The Missouri School of Journalism welcomed Jorge Ramos, Maria Ressa and John Saunders on Sept. 30 to award the Missouri Honor Medal for Distinguished Service.
The medal has been awarded annually since 1930 to celebrate lifetime contributions to journalism and strategic communications. This year’s recipients were Ramos, veteran anchor of Univision’s flagship news program, Noticiero Univision; Ressa, winner of the Nobel Peace Prize in 2021 and founder of Filipino news outlet Rappler, which has survived many censorship attempts from the government; and Saunders, former president and CEO of global communications agency FleishmanHillard.
The honorees spent the day hosting public master classes and panels on campus. Celebrations culminated that evening at the State Historical Society of Missouri, where students and faculty gathered with the award recipients for a dinner and award ceremony. The event kicked off with an introductory speech from Dean of the Missouri School of Journalism David Kurpius.
“We’re closing in on 100 years of presenting this award, and while the industry has seen countless changes over that time, the idea behind the honor medal has remained the same,” Kurpius said during his introduction. ”In fact, it’s the same idea that’s inscribed on the arch marking the entrance to the School of Journalism: ‘Wise shall be the bearers of light.’ As role models for students and professionals alike, honor medalists are those who have carried the light forward, breaking new ground or lighting the way for others to follow.”
After the guests were served dinner, Kurpius awarded medals to each of the honorees. Short videos were played about each recipient, with Mizzou faculty and Columbia-area journalists explaining the medalists’ careers to help attendees learn more about their accomplishments. Honorees also gave a short acceptance speech. First-year Charlie Mathis said hearing the speeches made him eager to see what he too could accomplish one day.
“Having listened to all three of the recipients talk, it’s just honestly kind of crazy. I feel like I’m here with celebrities,” Mathis said. “It made me feel excited to be older and have accomplished something – it just makes me excited for the future, honestly.”
