Ph.D. (Cand. – Mass Media and Journalism), Michigan State University
B.A., Eastern New Mexico University

What can students expect from your classes? From your division?

They can expect practical hands-on writing and photography skills. Students receive great preparation for working in all kinds of secular or Christian media from newspapers to magazines to television to radio to online publications to public relations to book publishing to government jobs to military jobs to law school preparation and more.

Of all the classes that you may teach, which one are you most passionate about?

No class stands out. I’m passionate about teaching all of them, from feature writing to news writing. I like to help students improve their understanding of the writing craft and get a lot of satisfaction from seeing their writing skills improve and sharpen.

Take the time to interview individuals whose jobs you think you might want to do — ask to shadow them for half a day. It’ll help you confirm or rule out jobs more clearly and quickly than you’d think possible. Students who identify a career goal change their majors far less frequently.

Where were you born or raised?

I was born in Centralia, Ill. However, I lived in 13 different states growing up. I was in five different first grades when my father was in the Air Force. Later, as an adult, I was in the Air Force and moved a lot. Then I worked as a newspaper editor in six states: California, New Mexico, Texas, Indiana, Ohio and Michigan.

Family information:

Married for 32 years to Helen Marie Blanchard. We have one granddaughter, Hannah Marie Blanchard, born to son Jeremy (a paramedic for Life Ambulance in Grand Rapids, Mich.) and his wife, Cassie (Doyle, CU ’03). Our second son, Josh, is a private practice attorney in Clare and Montcalm counties and general manager of our family business, The Clare Sentinel.

Family activities, competitive chess and target shooting with handguns.

I admire a number of individuals who started as newspaper journalists and then moved on to become novelists, such as Jack London, Ernest Hemingway, Bret Harte, Mark Twain and many more.

Philippians 4:6-7 (cure for worry, guaranteed).

I enjoy the small class sizes that allow professors to spend quality time teaching and getting to know students.

616.949.5300 ext. 1504

Alan/Blanchard|cornerstone/edu