"Our directors are pleased to acknowledge Grady College's impressive advances in media relationships," said Thomas Eastham, vice president and western director of The Hearst Foundation. "This endowment will help further facilitate media relationships that enrich journalism education."
Grady College is the newest of 34 schools of journalism where Hearst endowments for visiting professionals have been developed in the last 15 years. "Hearst is a name synonymous with excellence in journalism," said John Soloski, dean of the Grady College. "The endowed program will benefit our students and faculty by providing vital insight from industry leaders and strengthening the legacy of journalism education and training at the Grady College."
The Hearst Foundation also acknowledged Grady's impressive participation in the Hearst Journalism Awards Program. Since the program's inception in 1961, more than 60 Grady students have placed in the top 20 in this prestigious competition. "Our showing in the awards program is a testament to the strength of our program and its best asset, our students," noted Soloski.
It is expected that Hearst Visiting Professionals will spend approximately one week on the UGA campus teaching classes, conducting workshops and serving as consultants to specific Grady College courses.
The Grady College of Journalism and Mass Communication is celebrating its 90th anniversary in 2005. It provides seven undergraduate majors including advertising, broadcast news, magazines, newspapers, public relations, publication management and telecommunication arts. The college offers two graduate degrees, and is home to the Peabody Awards, considered the electronic broadcasting industry's most prestigious prize. For more information, visit www.grady.uga.edu.