Student Wins Scholarship Funded by WEAC

A Monona Grove High School student has won a $500 scholarship funded by WEAC.

Julia Steege won the Willard G. Bleyer Centennial Scholarship for her essay on how unethical journalistic practices affect the perception of the media and the ability of journalists to do their jobs.

Named for the professor who first taught journalism at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, the scholarship was awarded as part of this month's celebration of the 100th anniversary of journalism education on the campus.

"This was a particularly apt subject, since Willard Bleyer was a strong and early advocate for journalistic ethics," said Kathleen Bartzen Culver, a faculty associate in the School of Journalism and Mass Communications who served on the selection committee. "Julia did a fantastic job. She shows a real knowledge of the media and presented a compelling case for high ethical standards."

High school students from across the state with an interest in journalism applied for the scholarship, and a faculty committee chose the winner.

Bleyer taught the first journalism class at UW-Madison in 1905, and that venture evolved into today's School of Journalism and Mass Communications. The school has become a leader in training communications professionals and in conducting research and analysis of media content.

Posted April 15, 2005