For five years, John Farley has served as the chairman of the Institute on Political Journalism (IPJ) Board of Visitors. His background in journalism and politics make him an ideal candidate for this position, and it allows him to help shape the future of TFAS programs as well as bring new ideas to committee meetings.
Farley was introduced to TFAS by his boss and longtime TFAS supporter, Tom Phillips. After attending a few TFAS events, Farley became more involved with TFAS because he believed in the programs as well as the mission statement.
“During an era of big and expanding government, The Fund introduces and reinforces the key principles of the American founding: freedom, individual responsibility, limited government, and free markets.”
The IPJ Board of Visitors helps assist in recruiting applicants, securing intern sponsors, identifying new corporate donors/sponsors and suggesting guest speakers for the program’s weekly panel discussions. Board members also add value as intern sponsors and as working journalists or corporate donors who know firsthand the impact a program like this can have on participating students.
“IPJ is important because it nurtures a new generation of responsible and objective journalists through an intensive eight-week hands-on training program in Washington, D.C. Students develop essential reporting, writing and editing skills while gaining real-world experience in professional internships. Plus, they take economic and ethics courses to prepare them to be more knowledgeable and effective journalists and public relations professionals.”
The Board of Visitors constantly looks for ways to keep the program up-to-date in the ever-changing world of media. Farley hopes that TFAS can continue to educate more students on the concepts of limited government, personal responsibility and free markets.
“There’s a physical limit to the number of students we can bring to Washington each year, so I’d like to see The Fund expand into ‘distance learning’ to make its programs available to thousands more students via the Internet. Overseas, we have vibrant institutes underway in Prague, Greece, and Hong Kong – along with an exciting new program in Chile. I am hopeful that TFAS will continue to expand its international presence to educate more students across the globe in the theory, practice and benefits of a free society.”
In addition to serving as the chairman of IPJ’s Board of Visitors, Farley is a member of the TFAS Board of Trustees and was named treasurer last year. He currently serves as Corporate Vice President of Eagle Publishing, Inc. and as Executive Director of The Phillips Foundation.
A graduate from Northwestern University with a Master’s in Journalism, Farley worked as a reporter on the Jacksonville Journal daily newspaper after graduate school. Later he joined the Washington staff of Florida Congressman Charles E. Bennett as his legislative and press assistant. Farley was later promoted to Chief of Staff. After seven years on Capitol Hill, he returned to the private sector as Executive Editor at Tom Phillips’ growing publishing company.
Farley is also active in his community where he recently completed a term on the Maryland Governor’s Commission on Service and Volunteerism. He is a member of the Board of the Free State Foundation, a free-market think tank in Maryland. He is also active in his church where he has headed the lector program since 1996, and he serves as a Big Brother in the Big Brother Program.