Six Central Michigan University alumni will make their way into the Journalism Hall of Fame Saturday.
The inductees are Jeffrey R. Caponigro, Matt Dobek, Terry Foster, Monetta Richey Harr, Rick McKay and Betsy Pollard Rau.
“There are more nominations than inductions,” said Hall of Fame founder and associate journalism professor Jim Wojcik. “All six are outstanding people. This class is one of the best.”
The eighth annual Journalism Hall of Fame Night takes place at 6 p.m. Saturday at the Soaring Eagle Inn and Conference Center, 5665 E. Pickard Road.
The journalists were chosen for their accomplishments in the field and contributions to their communities.
Caponigro, a ’79 alumnus, is the president and CEO of Caponigro Public Relations and a former Board of Trustees chairman.
Dobek, ’81, is the vice president of public relations for the Detroit Pistons.
Harr, ’71, is a retired staff writer from the Jackson Citizen Patriot. McKay, ’76, is the Deputy Photo Editor for the White House. Rau, ’75, is a retired high school journalism teacher from H.H. Dow High School in Midland.
The banquet also will honor the 2009 Young Journalist of the Year, 2004 graduate Chris Gautz. He was editor-in-chief of Central Michigan Life for the 2003-04 academic year. Ever since, his investigative work in journalism has been praised and admired by his coworkers, according to his Hall of Fame biography.
A selection committee selects the inductees each year based on nominations from outside sources. In order to be nominated for the Hall of Fame, the nominee must have graduated more than 10 years prior to the event. For the young journalist, the nominee must have graduated less than 10 years prior to the event.
“It wasn’t terribly difficult — they’re all well-respected, accomplished professionals,” said journalism department interim chairman Tim Boudreau. “They’ve all contributed a great deal to the field.”
The panel looks for background, accomplishments and community involvement, said Director of Student Publications Neil Hopp.
“It’s about upholding the standards and ethics of CMU journalism, and what they have done with their lives,” Hopp said. “It’s how they made a difference.”
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Theresa Clift
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Terry Foster needs more than just a name mention. He’s a good sports columnist for the Detroit News.
Sounds like a good class this year. Glad to see past alumni getting honors they deserve in our profession. Also glad that the Hall of Fame was created in the first place. Definitely a field where one is warranted.