Longtime journalist and news leader Don E. Carter has been awarded the Dean鈥檚 Medal for Leadership Excellence by the University of Georgia Grady College of Journalism and Mass Communication.
The Dean鈥檚 Medal, the college鈥檚 highest honor, was awarded to Carter in tribute of his career of leadership in journalism, including his long-time support for journalism education at the Grady College.
Carter, a Sea island resident and former vice president of Knight Ridder, was a 1938 graduate of Grady. His late wife, Carolyn, was a 1940 Grady graduate.
The Carters established the Don E. Carter and Carolyn McKenzie Carter Chair for Journalism Excellence, a chair held by professor John Greenman.
鈥淒on Carter is a stalwart of journalism excellence and an extraordinary alumnus,鈥� said Charles Davis, dean of Grady College. 鈥淲e are honored to present the Dean鈥檚 Medal, expressing our respect and appreciation for Don Carter鈥檚 distinguished career as a journalist and news executive and his decades-long support for Grady College.鈥�
Carter is the past president of the Grady College Alumni Board and recently made an additional cash gift and bequest to endow the mission of excellence of the journalism program at Grady College. The Carter gift provides the college鈥檚 first endowment of a departmental mission.
Carter said he is 鈥渉onored to be a graduate of the Grady College and its strong and dedicated college of journalism and mass communication.鈥�
鈥淚n 1936, I convinced my father that studying journalism at the University of Georgia was worth his investment of $500 a year to send me to Athens,鈥� Carter said. 鈥淛ournalism has provided me with a rewarding career as a journalist and news executive. I am pleased I can support students and faculty to preserve and advance journalism excellence in Grady鈥檚 next century.鈥�
The Carters鈥� gift will be put to work immediately to prepare students to enter prestigious journalism competitions. It will support students on internships in cities where the cost of living is high, and it will bring journalism leaders to campus in the Carters鈥� names.
The Brunswick News
DONNA STILLINGER