Corley Dennison, Cathryn Gibbs Harris, Jeff Hopson, Jerod Smalley and Patrick Wittich make up the Hall’s Class of 2025. WSAZ-TV anchor Taylor Eaton will be the emcee for the evening.
“It’s always a great evening when we are able to have everyone together to properly celebrate even more exceptional members of our program,” said Chris Dickerson, president of the SOJMC Alumni Advisory Board, which handles the nomination and selection process. “We’re fortunate to have such a rich pool of candidates that represents successes in varied aspects of the field locally, regionally and nationally.”
This year’s ceremony also is something of a kickoff to the school’s 100th anniversary. More details about that will be unveiled at the Hall of Fame ceremony as well as in the coming months.
“We will be celebrating a century of excellence in 2026,” Dickerson said. “What better way to do that than to honoring the accomplishments of successful individuals. 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.”
The ceremony will begin 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 www.bit.ly/SOJMC25. HartmanCosco Government Relations and Charles Ryan Associates are the presenting sponsors, and all are welcome.
Full tables, sponsorship opportunities and advertising opportunities also are available. For more information regarding sponsorships, contact Dickerson at dickerson38@marshall.edu.
The Hall of Fame was established in the 1970s, and the latest honorees bring the number of inductees to 90. 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.
More about the 2025 inductees:
* Dennison served as dean of the SOJMC from 2004 to 2012. He currently is the interim president of Southern West Virginia Community and Technical College. He also previously served for the West Virginia Higher Education Policy Commission and spent 29 years at Marshall, which also included time as a journalism professor, Faculty Senate president and associate vice president for Academic Affairs.
* Harris, a 1974 SOJMC graduate, is a state and national Public Relations Society of America leader of more than 40 years. She spent most of her career in PR for health care companies and water utilities. She is a champion of the Public Relations Student Society of America, having served as Marshall’s PRSSA advisor for eight years. She also is a member of the West Virginia Public Relations Hall of Fame.
* Hopson, a 1992 Marshall graduate, has traveled the globe as a videographer, primarily working sporting events. He has covered the Olympics since 2016, three Super Bowls, dozens of major golf championships and other PGA tournaments, college football and basketball games as well as NFL games. He’s also done work for NBC News and ABC News. He has won two national Emmy Awards.
* Smalley, a 2001 SOJMC graduate, is a news anchor for WCMH-TV in Columbus and a former sports director for the station. He has been named Ohio’s Best Anchor six times by The Associated Press, and he has covered sporting events around the world. He also has won several regional Emmy Awards, including four for his work on “The Autism Puzzle.” He is the father of two sons on the autism spectrum.
* Wittich, a 1984 SOJMC graduate, is a freelance art director and creative director. During his 40-year career, he has worked with a variety of companies such as Mercedes Benz, Purina, Timberland, McDonald’s, Walmart, Norwegian Cruise Lines and Coca-Cola. He has won a host of awards, including The One Show, Communication Arts Advertising & Design annuals, Effies, Kellys and Obies.