The Center for Journalism Integrity & Excellence held their annual award ceremony and luncheon at the Union League Club on April 27, 2023. Center co-directors Carol Marin and Don Moseley presented journalist Judy Woodruff with the 2023 Distinguished Journalist Award and journalist Sally Ramirez with the 2023 Distinguished Alumna Award.
Award Ceremony Photo Gallery
2023 CJIE award recipients Judy Woodruff and Sally Ramirez talk with Advanced Reporting students before the award ceremony. Photo credit: Jonathan Aguilar
Advanced Reporting students pose with CJIE Directors and 2023 award recipients Judy Woodruff and Sally Ramirez. Photo credit: Jonathan Aguilar.
At the ceremony (L-R): Lexa Murphy, Dean, College of Communication; Carol Marin, Co-Director, Center for Journalism Integrity & Excellence; President Robert L. Manuel, DePaul University; Judy Woodruff, 2023 Distinguished Journalist Award recipient; Newton Minow, attorney and former chair of the Federal Communications Commission; Sally Ramirez, 2023 Distinguished Alumna recipient; Salma Ghanem, Provost, DePaul University; Don Moseley, Co-Director, Center for Journalism Integrity & Excellence. Photo credit: Sandy Rosencrans.
President Robert L. Manuel engaged award recipients Judy Woodruff and Sally Ramirez for a quick selfie before the ceremony began. Photo credit: Sandy Rosencrans.
Attendees enjoy the 2023 Center for Integrity & Excellence Awards ceremony. Photo credit: Sandy Rosencrans.
Attendees enjoy the 2023 Center for Integrity & Excellence Awards ceremony. Photo credit: Sandy Rosencrans.
Attendees enjoy the 2023 Center for Integrity & Excellence Awards ceremony. Photo credit: Sandy Rosencrans.
College of Communication Dean Lexa Murphy addresses attendees at the 2023 Center for Journalism Integrity & Excellence Awards. Photo credit: Sandy Rosencrans.
DePaul President Robert L. Manuel addresses attendees of the 2023 CJIE Awards. Photo credit: Sandy Rosencrans.
Alumna Sally Ramirez accepts the 2023 Distinguished Alumni award from Center Co-Director Don Moseley. Photo credit: Sandy Rosencrans.
Judy Woodruff accepts the 2023 Distinguished Journalist Award from center Co-Director Carol Marin. Photo credit: Sandy Rosencrans.
After meeting the award recipients earlier that morning, Advanced Reporting students prepare to hear 2023 Distinguished Journalist Award recipient Judy Woodruff and 2023 Distinguished Alumna Award recipient Sally Ramirez accept their awards. Photo credit: Sandy Rosencrans.
Attendees enjoy the 2023 Center for Integrity & Excellence Awards ceremony. Photo credit: Sandy Rosencrans.
Center Co-Director Carol Marin with the esteemed Newton Minow. Photo credit: Sandy Rosencrans.
Distinguised Alumni Award recipients Sally Ramirez (2023) and Lourdes Duarte (2019) greet each other during the award ceremony. Photo credit: Sandy Rosencrans.
Judy Woodruff Award Ceremony Speech
Best known for her years anchoring the “PBS NewsHour," Judy Woodruff was honored with the Distinguished Journalist Award from DePaul University's Center for Journalism Integrity & Excellence. "Judy Woodruff inspires. She is living proof that journalism is about the story, not the storyteller," Center Co-Director Carol Marin says. “It's about the facts which can be slippery as mercury. It's about the fairness." Woodruff is currently editor and correspondent for her upcoming project "Judy Woodruff Presents: America at a Crossroads." Watch her award acceptance speech below.
Sally Ramirez Award Ceremony Speech
Sally Ramirez, a 1989 alumna and most recently executive producer of the CNBC show "The News with Shepard Smith" received the Distinguished Alumni Award. In her more than 30-year career, Ramirez has established herself as a newsroom leader. "Sally Ramirez's impressive career centers on great journalism and solid storytelling," says Center Co-Director Don Moseley. Ramirez returns to Chicago as Senior Vice President of News for NBC Chicago and Telemundo Chicago. Watch her acceptance speech below.
Previous recipients of the Distinguished Journalist Award are 60 Minutes correspondent Bill Whitaker; Chicago news anchor Ron Magers; Lester Holt of "NBC Nightly News;" Jane Pauley of "CBS Sunday Morning;" and Dean Baquet of The New York Times. Previous recipients of the Distinguished Alumni Award are KARE-TV reporter Heidi Wigdahl; Jeremy Gorner of the Chicago Tribune; Ben Welsh of the Los Angeles Times; Ann Pistone of ABC7 Chicago and Lourdes Duarte of WGN-TV.
Adapted from DePaul Newsroom
In Memoriam
Soon after the award ceremony, we were saddened to
learn of the passing of esteemed lawyer and former FCC chairman Newton Minow. Minow was a beloved friend and mentor to the Center for Journalism Integrity & Excellence. In 2022, the Center honored Minow with the inaugural Distinguished Mentor Award in recognition of his years of service and dedication. He will be missed by all. Watch WTTW Tribute: Center Co-Director Carol Marin and panalest honor Minow in this 5/8/23 episode of "Chicago Tonight."