{"id":29559,"date":"2026-06-04T10:16:24","date_gmt":"2026-06-04T14:16:24","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.marshall.edu\/news\/?p=29559"},"modified":"2026-06-04T11:57:53","modified_gmt":"2026-06-04T15:57:53","slug":"tickets-on-sale-for-school-of-journalism-and-mass-communications-centennial-celebration-annual-hall-of-fame-ceremony","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.marshall.edu\/news\/2026\/06\/tickets-on-sale-for-school-of-journalism-and-mass-communications-centennial-celebration-annual-hall-of-fame-ceremony\/","title":{"rendered":"Tickets on sale for School of Journalism and Mass Communications centennial celebration, annual Hall of Fame ceremony"},"content":{"rendered":"
Tickets are on sale for the W. Page Pitt School of Journalism and Mass Communications (SOJMC) centennial celebration and annual Hall of Fame induction ceremony.<\/p>\n

The event is scheduled for Friday, Oct. 30, in the Don Morris Room of the Memorial Student Center. The ceremony will begin at 6 p.m., and doors will open at 5 p.m. for a reception with a cash bar.<\/p>\n

Tickets are $60 per person, which includes admission to the reception, heavy appetizers, a commemorative ticket and program for the event. Tickets can be purchased online at www.sojmc100.com<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Professor emeritus Dr. George T. Arnold and Huntington Quarterly founder and SOJMC alumnus Jack Houvouras will serve as hosts of the centennial celebration. Huntington Regional Chamber of Commerce President & CEO Megan Archer will serve as emcee for the event.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s incredibly special to be celebrating 100 years of greatness, and we welcome all of our alumni and supporters of the school to join us for this centennial,\u201d said Chris Dickerson, president of the SOJMC Alumni Advisory Board. \u201cThis truly is going to be a special night, and it\u2019s something you won\u2019t want to miss.\u201d<\/p>\n

In addition to highlighting 100 years\u2019 worth of memories, 10 inductees will join the SOJMC Hall of Fame. They are Dr. Alan Albarran, Patricia Austin, Jennifer Baileys, Bill Cornwell, Scott Cosco, Paul Gessler, Steven Keith, Matt Lockhart, Brad McElhinny and Alisha Maddox.<\/p>\n

\u201cMarshall University has a long and proud history of journalism and mass communications excellence, and this newest class of inductees into our Hall of Fame once again proves that,\u201d Dickerson said. \u201cEvery year, our board has an immensely talented pool of candidates nominated for induction. It\u2019s always a difficult process because of the rich talent.<\/p>\n

\u201cLike all of our previous inductees, these newest ones have done great things all over the world in a variety of fields. We are extremely proud of all of our graduates, and it is an honor to welcome four more very deserving members to our Hall of Fame.\u201d<\/p>\n

The first class was enshrined in 1985.<\/p>\n

With the 10 members in this year\u2019s class, the SOJMC Hall of Fame now has 100 members, which Dickerson said is fitting given the centennial.<\/p>\n

Albarran, a 1978 Marshall grad, is a distinguished scholar in media management and economics. He is a professor emeritus at the University of North Texas and an internationally recognized author and researcher.<\/p>\n

Austin, a 1965 SOJMC graduate, was a prominent student leader on campus and has been a dedicated civil rights and community activist, working in jobs across the country to promote social justice and equality.<\/p>\n

Baileys, a 2005 SOJMC graduate, is a news anchor and investigative reporter WLKY in Louisville. She is a four-time regional Emmy award winner. As a student, she finished third in the nation in the Hearst Awards Broadcast News category.<\/p>\n

Cornwell, a 1985 SOJMC graduate, has built a career in radio broadcasting and public address announcing for Marshall athletics as well as Tri-State high school sports. He currently works for Kindred Communications.<\/p>\n

Cosco, a 1993 Marshall graduate, has an extensive career spanning broadcasting, public relations, government service and lobbying. He currently is a partner at HartmanCosco Government Relations specializing in strategic lobbying and public affairs.<\/p>\n

Gessler, a 2007 SOJMC graduate, is a television videojournalist and reporter, having won numerous national and regional awards. He currently serves as executive producer at 1812 Media in the Baltimore area. As a student, he finished second in the Hearst Journalism Awards.<\/p>\n

Keith, a 1991 SOJMC graduate, is a freelance food writer and restaurant critic for the Charleston Gazette-Mail. His work has also been published in Bon Appetit, Food Network, Fodor\u2019s and a variety of regional culinary publications. After years at the Charleston Daily Mail, he now works for Miles Media as a senior content director.<\/p>\n

Lockhart, a 2004 SOJMC graduate, is a nationally respected attorney for Norfolk Southern who has managed cases across the country, including before the U.S. Supreme Court. He also has endowed a scholarship for SOJMC students.<\/p>\n

McElhinny, a 1994 SOJMC graduate, spent more than 20 years at The Charleston Daily Mail in a host of positions before eventually becoming editor and publisher. He then served as co-editor of The Charleston Gazette-Mail. He now works for MetroNews as its statewide correspondent.<\/p>\n

Maddox, a 2003 SOJMC graduate, is co-owner of Charles Ryan Associates after a long career at the public affairs and communications firm. She specializes in public issues and reputation management for energy, manufacturing, transportation, small business, government, and nonprofit.<\/p>\n

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:<\/p>\n

A graduate of Marshall’s JMC program who has contributed to Journalism and Mass Communications as a profession and should meet at least one of the following two criteria.<\/p>\n