Texas Student Media « Friends of The Daily Texan

TSM Director Gerald Johnson: “We needed to change the story that we were shutting down”

On December 10, 2016 / Texas Student Media, Updates on The Daily Texan / Comments Off

Texas Student Media Director Gerald Johnson hit his two-year anniversary with the organization this past summer. Drawing upon more than 15 years of experience leading business development and sales initiatives for The Houston Chronicle and Hearst Media Services, Johnson has worked hard to stabilize both the staff and the finances of Texas Student Media. He led Texas Student Media as it transitioned in 2014 from operating under the Division of Student Affairs to the Moody College of Communication, with the help of bridge funding from the Office of the President. We caught up with him recently to learn more about […]

Stewart Vanderwilt shares update on The Daily Texan at annual event

On October 16, 2016 / Moody College of communication, Texan Hall of Fame, Texas Student Media, Updates on The Daily Texan / Comments Off

At the 2016 Daily Texan Awards, Moody College of Communication Assistant Dean Stewart Vanderwilt shared an update on The Daily Texan and thanked the Friends of The Daily Texan for their support. We share his remarks in full below. Thank you for the invitation to share a few remarks with you this evening on behalf of Dean Bernhardt, the Moody College of Communication and Texas Student Media. Congratulations and thank you to Wanda Cash and Don Adams for your awards and your untiring efforts to protect freedom of information. Congratulations as well to the award recipients and Hall of Fame […]

Friends group honors Texan Hall of Fame inductees

On September 21, 2016 / Events, Hall of Fame Members, Texan Hall of Fame, Texas Student Media, Updates on The Daily Texan / Comments Off

More than 120 supporters of The Daily Texan gathered Sept. 16 at The Texas Union to honor a new group of 9 inductees into The Texan Hall of Fame. One Rising Star winner, two Griff Singer Award winners and five Hall of Fame winners were inducted. A sixth selection – Sen. Judith Zaffirini – was unable to attend, and will be inducted at next year’s event. In addition, the 2015 and 2016 Freedom of Information Foundation of Texas James Madison Award winners were recognized for their contribution to freedom of the press. Former Sen. Don Adams was the 2015 winner […]

Texan authors’ book sale, Friends of Texan dinner Sept. 16

On September 12, 2016 / Events, Hall of Fame Members, Moody College of communication, Texan Hall of Fame, Texas Student Media / Comments Off

Just think of all the textbooks bought at the University Co-op when we were students! Now you can buy books to enjoy — without tests at the end – written by authors who began their writing careers on The Daily Texan. Come to the UT Campus a few minutes early and stop by the Friends of The Daily Texan reception and book signing at The University Co-op from 4:30 to 5:30 p.m. on Friday, Sept. 16, on your way to our dinner and, with a purchase, receive free parking for the evening at the Co-op Parking Garage (located at 2214 […]

Friends group elects officers, fills board seats

On August 4, 2015 / Innovation Fund, Texas Student Media, Updates on The Daily Texan / Comments Off

Friends of The Daily Texan, Inc., a non-profit organization dedicated to supporting The Daily Texan, student newspaper at the University of Texas at Austin, has elected a new slate of officers and board members for the upcoming year. President of the group is John Reetz of Atlanta. Reetz has been secretary since the group was formed in 2013, and replaces former president Cliff Avery, who served two terms as president, but remains on the board. John Reetz is co-owner of Media Solutions Partners, an Atlanta-based consulting firm focused on helping media companies transition to a successful and strong digital future. […]

Innovation Fund grant enables Texan to update photography equipment

On July 25, 2015 / Innovation Fund, Texas Student Media, Updates on The Daily Texan / Comments Off

The Friends of The Daily Texan, Inc., a non-profit group created by Texan alumni to help build a strong future for The Daily Texan, has awarded a grant of about $5,300 to the student newspaper to help cover the cost of replacing and updating photography equipment, as well as other office hardware and reporting supplies. Daily Texan Editor Claire Smith has noted that the newspaper’s leadership is prioritizing visual storytelling in the coming year, and the grant will allow the Texan staff to purchase new camera lenses, a digital recorder, a rig mount, and memory cards to support the photography […]

Texan ‘Friends’ annual gathering Oct. 16

On July 19, 2015 / Events, Mentorship, Texan Hall of Fame, Texas Student Media, Updates on The Daily Texan / Comments Off

We’ve got a date. Please mark Oct. 16 on your calendar for the third annual gathering in Austin of Friends of The Daily Texan, Inc. This year’s event will be a luncheon, to be held on campus, in the Texas Union building. “As those who have attended our previous two events will attest, the focus is on The Texan, and how alumni can assist as the paper transitions into a digital age,” said FOTDT President John Reetz. “But, as with all Texan gatherings when we were all on campus and through the decades, attendees can expect camaraderie, tall tales and […]

Former Texan staffer Stockwell wins top UT alumni award

On June 28, 2015 / Texas Student Media, Updates on The Daily Texan / Comments Off

By Peggy Fikac Austin Bureau San Antonio Express-News Four University of Texas alumni, including Managing Editor Jamie Stockwell of the San Antonio Express-News, have been named recipients of the 2015 Outstanding Young Texas Ex Award. The award recognizes distinguished alumni who are 40 or younger and have shown “a continuing interest in the University of Texas and the Texas Exes.” Stockwell, a native of Edinburg and a 1999 graduate of UT, began her career at the Daily Texan campus newspaper. She worked for eight years at the Washington Post, where she was part of the team that covered the 2001 […]

Claire Smith elected Texan Editor-in-Chief

On March 31, 2015 / Texas Student Media, Updates on The Daily Texan / Comments Off

Claire Smith, currently a Senior Columnist and Copy Editor on permanent staff, has been elected as the next Editor-in-Chief of The Daily Texan. Smith was elected with more than 70 percent of the vote, and will serve as Texan editor in the 2015-2016 school year. “The cornerstone of my platform was a more inclusive Daily Texan. I think that the opinion section has not always reflected the diversity of opinion on campus, but that may be easily remedied,” Smith said. “As the face of the Texan, I want to take a much more active recruiting role per semester by personally […]

Long-time Texan adviser dies: ‘He had our backs’

On February 27, 2015 / Texas Student Media, Updates on The Daily Texan / Comments Off

By Jordan Rudner The Daily Texan Richard Allen Finnell, journalist and long-time print adviser for The Daily Texan, died Feb. 21 at the age of 70. Finnell, a UT alumnus, was a mainstay of support for Texan staffers over the course of his 17-year tenure as adviser, according to former managing editor Jennie Kennedy. “When I told Richard I wanted to be managing editor, I was dumb, and 20, and had all these beautiful ideas — and he supported me in every direction I wanted to go,” Kennedy said. “The thing I loved about Richard is that no matter what […]