The Michigan Interscholastic Press Association has honored Dr. Lucinda Davenport, director of the Michigan State University School of Journalism, as the recipient of its 2019 John V. Field Award for his support of student journalists.
The award recognizes a person or organization who is not currently a student media adviser for their significant contributions to scholastic journalism in Michigan. It was first given in 1972 to John Field, who served as the executive director of MIPA for more than 20 years.
Davenport will step aside this year as director of the J-School after spending a decade leading the program. She will continue to teach and conduct research as a member of the journalism faculty.
“Dr. Davenport has been an ardent supporter of MIPA and scholastic journalism throughout her time as director of the School of Journalism and her career at Michigan State,” said Jeremy Steele, executive director of MIPA and a specialist in the School of Journalism. “She is a tireless advocate for journalism and the positive role journalism can play in the lives of young people.”
Davenport is an accomplished teacher, researcher and author. Young college journalists across the country use one of the textbooks she has authored. She also is a pioneer in researching online news and the use of computers in newsrooms.
During her time as director of the J-School, she oversaw the search for a new MIPA director when J-School faculty member when Cheryl Pell retired and embraced the the importance of having MIPA headquartered at MSU. In 2014, she was among In 2014, she was among a team at MSU who helped save the Detroit High School Journalism Program when the Detroit Free Press cut its funding, and in 2015 she worked with that team to bring a new corporate partner, Crain Communications, to the program.
In just the past two years, she has been honored as the 2017 Outstanding Woman in Journalism and Mass Communication Education Award by the Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication Commission on the Status of Women and by Michigan State with its Robert F. Banks Award for Institutional Leadership.
“Dr. Davenport embodies the spirit of the John V. Field Award in everything she does,” Steele said. “She is a true friend to scholastic journalism.”
ABOUT THE MICHIGAN INTERSCHOLASTIC PRESS ASSOCIATION
Founded in 1921 and housed in the Michigan State University School of Journalism, the Michigan Interscholastic Press Association is a nonprofit organization composed of scholastic journalism teachers and publications advisers and their students. MIPA is committed to promoting and recognizing excellence in scholastic journalism at all levels through education, training and support of student journalists and their advisers.