Category: Alumni Honors

ALUM HONORED

Arek Sarkissian, former Wildcat reporter and summer editor in chief, circa 2000-2003, has been chosen to be among six American journalists to take part in a week-long exchange program in Turkey and Armenia this summer, sponsored by the International Center for Journalists.

Sarkissian, who now reports for the Evansville (Ind.) Courier & Press, won first place for both investigative reporting and spot news photography from the Georgia Press Association this spring when he was at the Savannah Morning News.

DAILY WILDCAT HONORS ALUMNI

2011 members of Wildcat Hall of Fame

More than 150 Daily Wildcat alumni and friends gathered at the University Marriott in Tucson on March 26 to induct 13 alumni into the paper’s Hall of Fame and recognize the achievements of 10 young alumni.

It was the 5th induction of a Hall of Fame class and the second ceremony honoring young alumni achievers. The event featured a reception, dinner and presentation program. Jeffrey L. Sklar, editor in chief of the Wildcat in 2002 and 2003, assisted in presenting the young alumni awards. James W. Johnson, professor emeritus of journalism and a member of the Hall of Fame’s 2003 class, introduced the newest Hall of Famers.

Eight decades of Wildcat alumni and staff were represented, from the 1940s to 2010s, demonstrating again the Wildcat’s powerful legacy and impact.

Click here for a pdf of the Hall of Fame program.

Click here for a selection of photos from the dinner and reunion.

HERE ARE YOUR 2011 YOUNG ALUMNI AWARD WINNERS

From marketing and PR pros to awarding winning journalists to an Iraqi war veteran and author, the 2011 Daily Wildcat Young Alumni Award winners represent high achieving accomplishments. They will be honored at the Wildcat Alumni Hall of Fame banquet and reunion on March 26 in Tucson.

Read more about this year’s young alumni winners. They are:

  • Michael Barber, a digital marketing strategist who was a Wildcat account exec
  • Dave Cieslak, founder of Scutari and Cieslak PR (and former daily newspaper reporter)  who was Wildcat editor in chief
  • Jennifer Duffy, PR manager for the Loews golf resorts in Tucson and Las Vegas who was a Wildcat managing editor
  • Ryan Gabrielson, a 2009 Pulitzer Prize winner who was a reporter on the Wildcat
  • Djamila Grossman, photographer for the Salt Lake City Tribune and a Wildcat reporter and photographer
  • Luke Larson, a Marine veteran of 2 tours in Iraq and author of “The Senator’s Son” who was Wildcat sales manager
  • Nate Olivarez-Giles, a reporter with the LA Times and a Wildcat reporter and photo editor
  • Nicole Santa Cruz, also a reporter for the LA Times and Wildcat editor in chief
  • Daniel Scarpinato, communications director for the Arizona legislature (majority) and a Wildcat editor in chief
  • Maxx Wolfson, field editor for Getty Images and a Wildcat sports editor

The Daily Wildcat Young Alumni Award was established in 2008 to recognize outstanding young alumni who have been out of school within the past 10 years. It is presented every two to three years in conjunction with the Daily Wildcat Hall of Fame.

The 2011 Hall of Fame nominees, announced earlier, can be found here.

 

2011 Hall of Fame inductees selected

Congratulations to the newest inductees to the Daily Wildcat Hall of Fame. You can read more about them here. Join us for the Daily Wildcat Alumni Hall of Fame and Young Alumni Awards dinner March 26th to celebrate!

  • Robert Crawford
  • Olaf Frandsen
  • Paul Giblin
  • Chris Halligan
  • Rod Howard
  • Mary Alice Kellogg
  • Morgan Loew
  • Sheila McNulty
  • Jay M. Parker
  • Todd Pletcher
  • Terry Valeski
  • Margo Warren
  • Merrill Windsor (deceased)