The annual Lew Klein Alumni in the Media Awards honored six School of Media and Communication alumni and Tina Fey.
The annual awards event raises funds for the Lew Klein Scholarship, which supports School of Media and Communication students who want to pursue internships or research projects or study away.
Photo by Ryan Brandenberg
Temple University s School of Media and Communication hosted the 16th Annual Lew Klein Alumni in the Media Awards in Mitten Hall on Oct. 7. The school honored six alumni for their professional achievements in the media industry and presented actor, producer and writer Tina Fey with the 2016 Excellence in the Media Award.
Alumni honorees included
- Michael Grossman, SMC 81, director and executive producer for movies and television;
- Solomon Jones, SMC 97, columnist for the Philadelphia Daily News and host of WURD Radio;
- Chante Lans, SMC 06, reporter for CBS 4 Boston;
- Rich Lerner, SMC 83, anchor, reporter and producer for The Golf Channel; and
- Rich Levy, SMC 79, chief creative officer of FCB Health.
- Laurie Seidman, SMC 98, director of daytime programming for CBS Entertainment
Just as our students are doing amazing things, so are the illustrious alumni of the School of Media and Communication, said David Boardman, dean of the School of Media and Communication. Today we gather to honor six of them who were Temple Made and have made us particularly proud in the years since they left North Broad.
Another alumnus, Peter Fey, SMC 84 Tina s brother introduced the star before she accepted the 2016 Excellence in the Media Award. In her remarks, Fey said she owes her successful career to her family, especially her late father Don, SMC 66, who impressed upon her a very strong work ethic. His high expectations led her to try her hardest, she said.
My father taught us to write and speak concisely, that our words matter. [He taught us] not to be afraid of words, not to take words away from people, Fey said.
[node:pullquote]The annual awards event raises funds for the Lew Klein Scholarship, which supports SMC students who want to pursue internships or research projects or study away.
Joshua Combos, a senior media studies and production major, said his Lew Klein Scholarship allowed him to study away in Los Angeles and complete an internship for Fox Sports and The Tavis Smiley Show on PBS.
I was able to jump-start my career while still in school, he said. My internship and connections would have never happened without the scholarship.
Watch the honorees accept their awards on YouTube.
Jordyn Kreshover
My father taught us to write and speak concisely, that our words matter. He taught us not to be afraid of words, not to take words away from people.
