Reynolds School of Journalism students, faculty and alumni gathered on Thursday, April 4, for the 59th Scripps Dinner and Lecture, a tradition the journalism school has held since 1964. The annual event was started by Edward “Ted” W. Scripps II and is carried on in his honor as a way to give students the opportunity to hear from leaders in the journalism profession.

The night began as Dean Yun, who stepped into the role of dean in January, acknowleded the honored guests for the evening, including the family of Ted Scripps, University President Brian and Lauralyn Sandoval, Provost Jeff Thompson and the four students who were awarded scholarships by the Scripps Howard Foundation. 

Each scholarship recipient was honored and welcomed with applause.

The four Scripps scholars are Chase Dulude, Katherine Fulwider, Dominic Gutierrez and Derek Raridon. Dulude, Gutierrez and Raridon all have goals of working in sports. Fulwider hopes to work as an environmental reporter and is currently nominated for a Webby Award for her documentary “The Last Sheepherders.”

After dinner, Scripps Lecturer Steven Waldman, president and founder of Rebuild Local News and former president and co-founder of Report for America, began his keynote address.

Waldman spoke about the state of local news across the country and ways in which communities and legislators can work to help save the industry, which was similar to conversations held during a talk earlier that day with local media for the school's Project for the Revitalization of Local News.

“This generation actually understands that local journalism is about saving communities, and about saving democracy. So, if we can give people the tools to do it, the innovation and aspiration, we can create a better local news system than we've ever had," Waldman said.

After an audience Q&A, Dean Yun presented Waldman with a Stetson hat as an homage to the late Ted Scripps.