An association for alumni and supporters of The Daily Texan, student newspaper at the University of Texas at Austin

News & Updates

Grants for Texan staffers to honor 2 former UT Journalism photo professors

Two annual awards for Daily Texan staff members have been created in honor of journalism professors at the University of Texas at Austin. The Faculty Recognition Award is a cash award designed to honor the extraordinary efforts of outstanding faculty, and the awards go to Texan staffers who have made significant contributions working for The Daily Texan in spite of financial hardship. This is made possible by award-winning photojournalists John McConnico of Texas and Jean-Marc Bouju of France, both former Daily Texan staffers and both Pulitzer Prize winners and members of The Daily Texan Hall of Fame, sponsored by Friends […]

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Two recent Daily Texan alums to receive Rising Star Awards

Two recent alums of The Daily Texan will be honored as Rising Stars at the March 22 Friends of the Daily Texan Hall of Fame gathering on the UT campus. The Rising Star Award, which is given to recent graduates who have already made a significant contribution in their field, will be given to Ellie Breed, Chief Press Officer at the Public Utility Commission of Texas, and Eleanor Dearman, a Texas politics and government reporter for the Fort Worth Star-Telegram. In addition, 9 honorees will  be named to The Daily Texan Hall of Fame at the 11th annual gathering of […]

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Sponsor a student to attend Daily Texan Hall of Fame event March 22

Not able to attend the Friends of The Daily Texan Hall of Fame event March 22 on the University of Texas campus? Please consider sponsoring a Daily Texan student journalist to attend the event and learn about the rich history of The Daily Texan. Or, even if able to attend, please consider sponsoring a student for only $75. Registration for the event is now open at this link: https://friendsdailytexan.wildapricot.org/event-5556362 . At that link you can select your ticket and/or make a donation to sponsor a student. To clarify, all Daily Texan staff members are welcome to attend – at no charge […]

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The envelope, please: 9 new honorees for 2024 Daily Texan Hall of Fame

Who are the 9 new members of The Daily Texan Hall of Fame? They met at The Daily Texan and married; as reporters in World War II, he was at Normandy on D-Day, and died when a German tank attacked his vehicle as the Allies advanced to Paris; she told her editor she needed to go to the front line and ended up at Remagen when the U.S. Army crossed the Rhine into Germany, covered liberation of concentration camps and was at the first linkup of U.S. and Soviet forces. A seasoned journalist and senior New York Times executive for […]

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New Moody Dean to speak at Friends of Daily Texan March 22 event

Dr. Rachel Davis Mersey, recently appointed Dean of Moody College of Communication, will be the featured speaker at the 11th annual Friends of The Daily Texan Hall of Fame gathering on the University of Texas campus on March 22. Mersey served as Interim Dean for 7 months and was appointed Dean in January 2024. The March 22 gathering will begin at 5 p.m. with an outdoor reception on the Walter Cronkite Plaza,  located between the Texas Student Media building and the Moody College of Communication complex. There will be a variety of food and beverage stations. Also beginning at 5 […]

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In Memoriam: David Casstevens

David Casstevens Died Jan. 24, 2024 Dallas The Dallas Morning News David Casstevens, a lyrical writer who never let X’s and O’s get in the way of a good story in a career spanning five decades with seven newspapers, including The Dallas Morning News, died Jan. 24, 2024,after a long, debilitating struggle with COVID. He was 77. He was a University of Texas journalism graduate and a sportswriter for The Daily Texan. Casstevens won local, state and national sports writing awards as a beat reporter, feature writer and columnist, but he also authored or co-authored three books and spent the last two decades in his native […]

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Rachel Davis Mersey named 7th Dean of Moody College of Communication

Rachel Davis Mersey has been appointed dean of Moody College of Communication, replacing Dr. Jay Bernhardt who resigned to become president of Emerson College. Mersey has served as Interim Dean since Bernhardt’s departure 7 months ago. “The Moody College of Communication is in the strongest place it has been in its history, and I am honored to be selected to serve as the next dean, charged with leading us to new heights,” Mersey said.  “I want to thank President Jay Hartzell and Provost Sharon Wood for their confidence in me. Thank you, too, to the search committee, led by Senior […]

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In Memoriam: Pamela Anne Baggett-Wallis

In Memoriam: Pamela Anne Baggett-Wallis Died Dec. 2, 2023 Johnson City, Texas   Pam Baggett-Wallis passed away Dec. 2, 2023  at home in the arms of her loving husband, Jesse, after a long-fought battle with cancer. Born in Colorado, Pam took a short detour to Oklahoma then arrived in Texas “as soon as she could.” She grew up in Fort Worth and spent a lot of time with her adoptive father’s family in Archer City which made her very proud of her Texas roots. She first attended Our Lady of Victory for grades 1-6. She then attended Rosemont Junior High […]

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Celebrate The Daily Texan at UT on March 22

Supporters of student journalism at the University of Texas and fans and friends of The Daily Texan, please mark March 22 on your calendar. That’s the date of the annual Friends of The Daily Texan, Inc.  gathering on the Austin campus. The gathering will begin at 5 p.m. with an outdoor reception on the Walter Cronkite Plaza,  located between the Texas Student Media building and the Moody College of Communication complex. There will be a variety of food and beverage stations. Also beginning at 5 p.m. will be a tour and visitation time at the adjacent Daily Texan offices. The […]

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Kirk Bohls receives top award from Football Writers Association of America

By Football Writers Association of America Austin American-Statesman columnist Kirk Bohls has been named the FWAA’s 2024 Bert McGrane winner and was honored  at a dinner in Houston Jan. 6 hosted by the National Football Foundation and presented by Hanold Associates Executive Search during festivities leading up to the College Football Playoff National Championship Jan. 8. “I am truly humbled and honored by this award that has recognized so many friends and colleagues of mine,” Bohls said. “I know of no sportswriter who gets into this line of work to win awards or make a lot of money or become […]

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