Tickets are available for the Friday, Oct. 29, ceremony to honor 10 graduates of Marshall University’s W. Page Pitt School of Journalism and Mass Communications (SOJMC) who are being inducted into the school’s Hall of Fame.
Steve Cotton, Brent Cunningham, Jack Houvouras, Mike Kirtner and Virginia Sherlock make up the Hall’s Class of 2021. Last year, five other new members were added to the Hall, but COVID-19 protocols forced the 2020 event to be canceled. Bill Bissett, Tony Crutchfield, Chris Fabry, Dan Hollis and Susan Nicholas will be honored at next month’s induction ceremony as well.
“We’ve waited a long time to be able to have everyone together to properly celebrate these exceptional graduates of our program,” said Chris Dickerson, president of the SOJMC Alumni Advisory Board, which handles the nomination and selection process. “This year’s class of inductees is another perfect example that proves Marshall has one of the best journalism and mass communications programs in the country.
“We’re fortunate to have such a rich pool of candidates that represents successes in varied aspects of the field locally, regionally and nationally.”
The ceremony will begins at 6 p.m. The doors will open at 5 p.m., and hors d’oeuvres will be served. The event will take place in the Don Morris Room of the Memorial Student Center.
Tickets for the event are $50 per person, which includes the appetizers. Tickets can be purchased online at http://bit.ly/sojmc2021.
Full tables, sponsorship opportunities and advertising opportunities also are available. For more information regarding sponsorships, contact Dickerson by e-mail at dickerson38@marshall.edu.
Masking and social distancing will be required at the event, which is subject to alteration or cancelation should circumstances with the COVID pandemic worsen to the point that a face-to-face event poses too much of a health threat to those attending.
The Hall of Fame was established in the 1970s, and the latest honorees bring the number of inductees to 78. The annual induction ceremony attracts more than 200 guests.
Inductees need to have a connection to the SOJMC, such as being a graduate or a faculty member, and should meet at least one of two major criteria to be nominated:
- A graduate of Marshall’s JMC program who has contributed to Journalism and Mass Communications as a profession. The nominee has made a contribution to the profession of journalism or has made a positive impact upon the profession.
- Contribution(s) to Marshall University’s SOJMC. The nominee, either through talent, treasure or activity, has made an outstanding impact upon the school.
For more information or questions about the SOJMC Hall of Fame, please contact the school by e-mail at sojmc@marshall.edu.