There was a time when prominent newspaper journalists were associated with large universities with graduate programs, like Columbia, Missouri, Northwestern, and Syracuse. Times have changed. As Dennis Stern ’69 points out, there is increasing specialization in the newspaper business.

Haverford is not about specialization. In the true spirit of liberal learning, the College does not offer a major in journalism or communications (nor do Bryn Mawr and Swarthmore, for that matter). There are no journalism courses. Even so, Haverford has produced what seems to be an inordinate number of journalists for a college its size. Haverford prepares students for a lifetime of asking questions, a lifetime of thinking analytically. Haverford and journalism are a natural fit.

Haverford also delivers exposure to Haverford alumni who’ve gone on to careers in journalism. The Silk Journalism Panel, is the annual on-campus opportunity for the bi-college community to meet and hear from journalism’s front lines.

There’s also some history. Felix Morley ’15, left the editorship
of the Washington Post, where he’d won a Pulitzer Prize for
editorial writing in 1936, to serve as Haverford’s sixth president. Haverford alumni have claimed four Pulitzers in the past 20 years: David Wessel ’75 in 1984; Dave Barry ’69 in 1988; Roy Gutman ’66 in 1993; and Jack Rakove ’68 in 1997.

The person who perhaps best represents journalism on campus today is director of athletics and associate dean Greg Kannerstein ’63. Greg uses skills he honed as a newspaper reporter in Philadelphia and Montgomery, Ala., to bring us “Scoreline.” While his carefully crafted prose keeps the Ford faithful apprised of athletic endeavors, he also provides rich reminders of Haverford’s history, traditions, and its connections to the world beyond 370 Lancaster Avenue. Greg’s guidance has helped dozens of Fords get started on their newspaper careers. Still others work for magazines, broadcast media, and other outlets.

Are newspapers still relevant in this age of the Internet and 24/7 cable news access? I hope the stories and profiles we’ve gathered here help answer that question. The common thread of a Haverford education pulls them all together. In David Wessel’s words, Haverford affords students “confidence, it trains them to ask good questions, it fosters critical thinking. Haverford is the best journalism school there is.”

Taking the Lead in L.A.
John Carroll ’63 brings quiet leadership to the Los Angeles Times.
by Joe Quinlan ’75

A Legacy in Print
The Silk family and its tradition
of journalism at Haverford.
by Brenna McBride