Grady College names 2024 Grady Fellowship inductees
Grady College names 2024 Grady Fellowship inductees
Grady College is proud to announce the class of 2024 Grady Fellowship inductees: Rick Dunn (ABJ ’93), Cynthia Graubart (ABJ ’82), Mark Schlabach (ABJ ’96) and Gy Waldron (ABJ ’55). Ed Grisamore (ABJ ’78) will also be inducted into the Grady Fellowship based on being named the recipient of the John Holliman Lifetime Achievement Award.
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.
The Fellows will be inducted and recognized along with the 2024 Alumni Award recipients during the annual Grady Salutes event. This year’s Grady Salutes will be a luncheon on Friday, April 26.
Rick Dunn (ABJ ’93) — Rick Dunn is the founder of the Athens-Clarke County High School Completion Initiative (HSCI). The 501 c-3 organization empowers youth to overcome their circumstances and grow into positive, productive and prosperous adults. As a hook into the program, youth between the ages of 8 and 18 train in the field of broadcast media. They produce “Education Matters,” a teen-led talk show, and MEU Radio Athens, an internet radio station. For 38 years, Dunn was the host and producer of the Athens radio talk show, “Community Forum.”He is also the recipient of the 2022 President’s Fulfilling the Dream Award presented by UGA to local community members dedicated to contributing to race relations, justice and human rights. A native of Washington D.C., he and his wife, Mary, have 12 children (3 adopted) and 14 grandchildren. Dunn operates off a simple philosophy – “There are no excuses.”
Cynthia Graubart (ABJ ’82) — Cynthia Graubart is a James Beard Foundation Award-winning cookbook author, cooking teacher and culinary television producer. Graubart has enjoyed a long career in media, producing live multi-camera television specials and in-studio culinary television series, including “Nathalie Dupree’s New Southern Cooking,” which was nominated for a Georgia Emmy Award. In 2020, Graubart co-founded, along with Virginia Willis, Culinary Media Training and Productions, helping culinary professionals build the skills and confidence they need to work effectively in today’s digital environment with coaching and training on media skills, cookbook writing and recipe testing, among other skills. She most recently authored her 13th cookbook, “Zucchini Love.” Graubart is an active member and former officer of Les Dames d’Escoffier, a professional culinary organization with the mission to help foster the education of women in the culinary arts and related fields.
Mark Schlabach (ABJ ’96) — Mark Schlabach is a senior writer and reporter for ESPN, covering college football and golf. He has worked at the Worldwide Leader in Sports for nearly 18 years, after having previously written for the Washington Post, Atlanta Journal-Constitution and Athens Banner-Herald. Schlabach is the author or co-author of more than two dozen books, including six New York Times bestsellers. Schlabach has been honored multiple times by Associated Press Sports Editors, Golf Writers Association of America, Investigative Reporters and Editors and Football Writers Association of America. He and his wife, Heather, live in Madison, Georgia. They are the proud parents of Caroline, a 2023 Grady College graduate; Jane, a junior at Grady College; and Jack, a freshman at Morgan County High School.
Gyneth “Gy” Waldron (ABJ ’55) is a writer and producer, best known for the original and remake of “The Dukes of Hazzard,” the TV show “Enos” and several made-for-TV movies. His movie “Moonrunners” was the inspiration for “The Dukes of Hazzard,” which was a top Neilson-rated show in the early 1980s. Waldron also wrote episodes for “One Day at a Time,” as a staff writer for Norman Lear. In 1988, Waldron was nominated for an Emmy Award for Outstanding Writing in a Miniseries or Special for the “Billionaire Boys Club.” Waldron has written several crime novels including “Twist of Time” and “Fugue.” His son, Jamie Waldron (ABJ ’88), is also a Grady College alumnus.
Ed Grisamore (ABJ ’78) teaches journalism at Stratford Academy in Macon, Georgia, and writes a weekly column for The Monroe County Reporter. Grisamore was a columnist for The Macon Telegraph for 36 years before retiring in 2015. While there, he covered sports and features, but was most known for his local news columns. He was the recipient of the 2010 Will Rogers Humanitarian Award from the National Society of Newspaper Columnists. Grisamore 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.’’ His 2006 audiobook, “Gris & That,” was nominated for a Grammy in the Spoken Word category. In 2008, Grisamore was inducted into the Macon Sports Hall of Fame for his writing contributions to sports.
Details about sponsorship information and reservations will be coming soon to the Grady Salutes webpage.
Author: Sarah Freeman, FreemanS@uga.edu