Stay awhile:

I am a PhD student in journalism/

mass communications at the E.W. Scripps School of Journalism at Ohio University, where I teach a range of undergraduate journalism courses. Prior to grad school, I was a reporter at The Vindicator, the daily newspaper in Youngstown Ohio.

My hobbies include winemaking and working on my classic VW Dormobile camper. Once in a great while I write a book review.

Inside you can find:

Ancient story about  me in Cleveland Jewish News

Pictures of my cats Sally and Daisy.

Instructions to make your own wine

Tips for beating a speeding ticket

Contact me:

10 Herrold Ave.

Athens, OH 45701

(330) 647-4298

stephensiff@yahoo.com

Resume

EXPERIENCE

Scripps-Howard Teaching Fellow, E.W. Scripps School of Journalism, Ohio University . Pursuing doctorate in journalism while teaching undergraduate journalism classes.

Co-Editor, The Valley Voice, 50,000-circulation weekly newspaper, 2004 to 2005. Made editorial decisions, assigned stories and managed a staff of 21 union reporters during nine-month newspaper strike in Youngstown , Ohio . The Valley Voice was produced and distributed by 170 Newspaper Guild members on strike against the Youngstown Vindicator.  

Reporter, The Vindicator, 70,000-circulation daily newspaper, 2000 to 2004. Covered government and local politics for the primary newspaper in Youngstown , Ohio. Winner of six state-wide reporting awards for stories that relied on detailed analyses of public records to uncover government wrongdoing or malfeasance, including a $500,000 bribery scheme.  

Freelance Writer, 1999 to present. Contributed publications including Ohio Magazine, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, Cleveland Free Times, Cleveland Scene, and High Times Magazine; fact-checker, Good Housekeeping Magazine; copy editor, Erie (Pa.) Times-News.

Editor, Pymatuning Area News, 2,600-circulation weekly newspaper, 1996 to 1998. Reporter, then editor of small-town  newspaper Andover , Ohio . During 2 ½ year editorship, newsstand sales increased 13 percent.

EDUCATION

Ohio University, E.W. Scripps School of Journalism, Athens. Pursuing doctorate in journalism, minor in economics.

Columbia University , Graduate School of Journalism , New York . Master’s degree in journalism, May 1999.

Swarthmore College , Swarthmore , Pa. Bachelor’s degree in English Literature, May 1994.

ETCETERA

TV Panelist, The Youngstown Report, WNEO PBS 45 & 49, sporadically from 2002 to 2004.

Adjunct Faculty, Hiram College, taught survey of journalism, spring 2002. 

AMERICORPS * VISTA Volunteer, Cleveland, 1995 to 1996.

AWARDS

2001 Ohio SPJ Awards, investigative reporting, under 100,000, first. 

2003 Ohio SPJ Awards, government reporting, under 100,000, first.  

2002 Ohio AP Awards, investigative reporting, 25,000 to 74,999, first.

2005 Ohio SPJ Awards, government reporting, under 100,000, second.

2003 Ohio AP Awards, investigative reporting, 25,000 to 74,999, third.

2000 Ohio AP Awards, enterprise reporting, largest division, third.

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