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ALUMNI AT TELEGRAPH HERALD
PROUD OF ‘HOMEGROWN’ CLARKE ALUMNI ON STAFF
Clarke University recently caught up with several alumni who have made successful careers at the Dubuque Telegraph Herald (TH), many of whom have incredible longevity with the media company and have worn many hats. Each of them focuses on different facets of the newsroom, from content and design to decision-making on the day-to-day news flow.
Megan Gloss, Features Editor, said, “A big point of pride for us at the TH is how much ‘homegrown’ talent we have in our newsroom – among those are seven Clarke alumni, many of whom are in leadership positions and represent very different facets of our newsroom. Each of us also has had our work recognized and/or published at state and national levels and has had opportunities to be a part of presidential press pools and interview well-known entertainment and sports figures.”
A couple recent nods include Brenden West, who recently published a book titled, Golden Girls: The History of Wahlert Volleyball. Paul Kurutsides recently had his video work at the TH used in a "Daily Show" segment. Ben Jacobson was named an Outstanding Young Iowa Journalist by the Iowa Newspaper Association (INA).
Those alumni include:
Matt Connolly ’02 Interactive Media Database Director
Anthony Frenzel ’05 Central Paging Specialist
Megan Gloss ’03 Features Editor
Ben Jacobson ’10 Assistant Local Content Editor
Paul Kurutsides ‘09 Multimedia Specialist
Andy Piper ’95 Copy Editor
Brenden West ‘11 Sports Reporter
ANTHONY FRENZEL '05 Communication – Journalism, History minor
Frenzel said his very earliest memory of Clarke was from his initial campus visit before he was a student. The last item on his itinerary for the day was a meeting with the then-head of the Communication program, Dr. Abdul Sinno.
Frenzel said, “At the time, I had whittled my college choices down to two other schools and Clarke, and I walked onto campus that day uncertain of my future. In that meeting, Dr. Sinno extolled the virtues of not just the program I was interested in, but the school’s culture, its people, and the fact that Dubuque was on the rise and a community worth staying in post-graduation. I walked on campus unsure of where my path was going to take me, and walked out filled with certainty.”
Frenzel is currently Centralized Page Layout Specialist. He began working at the TH in 2005, when he was a senior at Clarke, as a part-time copy editor and graphic designer.
He shared, “In the course of my 15 years, I’ve had the opportunity to interview people as diverse as (then-Senator) Barack Obama and comedian Red Green. But some of my truly favorite experiences have been meeting the local people whose passions help make Dubuque a great community. From the community theater crowd to those who make important organizations like Opening Doors work every day, it’s been a delight to get to know them and their work. If I were to pick one person as the absolute highlight, though, it would be Tatiana Bechenova O'Rourke, who founded the Dubuque City Youth Ballet, taught the art of dance at Clarke for many years, and lived one of the most fascinating lives I’ve ever heard of. I was blessed in 2009 and 2010 to have the opportunity to create a documentary film, ‘Forever Dancing,’ about O’Rourke’s life and legacy. It was an opportunity I never would have had without my connections to the TH and Clarke.”
Frenzel recently came back to Clarke’s campus with some friends. “It was an amazing experience. None of us had been back in the decade or more since graduation, and we got a chance to reconnect with the campus, see some of its newest features, and talk with a few people who recognized our faces. I think it speaks to the experience at Clarke that nearly 15 years later, we were stopped by several people who knew who we were and were eager to catch up.”
MEGAN GLOSS '03
Gloss shared, “My favorite memory from Clarke is kind of a grim one. I was a junior during 9/11 and was editor of the Courier. I remember sitting in an 8 a.m. photography class that morning – ironically with Mark Hirsch, who was the Photo Editor at the TH at the time.” When the students learned what happened at the World Trade Center, Gloss, along with a few others from the Courier staff, skipped the rest of the day's classes and set up camp in the Communication Lab. They interviewed students and teachers and tracked down stories and photos, capturing the Clarke perspective of such an historic event, particularly among its large student population from other countries, including parts of the Middle East.
She continued, “Several of us stayed up all night writing, designing, and editing a publication we printed and distributed around campus as a ‘Special Edition.’ I already was pretty sure I wanted to be a writer, but after that experience, there was no question that I wanted to work for a newspaper. I fell in love with the rhythm of the newsroom.”
Gloss is currently the Features Editor, a role she’s been in for four years. She also serves as the Editor for "Her" magazine. Prior to that, she was a Features Reporter for about 10 years. Other than a small stint working as a Project Editor at a book publishing house, she has had her entire journalism career at the TH since graduating from Clarke – almost 16 years.
Gloss said, “I have had my work published in various newspapers throughout the country and have had opportunities to interview some pretty cool people. Among them: Dubuque's own Kate Mulgrew and Louie Psihoyos, Alice Cooper, Joan Rivers, Wayne Brady, Pauly Shore, Rob Schneider, Idina Menzel, Jason Derulo, Huey Lewis, Chicago, Don Felder of The Eagles, The Band Perry, MercyMe, Casting Crowns, and LOCASH.”
Gloss also covers live concerts and other events. When she’s not writing about the arts, she usually can be found participating in them. She admits she’s been extremely fortunate to maintain her professional work as a classical vocalist while working in journalism. She said, “The TH has been a great cheerleader for my musical career. I keep most of my work regional to maintain both careers, but I had an opportunity to make my European debut in 2011 in Italy. That same year, I earned a grant in opera at the national level. And in 2014, I was named an Iowa District Winner and Midwest Regional Finalist in the National Association of Teachers Singing Artist Award competition. I also front a local jazz and swing band and do some work at home in Dubuque, including returning to perform at Clarke Music Department events on several occasions.”
PAUL KURUTSIDES ‘08
Communication,
Graphic Design minor
ANDY PIPER ‘95
Communication – Advertising
Kurutsides is currently a Multimedia Specialist. He is also a documentary and small budget filmmaker and owns and operates his own production company. He filmed a documentary for the Dubuque Colts Drum and Bugle Corps. He said, “An assistant and myself were basically embedded journalists filming their day-to-day operations while they toured the nation. It was an amazing experience.”
Kurutsides shares that his favorite memory from Clarke was production night for the Catalyst (the student magazine publication) or any of the production nights for the newspaper. He loved seeing everyone working together to produce a publication.
He added, “Clarke gave me the confidence to not be afraid and just go for it. It made me feel comfortable being in front of an audience or attending a trade show connecting with new clients. It gave me the courage to reach out and make connections with people who can benefit my growth as not only a person, but also as a small business owner. From a young age I have always loved film and video and would constantly create short films with my brother and friends. I have been able to hone that talent here at the TH.”
Photos included in this article used with permission from the Telegraph Herald.
Piper was part of Clarke’s Adult Studies program, known at that time as TimeSaver. He worked full time in construction by day and went to school at night.
Piper said, “I was required to take two classes in religious studies, and they ended up being my favorite courses by far. Mary Ann Zollmann, BVM, Ph.D., and Anna Mary O’Meara, O.C.S.O. (formerly Janet O'Meara) did such a fantastic job with the curriculum. Joseph Campbell's Follow Your Bliss still resonates with me to this day and played a role in me applying at the TH to be a reporter.”
Piper is currently a copy editor, after working as a sports writer. He said, “What stands out for me as I look back over the years is the variety of events and people I have been fortunate to report about over the years. From politicians, including senators, governors and presidents, to sports legends and two Rose Bowls, it has been a glorious ride. I am most proud of the awards I received in the various positions I’ve worked in the newsroom.”
He concluded, “Beginning in second grade, I used to shoot baskets, or hit rocks with a baseball bat in the alley behind my house by myself for hours and hours. The whole time I was imagining whole sports teams and leagues in my brain. It was really much of the same creative process as going to a game, conducting a few interviews, and weaving a story together. Who knew?”
BRENDEN WEST ‘11
West was a four-year letter-winner for the Clarke Men's Volleyball team and served as editor of the Clarke Catalyst and Clarke Courier. After graduating from Clarke, he took his first job at a newspaper in nearby Dyersville, Iowa. From there, he jumped to Clinton, Iowa, and Sterling, Illinois, before landing back in Dubuque at the TH as a sports reporter. These members of the Telegraph Herald staff are great models of Clarkies impacting the community through different aspects of communication.
In 2013, he was named an Outstanding Young Iowa Journalist by the INA. In 2015, he received the Bill Wagner Award for Investigative Journalism through the INA.
West shared, “Last year, with help from the TH, I published my first book, which I consider a major achievement. It is titled, Golden Girls: The History of Wahlert Volleyball. I have never considered myself a very ‘talented’ writer; rather, I think a lot of these accomplishments were the result of hard work and drive to get better, which was a big lesson I took away from my time at Clarke on the volleyball team and in the Communication program.”
West considers the opportunities to work on student publications at Clarke very rewarding. He said, “The Clarke Communication program provided me with several hands-on experiences that I was able to take directly to the workforce and demonstrate a skill set that my employers value. From learning how to use page design technologies, to photography, to writing classes and beyond – I believe I received an excellent education that allowed me to gain real-life experience. When it came time to demonstrate all that Clarke had taught me, I was hired on the spot.”
Thanks to a generous grant from the Dubuque Racing Association in 2019, Clarke University was able to improve campus safety. The donation allowed the university to equip campus with additional surveillance cameras to help security staff have eyes where they cannot be. The safety of students, faculty, staff, and visitors is of utmost importance to the Dubuque Racing Association and Clarke University.
