Atwood Foundation donates $50,000 to support the Atwood Chair of Journalism

Recently, the Atwood Foundation donated $50,000 to support the Atwood Chair of Journalism within the University of Alaska Anchorage's Department of Journalism and Public Communications (JPC).

The Atwood Chair of Journalism was established at UAA in 1979 by Robert B. Atwood, publisher of The Anchorage Times, and his wife, Evangeline Atwood, to help advance the quality of print and broadcast journalism in Alaska. (Read a little bit more about the start of the Chair in JPC founder Sylvia Broady's "I Am UAA" profile. And learn more about the 2009 Chair Pat Yack in his own "I Am UAA" profile.)

Funds for the Chair are used to bring nationally recognized journalists/educators to the Department of Journalism and Public Communications as distinguished visiting professors. These outstanding professionals teach the foundation courses in newswriting and reporting, and hold seminars in various broad issues of journalism. Students from all disciplines are encouraged to enroll in the seminars.

To date, the Atwood Foundation has generously committed over $3,170,000 to the University of Alaska for the Robert B. Atwood Chair of Journalism and the Elaine Atwood Scholarship for Journalism and Public Communications Students. In addition to their current support of $50,000 to the chair position, the Atwood Foundation has issued a $2,400,000 challenge to the community to raise $100,000 for the Atwood Chair of Journalism Endowment. Interested donors should contact Harry Need, development officer, in the Office of Advancement at hwneed@uaa.alaska.edu or (907) 786-4840.