Adrienne Anderson: Self portait with my dog Duncan at Valley View Hot Springs
EXPERIENCE
Courant Editor, Clear Creek Courant, Idaho Springs, Colo. 2006-2008
Everything I thought I knew about journalism changed when I took this position. As editor of a small town paper, I’ve had to learn the hard way the impact and power of the written word. I’ve been yelled at, called a dumb broad, labeled as bias and dubbed worthless. I’ve also been hugged, respected and appreciated for helping someone keep their home. I’ve wanted to quit as many times as I’ve wanted to move forward and quickly learned a weekly is not an easy alternative to a daily. Beyond updating the website daily, I was responsible for the duties of five staff members from your typical daily: Breaking news, features, website, layout, public relations and, at times, front desk clerk. It would be hard to find a better multi-tasker.
Cops, Business and City Reporter, Colorado Community Newspapers, Littleton, Colo. 2005-2006
The number one thing I learned at Colorado Community Newspapers — where I wrote seven to 13 stories a week for five south suburban newspapers — was that the industry has changed. As a police reporter for the entire group, I had to negotiate through the rules and policies of five different PIOs and learn to stand up for myself with respect to public records. I also had to get creative in the way I scooped stories due to the lack of access provided by local agencies. In short, the police beat made me a better journalist.
Strategies and Special Sections Intern, Denver Business Journal, Denver, Colo. 2003-2004
At the Denver Business Journal, my learning process was less on the beat than it was in the newsroom. I had the privilege and honor of working under two of the best editors in Denver as the only two-term intern at the newspaper. It is there that I learned clarity, competition, deadline writing and features skills under the guidance of a wordsmith and an old-school editor.
School newspaper junkie, Everywhere 1995-2004
I was a sophomore in high school when I decided I wanted to be a journalist. My teacher showed ‘All the Presidents Men’ in my sophomore journalism class and I never looked back — except once. For the next eight years I spent my time writing for school newspapers, or sometimes, starring in them.
Waitress, Everywhere, 1998-present
If there is someone better at listening to stories all day long than a waitress, I would like to know who they are and give them a medal.
EDUCATION
Metropolitan State College of Denver, Colo.
Bachelors of Arts in Journalism with a minor in Women Studies
AWARDS
2003- First memorial Gene Amole scholarship awarded by the Rocky Mountain News
2002-Greg Lopez memorial scholarship awarded by the Rocky Mountain News
2007-First Place, Best Serious Column Writing, awarded by the Colorado Press Association
2007-Second Place, Best Series, awarded by the Colorado Press Association
