Celebrating the life of Joan Bieder

From Carla De Luca ('95)

I was inspired to become a journalist by a few special people in my life. One of them was the late Bill Moyers. Bill was a friend and mentor to my father, and after meeting him at an event when I was 11 years old, Bill became a friend and mentor to me. After I had obtained several local news internships in San Francisco, and graduated from college, I asked him what would be my best next move. His answer: “See if you can get into journalism school. And I want you to talk to Joan Bieder. She’s the best television journalism educator there is, and she’s near you at Berkeley. I’ll make the introduction.”

From that first meeting, as my application was in process, Joan took me under her wing. Her immediate engagement caught me off guard, as though she’d always known me. “Now we don’t know if you’ll get in,” she advised, “but still, let me introduce you around,” which she did that afternoon, unexpectedly.

I thought her great kindness may be, largely, as a courtesy to Bill. But even before I became her student, it didn’t take me long to see that’s just who Joan was: someone wanting to help in earnest, and be a mentor to all students. It didn’t matter to her that I was a hybrid either, enrolling to study in two tracks: magazine and television. She viewed my emphasis on writing in both formats as a strength to learn the craft and for versatility, and she helped me to quickly see how I could pivot between the two. That understanding has always stayed with me.

Her dedication to her students was unparalleled. Amidst other top notch and caring go-the-extra mile professors, that may sound like an exaggeration, but it isn’t. Why? For several reasons, but quite clearly, when we were on assignment in the trenches, Joan was right there with us. And I mean right there. At 10pm. 2am. Again at 5am. And if she wasn’t actually in the TV Lab as we prepared for our next newscast that aired on local cable, she was accessible by phone and reading scripts. So while she usually joined us in person, we could call her anytime during the night—and we did. She trusted us to use good judgment, and we trusted her – that she wouldn’t let us fail. It was understood all around that as we grappled with rookie mistakes, technical difficulties, disagreements with collaborators, and exhaustion, success was the only option, and she would guide us through; no sugar coating from her, no throwing in the towel from us, and with respect and perseverance as the keys.

All of us knew the intensity and uncompromising deadlines were part of our professional training, and these school-scenarios she designed were truly getting us ready for real-world work. This included even arbitrary directives, which we didn't realize until hindsight. She once sharply reversed course on her instructions quite late in the process, frustrating the whole class. But our work was the better for it, and our dismay dissolved when she beamed the next day because she knew we’d meet the challenge and could shift gears quickly. She was proud she had prepared us to do that.

Most of the time when I met with Joan, either during school or years later, whether we caught up over lunch or I sought out her advice, we were never far from the TV lab or her office. Her calendar was completely booked, and students, past and present, also needed her. She ensured her door was always open, making time for others when she didn’t have much. She always jumped right in with where we’d last left off, and where she could be of service.

I was most honored when she asked me to write a letter advocating for her tenure as a full professor on behalf of a former student. It was a joy to write, and easy to focus around her obvious hallmark quality – her dedication. However, when I later shared it with her, it actually took her by surprise, which surprised me. In reading about herself, she realized the tremendous impact she was making on all of us, and she was moved to tears.

She was delighted when I began working at CNN, and like all of her former students, she followed my career keenly with support. After leaving the network, when I began my own independent documentary in 2003, I called her for advice. I was excited, but in uncertain territory, and had run into some people who didn’t understand the project, or see how I could bring it around, especially as a first-time filmmaker. Per usual, Joan received me like I’d just seen her the day before, and before I could finish briefing her, she got it all fully – the vision, the current obstacles, the foreseeable challenges – in one fell swoop. I was both awed and gratified, as immediately my mentor was off to work, brainstorming with me about who else I should meet, with ideas about my next steps. Such generosity. Such experience. Such caring. Her desire to help was inexhaustible. And as always, she wanted me to succeed.

It was clear at times that she was contending with a health issue, and she shared candidly and matter-of-factly about her arthritis. It never deterred her; she maintained a buoyancy in disposition, and enduring drive. I think her sense of purpose and mission as an educator was essential to her overcoming personal difficulties, and this propelled her life forward. As she explored new avenues of research and scholarship, leading to her book, “The Jews of Singapore,” and the studies that followed, she also became thrilled by what this new dimension had added to her life, personally and professionally.

She once told me that the most important thing she found at Berkeley was community, as she found true happiness not only in teaching, but because of the special friendships she had developed, particularly among her female friends and colleagues. This made her life especially worthwhile, and she said there was no place she’d rather be.

While I wasn’t able to see her recently, her great imprint on my life will always remain. On reflection, as one special mentor led to another, her unwavering support has inspired me to follow creative threads I believed in, work with the assurance that I’d always be able to pivot, and persevere, especially during difficult periods at work and in life.

Her extraordinary legacy as a mentor extends far and wide, with students who have practiced at the highest levels of journalism, done great public service, and also gone on to other adventures around the world. Most of us can only aspire to be the kind of mentor Joan was. But like osmosis through her example, I prioritize paying it forward whenever I can. In fact, a few weeks ago, I started mentoring yet another student pursuing journalism. And through that ripple effect, the gift of her teaching lives on.

Rest in peace, my dear professor. Thank you for your guidance and encouragement, the work ethic you instilled in us, and showing us what grace under pressure should look like. We’ll continue to do the work, as the inspiration from your school and life lessons stays with us.