Awards
AWARDS and Honors
ALUMNI AWARDS
Four alumni awards are distributed each year including:
Named after the late John Holliman, Grady alumnus and former CNN reporter, the John Holliman Jr. Lifetime Achievement Award honors sustained contributions to the profession throughout a career.
The Professional Excellence (Mid-Career) Award is presented to a graduate for their professional achievements, influence, and success in his or her field.
The John E. Drewry Young Alumni Award recognizes a graduate of the last decade who has experienced a successful early career.
The Distinguished Scholar Award honors a graduate for excellence and sustained contributions to scholarship in journalism and mass communication education.
Alumni Award Nominations for 2025
Alumni Award nominations for 2025 are now open. Nominate a deserving Grady grad for an Alumni Award before the deadline of December 31, 2024.
Winners of the 2025 Alumni Awards will be announced by early March and celebrated at Grady Salutes on April 25, 2025.
2024 Alumni Award Recipients
John Holliman Jr. Lifetime Achievement Award
Ed Grisamore (ABJ (’78)
John Holliman Jr. Lifetime Achievement Award
Ed Grisamore (ABJ (’78)
Ed Grisamore teaches journalism at Stratford Academy in Macon and writes a weekly column for The Monroe County Reporter. Grisamore was a longtime columnist for The Macon Telegraph. He received the 2010 Will Rogers Humanitarian Award from the National Society of Newspaper Columnists.
He is the author of nine books and was named “Georgia Author of the Year” by the Georgia Writers Association for his book, “Never Put a Ten-Dollar Tree in a Ten-Cent Hole.’’
Professional Excellence (Mid-Career Alumni Award)
Lianne Sinclair (ABJ ’01)
Professional Excellence (Mid-Career Alumni Award)
Lianne Sinclair (ABJ ’01)
Lianne Sinclair runs consumer advertising and social at AT&T. Sinclair previously served as the executive vice president and managing director at Energy BBDO, a Chicago-based agency. Sinclair has led campaigns for many notable brands, including Mars Wrigley, PepsiCo, Hanes, The Ritz-Carlton and more. Sinclair has 12 Cannes Lions, 22 Effie Awards, 11 Clios, and a couple Jay Chiat Awards on her shelf.
John E. Drewry Young Alumni Award
Meredith Dean (ABJ ’14)
John E. Drewry Young Alumni Award
Meredith Dean (ABJ ’14)
Meredith Dean is CEO and founder of The Dean’s List. Dean is a digital branding and career consultant, community builder, travel and lifestyle content creator, educator, former journalist, and an entrepreneur focused on DEI initiatives. Through The Dean’s List, a digital branding and career consulting firm, Dean has advised a long list of clients including Miss America, CNN journalists and NFL reporters. Prior to starting The Dean’s List, Dean worked for CNN, FOX, CBS/Inside Edition and Ryan Seacrest Studios.
Distinguished Scholar Award
Yongjun Sung (MA ’03, PhD ’06)
Distinguished Scholar Award
Yongjun Sung (MA ’03, PhD ’06)
Dr. Youngjun Sung is a researcher and professor in the School of Psychology at Korea University. Dr. Sung, who is also the current editor of the Korean Journal of Advertising, has authored or co-authored over 125 articles in leading refereed journals, and his work has been cited over 10,400 times. Dr. Sung’s research focuses on consumer/advertising psychology topics including self-concept, self-expression, and relationships. Prior to joining KU in 2014, Dr. Sung was an assistant professor in the Department of Advertising at the University of Texas at Austin and an associate professor in the Department of Advertising at Southern Methodist University.
Full List of Past Recipients
1975 – Tom Johnson (ABJ ’63)
1976 – Jasper Dorsey (ABJ ’36)
1977 – Don Carter (ABJ ’38)
1978 – Eugene Patterson (ABJ ’43)
1979 – Bill Ray (ABJ ’35)
1980 – Aubrey Morris (ABJ ’45)
1981 – Frank Hawkins (ABJ ’33)
1982 – William Ott (ABJ ’49)
1983 – William S. Morris, III (ABJ ’56)
1984 – James G. Minter, Jr. (ABJ ’51)
1985 – Powell A. Moore (ABJ ’59)
1986 – Eugene H. Methvin (ABJ ’55)
1987 – Robert Sherrod (ABJ ’29)
1988 – C. Richard Yarbrough (ABJ ’59)
1989 – Randall E. Savage (ABJ ’72)
1990 – Thomas C. Dowden (ABJ ’62)
1991 – Willie K. Thrower Friar (ABJ ’47)
1992 – Billy Watson (ABJ ’60)
1993 – Connie Stewart (ABJ ’59, MA ’68)
1994 – J. Carrol Dadisman(ABJ ’56)
1995 – Harley Bowers (ABJ ’42)
1996 – James P. Wooten (ABJ ’68)
1997 – Jack Avrett (ABJ ’50)
1998 – Earl Leonard (ABJ ’58)
1999 – John Holliman, Jr. (ABJ ’70)
2000 – Willis Johnson (ABJ ’43)
2001 – Edwin Pope (ABJ ’48)
2002 – Neil Aronstam (ABJ ’65)
2003 – Dennis Berry (ABJ ’66)
2004 – Harry Chapman (ABJ ’67)
2005 – Dan Magill (ABJ ’42)
2006 – Donald Perry (ABJ ’74)
2007 – Millard Grimes (ABJ ’51)
2008 – Carolyn Tieger (ABJ ’69)
2009 – Judge R. Alex Crumbley (ABJ ’64)
2010 – W.H. “Dink” NeSmith, Jr. (ABJ ’70)
2011 – Roger Strauss (ABJ ’80)
2012 – Edward Ingles (ABJ ’58)
2013 – Claude Felton (ABJ ’70, ABJ ’71)
2014 – Alan Griggs (ABJ ’72)
2015 – Joel Babbit (ABJ ’76)
2016 – Ernie Johnson Jr. (ABJ ’78)
2017 – Bonnie Arnold (ABJ’ 77)
2018 – Sally Yates (ABJ’82, JD’86)
2019 – Chris Holcomb (ABJ ’85)
2020 – Monica Pearson (MA ’14)
2022 – Carolina Acosta-Alzuru (MA ’96, PhD ’99)
2023 – Doreen Gentzler (ABJ ‘79)
1995 – Deborah L. Blum (ABJ ’76)
1996 – Michelle Green (ABJ ’75)
1997 – Bonnie Arnold (ABJ ’77)
1998 – Bill Mattox (ABJ ’84)
1999 – Dan Gearino (ABJ ’75)
2000 – Walt Lloyd (ABJ ’73)
2001 – Dawn McCall (ABJ ’77)
2002 – Betty Hudson (ABJ ’71)
2003 – Brenda Hampton (ABJ ’73)
2004 – Lee Duffey (ABJ ’80)
2005 – Randy Travis (ABJ ’82)
2006 – Bill Dean (ABJ ’83)
2007 – Jennifer Sloan (ABJ ’86)
2008 – Gene Colter (ABJ ’89)
2009 – Josh Jackson (ABJ ’94)
2010 – Justin Gillis (ABJ ’82)
2011 – Col. Bryan Salas (ABJ ’87)
2012 – Lisa Ryan Howard (ABJ ’92)
2013 – William Ostick (ABJ ’88)
2014 – Amy Glennon (ABJ ’90)
2015 – Michael Giarrusso (ABJ ’92)
2016 – Michael Abramowitz (ABJ ’90)
2017 – Jason Kreher (ABJ ’00)
2018 – Ashley Huston (ABJ’96).
2019 – Henry “Hadjii” Hand (ABJ ’98)
2020 – Purvey Farahi (ABJ ’95)
2022 – Julie Wolfe (ABJ ’03)
2023 – Yolanda Taylor Brignoni (ABJ ’98)
1977 – Rex Granum (ABJ ’72)
1978 – Roger Ann Jones
1979 – Rodney Allen Smith (ABJ ’71)
1980 – Frank Compton (ABJ ’68)
1981 – W.H. (Dink) Nesmith, Jr. (ABJ ’70)
1982 – Betty Johnson Hudson (ABJ ’71)
1983 – Dennis McClain (ABJ ’70)
1984 – Mary Jo West (ABJ ’73)
1985 – Ernie Johnson, Jr. (ABJ ’78)
1986 – Deborah A. Norville (ABJ ’79)
1987 – Lewis Grizzard (ABJ ’84)
1988 – William R. Jones (ABJ ’77)
1989 – Mary Anne Hill (ABJ ’80)
1990 – Carolyn Carlson (ABJ ’73)
1991 – Joel Babbit (ABJ ’76)
1992 – Condace Pressley (ABJ ’86)
1993 – Deborah Roberts (ABJ ’82)
1994 – Hanna Ledford (ABJ ’68)
1995 – Julie Bryan Moran (ABJ ’84)
1996 – Timothy W. Mapes (ABJ ’86)
1997 – Lauran Neergaard (ABJ ’89)
1998 – Chip Caray (ABJ ’87)
1999 – Chris Decherd (ABJ ’90)
2000 – Michael Giarrusso (ABJ ’92)
2001 – Todd Fantz (ABJ ’92)
2002 – Amanda Rosseter (ABJ ’90)
2003 – Christopher Grimes (ABJ ’92)
2004 – Erin McClam (ABJ ’99)
2005 – Tom Lasseter (ABJ ’99)
2006 – Kyle Wingfield (ABJ ’01)
2007 – Jon Gallo (ABJ ’99)
2008 – Jessica Foster Bonner (ABJ ’04)
2009 – Jennifer Rainey Marquez (ABJ ’00)
2010 – Lynssey Gardner (ABJ ’06)
2011 – Kelly Hornbuckle (ABJ ’06)
2012 – Alex Wallace (ABJ ’04)
2013 – Ben Mayer (ABJ ’06)
2014 – Greg Bluestein (ABJ ’04)
2015 – Dawn Brun (ABJ ’04)
2016 – Maria Taylor (ABJ ’09)
2017 – Brooke Beach (ABJ ’11)
2018 – Polina Marinova (ABJ’13)
2019 – Angela Alfano (ABJ ’10)
2020 – Lindsey Cook (ABJ ’14)
2022 – Julia Carpenter (ABJ ’13)
2023 – Maura Friedman (ABJ ‘13)
2007 – Jack Lule (PhD ’87)
2010 – Carol Pardun (PhD ’92)
2013 – Marie Hardin (PhD ’98)
2014 – Kathy Richardson (MA’83, PhD ’92)
2015 – Denise DeLorme (ABJ ’89, MA ’91, PhD ’95)
2016 – Eric Haley (ABJ ’87, MA ’89, PhD ’92)
2017 – Jane B. Singer (ABJ ’76)
2018 – Jisu Huh (MA’00, PhD’03
2019 – James “Ford” Risley (MA ’92)
Grady Fellowship
Grady Fellowship
Established in 2008, the Grady Fellowship honors friends of the college whose accomplishments, friendship and service to the industries they serve have made a positive impact on Grady College. Grady Fellowship inductees are honored each spring.
McCommons Award
McCommons Award
The McCommons Award honors outstanding leadership, innovation and entrepreneurism in community journalism. Supported by an endowment, the annual award was created in 2018 to recognize professional journalists, students or faculty who produce community journalism of consequence. The award highlights the substantial contributions of community journalism to civic life and inspires students to pursue careers in community journalism. It is named for Pete McCommons, editor of Flagpole Magazine in Athens, Georgia, in honor of his outstanding career in community journalism as a leading reporter, editor, publisher and innovative entrepreneur.
