Journalists in ASU's Student Media are beginning to pick a favorite.
The second of two candidates for the position of Director of Student Media appeared at an hour-long Q & A session on Wednesday for a handful of various student journalists.
Jim Fickess, currently a professor of journalism in ASU's Walter Cronkite School, is opposing current Arizona Republic Metro desk editor, Kristin Gilger for the position.
Well-liked by students for his engaging personality and obvious passion to teach journalism, Fickess would also bring an impressive resume into the Director's office.
Fickess has spent 30 years as a newspaper journalist. He has also spent 17 years as an editor of different types.
His experience touches as close to home as Phoenix, where he has worked as assistant city editor for The Arizona Republic since 2000, and as far as Iowa, where he began his career in print journalism as a part-time sportswriter in 1969.
Much like Gilger, his background is primarily in print media, though not limited to it. Fickess, like his fellow candidate, is a proponent of convergence between ASU's various Student Media outlets.
"Convergence- that's the magic word to me," Fickess said.
With the two candidates' resumes circulating around the Mathews Center- the headquarters for ASU's State Press, WebDevil, and Channel 2- it is only a matter of time before students make up their minds as to who their favorite is.
However, the duty of selecting a replacement for longtime Director Bruce Itule, who left the position in September, will be chiefly up to a diverse selections committee.
