On Sept. 21, 2023, the Society of Professional Journalists has named 1 Ohio University, 200 Schoonover Center in Athens, Ohio as a Historic Site in Journalism. The address is the location for the E.W. Scripps School of Journalism at Ohio University, one of the oldest journalism schools in the nation.
100 Years of Journalism Education
1923-2023
100-Year Anniversary
From a river valley in Appalachian Ohio to the global stage: One hundred years of hands-on education, practical experience and intellectual exploration.
How It Began:
- 1923 – English professor and Ohio University alumnus Raymond Slutz offers the University’s first journalism courses.
- 1924 – The new Department of Journalism, part of the College of Liberal Arts, hires George Starr Lasher as director. The program offers courses in news reporting, news editing and magazine writing.
- 1925 – Journalism students begin taking elective courses in which they report and edit copy for The Athens Messenger.
- 1936 – The School of Journalism —created as part of the College of Commerce (now the College of Business)— is housed on the first floor of Ewing Hall.
It's a party, and you're invited! The E.W. Scripps School of Journalism is celebrating its centennial year with a roster featuring some of the world's best investigative reporters, a symposium featuring top-tier recent alumni, a celebration of the school's contributions to foreign correspondence, a ceremony honoring alumni who have won journalism's top awards, and an exhibit to commemorate the founding of the E.W. Scripps Co. and its contributions to journalism. Check back often to see the monthly alumni video series and to get details on upcoming events. See, hear and share J-celebrations using #scrippsschool100 on Twitter.
Journalism 100-Year Anniversary Events
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Our Next Event
A Celebration of the Impact on Journalism by the E.W. Scripps School of Journalism
Thursday, November 2 at 3 p.m. Add to Calendar
Location: Vernon R. Alden Library, 4th floor
Time: 3 p.m. – Exhibit Opening
E.W. Scripps History
On Nov. 2, 1878, E.W. and his sister Ellen Browning Scripps founded The Penny Press newspaper in Cleveland, the beginning of the E.W. Scripps Co. That first paper launched a chain of 34 newspapers in 15 states across the country.
Rather than subscribe to The Associated Press wire service, E.W. created his own service, which became United Press International. United Press is credited with the first wire delivery of photos, the first wire designed for radio, the first use of computers, the first transmission of news over satellite and the first television news service.
The company established a bureau in the nation’s capital to cover World War I. It established its own syndication service, United Feature Syndicate, that circulated editorials and comic strips to its own papers and a thousand other clients. United Feature is best known for its purchase of the “Peanuts” comic strip. Ernie Pyle, a Scripps correspondent who covered World War II, received the Pulitzer Prize for his combat reporting.
The company sold its newspapers in 2015 to focus on broadcast, digital and cable. The E.W. Scripps Co. is the nation’s largest holder of broadcast spectrum and reaches nearly every American through its national network of news and entertainment programming.
Previous Events
Miss an event or eager to watch a replay? Check out previous events from the 100-Year Anniversary Celebration.
And the Next 100 Years?
You — students, alumni, supporters and friends — help the E.W. Scripps School of Journalism remain one of the top 10 journalism schools in the country.
The school invites you to participate in this centennial and the next 100 years by donating to an Ohio University Foundation account to support student scholarships or experiential learning opportunities.
The school has designated two scholarship accounts for centennial contributions:
- The Pete Costanzo Scholarship for First-Year Journalism Students allows the school to recruit outstanding high school students from all backgrounds by offering them a scholarship upon enrollment. Costanzo is a proud journalism school alumnus whose career spans more than 30 years in solving strategic marketing and communication problems for a wide variety of industries. After clicking the "donate" button, you'll be redirected to a secure giving form. In the box that says "Then choose the specific fund you'd like to support", scroll to select the scholarship.
- The Clarence Page Scholarship for African American Students in Journalism is awarded to students who work for "The Post". It is named in honor of two-time Pulitzer Prize-winning alumnus Clarence Page, who was a reporter at "The Post" during his time on campus. Page is a syndicated columnist for the "Chicago Tribune". Click the "donate" button to be redirected to a secure giving form. In the box that says "Then choose the specific fund you'd like to support", scroll to select the “Sp” option.
Those who want to support the journalism operating fund, which is used to bring top-level industry leaders to campus and to provide experiential learning opportunities to students, are invited to donate to the E.W. Scripps School of Journalism fund. Click the "donate" button to be redirected to the secure giving form. The fund will automatically load into the second box.
Thank you. The E.W. Scripps School of Journalism invites you to visit any time.
Scripps Day spotlights OHIO’s multimedia talent in photography, broadcasting, reporting, public relations, design
Cincinnati — home of the E.W. Scripps Company — proclaimed Sept. 6 as “Scripps Day” to honor 100 years of journalism instruction at Ohio University.
Alumni Voices
E.W. Scripps School of Journalism alums have been shaping the world for 100 years. In this edition of Alumni Voices, Carter Rodriguez shares about his time at the school. Check out the YouTube playlist to hear from more alumni.