Fred Anklam Jr. joined the School of Journalism as assistant professor of professional practice in July 2021. He teaches core reporting courses and directs students assigned each semester to cover state government for the Columbia Missourian, the community newspaper that serves as the school’s teaching laboratory. From fall 2019-2020 he was senior editor of the Missourian, directing student reporters covering breaking news.

Anklam was a founding co-editor of the nonprofit news site, Mississippitoday.org, from November 2015-May 2018.

From 1983-2015, Anklam was a reporter and editor for USA TODAY. He covered Congress, the Pentagon and the Nuclear Regulatory Commission. As an editor in the News section, he directed White House and Pentagon coverage, 1993-97; was lead news editor for the International Edition, 1997-2005; and held operational editing roles, culminating as senior night editor, responsible for all overnight USA TODAY print and digital content, December 2013-May 2015.

A reporter from 1977-83 for The Clarion-Ledger in Jackson, Miss., he was among those whose coverage of education reform earned that newspaper the 1983 Pulitzer Prize for Distinguished Public Service.

Anklam earned his B.A. in Journalism from the University of Mississippi in 1977. In April 2015 he was awarded the Samuel Talbot Silver Em Award from the University of Mississippi School of Journalism, the school’s highest honor for contributions to journalism. Anklam is a member of the board of trustees of the Overby Center for Southern Journalism and Politics at the University of Mississippi and of the George Washington Foundation in Fredericksburg, Va.