ATTENTION:
News editors, Business editors, Feature editors,
Photo editors, Assignment desks

CONTACTS:Sarah A. Shrode, SPJ Director of Communications, 425/452-4846 or sshrode@spj.org

DOUBLETREE HOTEL, BELLEVUE, Wash. – The Society of Professional Journalists awarded the David L. Eshelman Outstanding Campus Adviser Award to Charles N. Davis of the University of Missouri.

Davis will receive the Eshelman award at 2001 SPJ National Convention’s Mark of Excellence Awards Luncheon from noon-2 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 6, at the DoubleTree Hotel, 300 112th Ave. S.E., Bellevue, Wash.

Davis was chosen for the award for his role in turning around a defunct SPJ campus chapter at the Missouri School of Journalism. When Davis arrived at Missouri in 1998, he inherited a defunct SPJ campus chapter. Three years later, the chapter has nearly 100 members and an outstanding executive committee.

“SPJ has been so important to me professionally, and I knew that at Missouri, all it needed was a spark,” Davis said. “These students are so dedicated to journalism, and SPJ fights to protect journalism, so it was just a matter of getting them started. The world’s first school of journalism deserves nothing less than the best SPJ chapter in the world.”

Davis serves as executive director of the Freedom of Information Center at the University of Missouri School of Journalism and is an assistant professor in the News-Editorial Department. He has been an SPJ member since 1986 and has served as a campus chapter adviser for three different universities and as president of the Dallas Pro Chapter. Davis also serves as adviser-at-large on the national board of SPJ.

“In addition to being an outstanding chapter adviser, Dr. Davis is a friend to nearly everyone in the chapter,” wrote Brian Joseph, University of Missouri student and student at-large representative on the SPJ national board, in his nomination letter for Davis. “He relates well to college students, and he’s always willing to provide advice on internships, jobs, or classes. I regularly take advantage of Dr. Davis’ open door policy – he’s a tremendous resource for aspiring journalists such as myself.”

The Outstanding Campus Chapter Adviser Award, initiated in 1978, is presented annually to the person who has made an exceptional contribution to the campus chapter for which he or she serves as SPJ adviser. In 1993, the SPJ board voted to change the award name to the David Eshelman Outstanding Campus Adviser Award in order to honor Mr. Eshelman, a longtime member of the Society and Board “Parliamentarian,” who was killed in 1983.

The Society of Professional Journalists works to improve and protect journalism. The organization is the nation’s largest and most broad-based journalism organization, dedicated to encouraging the free practice of journalism and stimulating high standards of ethical behavior. Founded in 1909 as Sigma Delta Chi, SPJ promotes the free flow of information vital to a well-informed citizenry; works to inspire and educate the next generation of journalists; and protects First Amendment guarantees of freedom of speech and press.

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MEDIA PASSES: Media passes for events at the Oct. 4-6 2001 SPJ National Convention may be obtained at the convention's onsite SPJ Office at the DoubleTree Hotel – Bellevue, 300 112th Ave., S.E., Bellevue, Wash.

For more information or to obtain a media pass, contact Sarah A. Shrode, SPJ Director of Communications, at sshrode@spj.org or at the convention’s onsite SPJ Office.