Each year, the School of Journalism Alumni Association honors its best and brightest graduates during an annual alumni banquet. The event attracts alumni and their families for a presentation of several awards described below.

The P.I. Reed Achievement Award, created in 1966, is the most prestigious award the association bestows upon its alumni. The award recognizes outstanding achievements in the field of journalism.

The Friend of the School recognizes individuals for their exemplary support and commitment to the School of Journalism. The award was established to honor the School’s beloved Professor Emeritus Paul A. Atkins and is sponsored by The Shinnston News and Harrison County Journal. Candidates for the award do not have to be graduates of the P.I. Reed School of Journalism.

Since 2003, the Martin Hall Cornerstone Award has honored WVU School of Journalism graduates and Alumni Association volunteers. This award recognizes graduate who have dedicated their time and energy to the association through volunteer service.

The P.I. Reed Young Alumni Award, a newer award developed in 2004, is given to alumni who have graduated in the last 10 years and have shown the ability to succeed in their fields.

To read about past recipients of these awards, click on the year below:

2004 Recipients

P.I. Reed Achievement Award:
Pamela Maphis Larric is chairman and chief executive officer of FCBi, the digital, direct and data arm of Foote Cone and Belding Worldwide, a New York-based advertising agency. The 1972 journalism graduate is a Clarksburg native who has received international praise for her abilities in the industry. In 1997, Larrick was named one of the top 25 women leaders in the industry by the leading trade publication, Advertising Age. In 2004 she was named a WVU Distinguished Alumni. And she has given of her time to speak to advertising classes about her experience and her field.

Friend of the School:
James Blair, a 1969 WVU journalism graduate grew up near Lonaconing, Md. Blair became the publisher of the Daily Independent in Kannapolis, N.C. In 1982, Blair and his wife, Marsha, began purchasing credit bureaus in North Carolina and Tennessee, which they later sold. As part of the sale, he carved out several niche markets now being served under the umbrella of Blair's Online Information Services. Blair has worked closely with the School of Journalism to develop training seminars for newspaper, television and radio advertising departments across West Virginia. He has also trained students at the Daily Athenaeum in sales. Blair also serves as the chair of the schools Visiting Committee.

Martin Hall Cornerstone Award:
Becky Lofstead is the director of News & Information Services in the WVU Office of Institutional Advancement. This 1976 graduate is a versatile, proven communications and administrative professional with extensive experience in integrated marketing and communications, media relations, public and community affairs and project management. Lofstead is an active member of the community, serving on the Council for the Advancement and Support of Education (CASE), the West Virginia Press Association, and the communications/public relations committee of the West Virginia Special Olympics. She has been active in the WVU School of Journalism Alumni Association as a board member and as a supporter of the School.

Richard Beto is the director of Document Services at the University of Texas at Austin. He joined the university in May 2004, after more than 20 years of service to West Virginia University leading to the position of director of WVU's Printing Services. Beto earned his bachelor's from the WVU P.I. Reed School of Journalism in 1976 and his master's of public administration in 1988. Beto has served the School of Journalism alumni association and the school as a member of the alumni board, helping with printing needs and assisting with various events.

P.I. Reed Young Alumna Award:
April Kaull, a 1995 WVU School of Journalism graduate, is a statewide correspondent for West Virginia Media and is based out of Morgantown. She also serves as the Morgantown News Manager for WBOY-TV and anchors "12 News at Six" from the station’s Morgantown studio. Kaull is also an active member of the community. She serves as a member of the Mylan Park Communications Committee and sits on the FastTrac Coalition of North Central West Virginia at the West Virginia High Technology Consortium. The West Virginia Associated Press has honored Kaull seven times for her work.

2003 Recipients

P.I. Reed Achievement Award:
Scott Widmeyer, a 1974 graduate, is chairman and CEO of Widmeyer Communications, a firm he founded after holding major communications positions with five national leaders—former President Jimmy Carter, former Vice President Walter Mondale, U.S. Senator Jay Rockefeller, former U.S. Representative Geraldine Ferraro and late president of the American Federation of Teachers, Albert Shanker. While serving the public through the March of Dimes, GLAAD, Victory Fund, among other groups, Widmeyer also has established two scholarship funds to benefit African-American and first generation West Virginian college journalism students.

Friend of the School:
Awarded posthumously to Frank Kearns, former WVU broadcast journalism professor and award-winning broadcaster. Sara de Maine Kearns, Frank Kearns wife, also received the award in 2003.

Frank M. Kearns started his news career as a stringer for CBS in Cairo, Egypt, where he worked from1950 to 1957. During his time in Cairo, he covered conflicts in Egypt. He also later covered the Algerian Civil War. Kearns then moved to the European bureaus in London, Paris, Rome and Moscow, covering the Aberfan mining disaster in Wales, Biafra’s civil war and many other major conflicts and skirmishes. Frank decided he would retire from CBS, and he accepted a position at the WVU P.I. Reed School of Journalism as the Benedum Professor of Journalism in 1971. He stayed as a professor at the School until 1983, when he took early retirement and returned to Italy, where he spent the last three years of his life. He was diagnosed with cancer and died in August 1986.

Sara also experienced a varied and successful career. She began her travels as a Stewardess for British Airways, later operated her own interior design business and a bed and breakfast in New York, managed the corporate entertaining for the US Open tennis tournament for Restaurant Associates and ran the Halas for Abercrombie and Kent in Gocek, Turkey. A graduate of the Starkey International Institute for Household Management, Sara returned to her alma mater as an instructor and was soon promoted to headmaster. She returned to her roots, the sky, in 1997 when she was recruited by Leucadia Aviation to become a Corporate Flight Attendant. Sara has continued a strong relationship with the School, visiting for Journalism Week and other events.

Martin Hall Cornerstone Award:
Joyce Bower, a 1966 graduate, has been a publications specialist with the WVU Extension Service since 1991. Earlier, she was news editor and press specialist with WVU Extension and writer-editor with the Federal Extension Service (U.S. Department of Agriculture). Joyce earned a bachelor’s in journalism, with honors, in 1966 and an master’s in education in 1973 from WVU. For the School, Joyce served as a judge in the State High School Journalism Competition for several years, as treasurer of Kappa Tau Alpha and as secretary-treasurer of the Journalism Alumni Association for 11 years.

Tim Terman earned an undergraduate degree from the School of Journalism in 1987. He briefly worked as a stringer for the AP until beginning his career in public relations in the fall of 1987 with West Virginia University’s News and Information Services. During his 13 years at news services, he became associate director, was editor of the Mountaineer Spirit, explored new communications channels using electronic media and created what we know at the University as E-News and the WVU Intranet. Terman also earned a master's degree and taught several classes at the school. In 2001 he became communications director at the College of Business and Economics. Twice president of the North Central Chapter of the SOJ Alumni Association, Terman worked to produce the chapter's newsletter and cooks hamburgers and hotdogs at the annual chapter picnic.


2002 Recipients

P.I. Reed Achievement Award:
Scott Bosley, a 1965 alumnus of the school, is executive director of the American Society of Newspaper Editors in Reston, Va. Bosley also manages activities of the ASNE Foundation, which funds programs on diversity, credibility, readership and First Amendment issues. He has served in positions with Knight Ridder Inc., The Post Tribune in Indiana, The Journal of Commerce, The Detroit Free Press and Akron Beacon Journal. Bosley has extensive executive leadership training and attended the Harvard Experience.

Friend of the School:
Leonard S. Gross, a 1949 graduate, served as president to the school’s Alumni Association, organizing the campaign to establish the Association’s Endowment through the WVU Foundation. Gross has worked in broadcast journalism and public relations and is an ordained Episcopal Church priest.

Michael Fulton, class of 1979, is executive vice president of the Washington, D.C., firm Golin/Harris International specializing in government relations. He is a long-time member and former president of the school’s Visiting Committee and has been instrumental in setting up collaborative internships, partnerships and working relationships between his company and the school.


2001 Recipients

P.I. Reed Achievement Award:
Linda B. Arnold, an SOJ alumna who also earned her master’s degree in business administration, is founder, chairman and CEO of The Arnold Agency, a full-service advertising/public relations/government relations firm in Charleston, W.Va., earning regional and national awards for excellence. She has also served as director of communications and press secretary to Jay Rockefeller during his tenure as the state’s governor. She has also received the "Who’s Who in Business" award from The State Journal.

Friend of the School:
John Cary Shott, Jr.
G. Ogden Nutting


2000 Recipients

P.I. Reed Achievement Award:
Robert M. Rine (’76)


1999 Recipients
P.I. Reed Achievement Award:
R. Douglas Huff (‘69)
A. Bray Cary (‘70)


1998 Recipients
P.I. Reed Achievement Award:
C. Gregory Van Camp (‘65)


1997 Recipients
P.I. Reed Achievement Award:
Terry Wimmer (’74)


1996 Recipients
P.I. Reed Achievement Award:
Louise Crumrine Seals (‘66)
Richard Toren (’48)


1995 Recipients
P.I. Reed Achievement Award:
Carolyn Bailey Lewis (‘80)


1994 Recipients
P.I. Reed Achievement Award:
Phoebe Fisher Heishman (‘63)


1993 Recipients
P.I. Reed Achievement Award:
Charles E Ryan (‘62)


1992 Recipients
P.I. Reed Achievement Award:
Woodrow “Woody” Wilson (‘41)


1991 Recipients
P.I. Reed Achievement Award:
Don Marsh (’50)
Robert S. Earle (’40)


1990 Recipients
P.I. Reed Achievement Award:
Leighton Watson (’38, ’70)


1989 Recipients
P.I. Reed Achievement Award:
Cletis Pride (’53)
Alvin S. Volker (’39)


1988 Recipients
P.I. Reed Achievement Award:
Ralph Izard (’61, ’62)
P. Buxton Martin (’36)


1987 Recipients
P.I. Reed Achievement Award:
Brentz Thompson (’47)
Beulah Hash (’33)


1986 Recipients
P.I. Reed Achievement Award:
Paul A. Atkins (’49)


1985 Recipients
P.I. Reed Achievement Award:
Catharine P. Clark (’30)


1984 Recipients
P.I. Reed Achievement Award:
William K. Stevens (’57)


1983 Recipients
P.I. Reed Achievement Award:
Domenick “Mickey” Furfari (’48)


1982 Recipients
P.I. Reed Achievement Award:
William H. Bambrick (’42)


1981 Recipients
P.I. Reed Achievement Award:
James B. Moore (’35)


1980 Recipients
P.I. Reed Achievement Award:
Charles Stafford (’49)


1979 Recipients
P.I. Reed Achievement Award:
James H. Porterfield (’36)


1978 Recipients
P.I. Reed Achievement Award:
Ann Griffith (’44)


1977 Recipients
P.I. Reed Achievement Award:
Guy H. Stewart (’48)
Richard Ralston Sr. (’30)


1976 Recipients
P.I. Reed Achievement Award:
Marcelle W. Farrington (’48)


1975 Recipients
P.I. Reed Achievement Award:
Kyung-Won Lee (’53)


1974 Recipients
P.I. Reed Achievement Award:
James C. Millstone (’52)


1973 Recipients
P.I. Reed Achievement Award:
Donovan H. Bond (’42)


1972 Recipients
P.I. Reed Achievement Award:
Thomas F. Pendergast (’53)


1971 Recipients
P.I. Reed Achievement Award:
Frank M. Kearns (’38)


1970 Recipients
P.I. Reed Achievement Award:
Felix M. Sutton (’35)


1969 Recipients
P.I. Reed Achievement Award:
Gilbert W. Love (’27)


1968 Recipients
P.I. Reed Achievement Award:
Robert P. Mellace (’41)


1967 Recipients
P.I. Reed Achievement Award:
Max Fullerton (’25)


1966 Recipients
P.I. Reed Achievement Award:
J. Montgomery Curtis