The Bob Schieffer College of Communication welcomes Joel Anderson and Jim Witt to its Board of Visitors for four-year terms beginning in June 2016.
The BOV contributes to the sound growth and development of the college and brings visibility and contacts to the campus. Members are encouraged to provide advice regarding new programs and initiatives, assist students with employment opportunities and mentoring, and contribute to the financial priorities of the college.
Anderson, a graduate of TCU, is a senior national correspondent for BuzzFeed news. He writes news and narrative stories about the role of race, justice and sports in American life—from reporting from the streets of Ferguson and Baltimore during protests to profiling professional athletes and public figures. During his career, he’s worked at the Associated Press, the Tampa Bay Times, the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, and the Shreveport Times, covering beats including police, courts, city hall and sports. He’s been a contributor to ESPN The Magazine and his 2014 piece, “The Two Michael Sams,” is featured in The Best American Sportswriting 2015.
Witt has been executive editor and senior vice president of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram since 1996. He began his journalism career as the editor of the San Marcos Daily Record and worked at other papers in Texas and Florida before joining the Star-Telegram in 1986. During his tenure, the paper has been recognized by both the managing editors of the Associated Press and the Katie Awards of the Dallas Press Club. For 10 consecutive years, the Sports section has been named one of the 10 best in the country by the Associated Press Sports Editors, and the Features section recognized as one of the Top 10 in the country (under 200,000 circulation) by the American Association of Feature and Sunday Editors.
“Our board has a strong history and a deep commitment to the success of the Bob Schieffer College, and we look forward to the talent that Joel and Jim will add to the group,” said Kristie Bunton, dean of the college. “Our board now has 18 members whose backgrounds are as varied as their locations.
“We have a television news anchor, a public radio host, newspaper and magazine publishers, lawyers and media executives—just to name a few, and they live as far away as Maryland and California.”
Board terms are four years with eligibility to serve a second term if reappointed by the dean and with confirmation from the other members.
The Bob Schieffer College of Communication comprises four departments: communication studies; film, television and digital media; journalism; and strategic communication. Through a mixture of lecture-style and hands-on, in-the-field curricula, the college offers experiences that prepare students for success in today’s global communication environment.
The members of the board of visitors are as follows:
Hal Brown ‘88—Chairman, Publisher, Fort Worth,Texas magazine and FWinc.
Roy Eaton, ’59—Former Chairman, President/Publisher, Wise County Messenger
Joel Anderson, ’00, Sr. News Reporter, BuzzFeed
Kristin M. Anthony, ’97, Account Executive, ABC Television
Valerie K. Blackburn, ’79,Project Manager, CBS Radio
Krys Boyd, ’92, Host/Managing Editor, KERA’s Think
Earl Cox, Chairman of the Board, OFCO
Deborah Ferguson, ’87, Anchor, NBC 5 Today, NBC Universal
Nick Karanges, ’81 & ’83, Publisher, Fort Worth Business and Fort Worth Business CEO
Bob Lilly, Jr., ’86, President, Bob Lilly Professional Promotions
Troy Moncrief, ’94, President, The Baker Firm —Fidelity National Title
Jean Palmer-Savigny, ’96, Sr. Mgr. of Remote Operations, SportsNet New York
Amber Roberts ’97
Andrew Schwartz, Sr. VP for External Affairs, Center for Strategic and International Studies
Stephen Tatum, Partner, Cantey Hanger LLP
Brad Wall, ’95, Sr. VP, Broadcast Operations, Disney/ABC Networks Group
Michael Winter, President/Publisher, The Bowie News
Jim Witt, Executive Editor, Fort Worth Star-Telegram