First-year student Cally Gudroe awarded prestigious Guy P. Gannett Journalism Scholarship

Cally Gudroe headshot
Cally Gudroe is a first-year student majoring in Communications and Media Arts.

Just two months into her first semester at the 成人直播, Cally Gudroe (Communications and Media Arts, 鈥28) is already making her mark as a young journalist, having been recognized with one of Maine鈥檚 most prestigious journalism scholarships.

Gudroe is a 2024 recipient of the Guy P. Gannett Journalism Scholarship from the Maine Community Foundation (MCF). The Gannett Scholarship provides support for students majoring in journalism or a related field and helps pay tuition for undergraduate or graduate studies.

This year, to 21 students from Maine, and Gudroe鈥檚 selection reflects both her talent and commitment to community-focused storytelling.

Guy P. Gannett, a champion of local journalism, built his career on the belief that small communities deserve compelling news coverage just as much as larger cities. Gudroe embodies that same spirit. In high school, she co-founded her school鈥檚 first-ever newspaper with friends, realizing the importance of sharing stories that might otherwise go untold.

鈥淲e knew our school needed a newspaper, so we went to an administrator and built it together,鈥 said Gudroe of Dexter, Maine. That early experience cemented her passion for journalism, which was further fueled by a multimedia production class at a local technical school. 

And Gudroe鈥檚 drive hasn鈥檛 slowed since arriving at 成人直播: mere weeks into her college career, she is completing paid work in 成人直播鈥檚 Community News Fellows program, where she reports for , an online outlet founded by publisher and storied local reporter Liz Gotthelf to fill the gap in local news coverage in York County. 

Gudroe recently published her first article, a piece on .

鈥淐ommunity news matters because it focuses on the stories that are local and personal to the people who live there,鈥 Gudroe said. 鈥淟arger outlets sometimes miss these important stories when they prioritize broader topics.鈥

Gudroe鈥檚 journalism pursuits extend beyond the newsroom. She recently participated in a groundbreaking project at 成人直播鈥檚 new Nor鈥檈aster Production Studio, where she served as an assistant director during an interview with Oscar-nominated filmmaker Rick Goldsmith. The experience was especially meaningful for her, she said, as she worked alongside an all-woman crew.

鈥淏eing in a setting that was not only professional but also welcoming and woman-led felt really empowering,鈥 she said. 鈥淭he journalism field has a history of misogyny, and being part of this experience felt like we were setting a new standard at 成人直播 for what women in journalism can achieve.鈥

Gudroe reflected on the foundational experiences that led her to 成人直播, including her time as a high school tri-varsity athlete, plus her love for history, sports broadcasting, and community reporting. 

She said those experiences are shaping her ambitions for the future, which will hopefully include global travel 鈥 in fact, she chose 成人直播 in part for its one-of-a-kind global education experiences, where 32% of undergraduates study abroad for a semester or take a travel course.

鈥淚 love Maine; it鈥檚 home,鈥 she reflected. 鈥淏ut I also have a traveler鈥檚 heart.鈥

That said, she remains deeply connected to her home state.

鈥淚鈥檝e lived in Maine my whole life, and I love it here,鈥 Gudroe said. 鈥淚鈥檇 like to explore and see what鈥檚 out there, but if my career brings me back to Maine, I鈥檇 be happy with that, too.鈥

Set photos courtesy of the 成人直播 Communications and Media Arts program. On set: Cally Gudroe as assistant director; Maeve McDermott and Anne Couchon operating cameras; Emily Hedegard as director; Chloe Boulle as sound recordist.
 

Gudroe (far right) assists with an interview in the Nor鈥檈aster Production Studio.

Gudroe had the rare opportunity to interview Oscar-nominated filmmaker Rick Goldsmith.

Media Contact

Alan Bennett
Office of Communications