Welcome to the Estlow Center!  

The Center had its beginnings some twenty years ago. Edward W. Estlow (link to ‘who is Estlow?' page; use a photo from there), a graduate of the University of Denver who went on to become a journalist with The Rocky Mountain News and eventually became President and CEO of the E.W. Scripps Company, first joined the DU Board of Trustees in the early 1980s. In 1986, an endowment was established in his honor. Beginning in 1992, the University was pleased to invite a prominent journalist to campus each year to offer the Edward W. Estlow Lecture. In 1997, the Anvil of Freedom Award was established to recognize the Estlow Lecturer's leadership and commitment to the First Amendment, and the two events were combined.

The Center's first Director was Laura Ruel. (photo here: ) Under her guidance from 2000 – 2004, Ruel, an educator, designer, and former multimedia journalist, developed the Center's initial strategic plan and established connections between the Center and a host of new media initiatives within the journalism industry, including the SNDies(the Society for News Design). Along with Trace Reddell, University of Denver Associate Professor and Graduate Director in Digital Media Studies, Ruel developed the first version of the Center's website in 2001. A former page designer with The Rocky Mountain News and the Omaha World-Herald, Ruel brought significant graphics expertise both to the educational workshops she led for professionals and to the classes she taught at the University of Denver . She collected lesson plans and other resources on teaching multimedia for the Center's website, as well. With Nora Paul of the Institute for New Media Studies at the University of Minnesota , Ruel authored the booklet, New Media Matters: Journalism Education and the Future of News. As Director of the Estlow Center, she also collaborated with Steve Outing and several others at the Poynter Institute and the Eyetools market research company on the study, “Eyetrack III: Online News Consumer Behavior in the Age of Multimedia.”

Ruel is now Assistant Professor in Visual Communication and Multimedia Production in the School of Journalism and Mass Communication at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill , a position she assumed in Fall of 2004.

Michael O. Wirth served as the Center's Director from 2004 - 2006. Wirth was also Professor and Director of the School of Communication at the University of Denver at the time. Under his leadership, the Center established strong connections with The Cable Center, which is located on the north end of the University of Denver 's campus. Wirth served as a Senior Fellow of the Magness Institute at The Cable Center. He also established connections with the School of Journalism at Renmin University in Beijing , China , and Zhejiang University 's School of Journalism and Communication in Hangzhou , China , where he served as Visiting Professor. Under Wirth's guidance, the annual Anvil of Freedom Award and Estlow Lecture became centerpiece events within the annual Summit on Communication held by the University Denver's School of Communication. Wirth is now Professor and Dean of the College of Communication and Information at the University of Tennessee .

Lynn Schofield Clark became the Center's Director in September of 2006 and is also Assistant Professor in Mass Communication and Journalism Studies. She joined the University of Denver faculty after serving for six years as an Assistant Research Professor at the University of Colorado , where she directed foundation-supported research efforts and assisted in the establishment of a Center for Media, Religion, and Culture. A former professional in advocacy journalism, Clark is the author, co-author, editor, and co-editor of several books, research reports, and research articles. She is currently writing a book on how different families cope with the digital media in their lives. Clark oversees research, teaching, awards, and events associated with the Center.