean’s List
UMaine releases fall dean’s list
The University of Maine recognized 3,010 students for achieving dean’s list honors in the fall 2022 semester. Of the students who made the dean’s list, 1,983 are from Maine, 957 are from 45 other states and 70 are from 25 countries other than the U.S.
Local students included:
Biddeford: Ayla Aldrich, Gabriella Bermeo, David Bourque, Seth Harding, Brandon Martin, Ethan McBrine, Sam Mills, Bart Murphy, Mia Pothier, Zack St. Pierre and Nick Titcomb.
Lyman: Hannah Bradish, Nick Hammond, Alexander Levesque, Emily Morin, Daylin Soule and Andres Vargas.
Old Orchard Beach: Peter Coleman, Madi Courtois, Alexander Hodgkins, Lily LaCasse, Amir Seidakhmetov and Emily Tucker.
Saco: Owen Boissonneault, Victoria Boure, Sydney Brown, Benjamin Cobb, Michael Delorge, William Dunham, McCallum Harkins, Evan Hollander, George Horvat, Jack Johnson, Kaitlyn Kelley, Rowan Libby, Wyatt Light, Kelvin Lin, Claire Loeser, Toby Ouellette, Jennie Poisson, Stefan Reis, Emily Ruocco, Ashley Tillson and Sophie Whiting.
Trinity Episcopal Church schedules auction
The annual Trinity Episcopal Church Auction is scheduled for Friday, May 19 from 6 to 8:30 p.m. Trinity Episcopal Church is located at 15 Cleveland St. in Saco.
The event will include a silent auction from 6 to 8 p.m., followed by a live auction. Tickets cost $10 per person and include refreshments, light hors d’oeuvre, and the live auction. Local businesses have donated items to be auctioned.
It is the first auction held in several years because of the pandemic and dedicated to the memory of Charlie Miller, who coordinated it every year.
Comments are not available on this story.
Send questions/comments to the editors.
