Lots of good news from today's FJSA reception

"When I was 17, I decided to attend Texas A&M over Princeton because the Aggies had a better football team. My logic might have been fuzzy, but I've never regretted the decision. In fact, I thrived under the nurturing of my instructors and the patience of my fellow Batt colleagues. I might have been the world's worst Batt staffer, but I learned from the talent surrounding me." - Kathleen McElroy '81

Well-deserved honors for Kathleen McElroy were among the highlights of today's FJSA Fall Reception, held in the MSC, which also featured a great address by Pam Matthews, the associate dean in charge of interdisciplinary studies, who is currently overseeing the journalism program; she outlined some developments in the works that may bring the interdisciplinary journalism major closer to fruition. (Watch this space for more details)

McElroy, who began at the New York Times in 1991 (hey, I said the date right this time!) has this month been named the Times' senior editor for continuous news; she writes and edits as well as coordinating blogs and slideshows for nytimes.com, the single most popular newspaper Web site in the country. She was introduced warmly by her friend Sherylon Carroll, Texas A&M's associate vice president for communications, and she spoke about, among other things, her days at the Batt and A&M, including a dead-on impression of Bob Rogers.

A fantastic surprise: McElroy announced a donation to FJSA that includes money to start a scholarship fund in the name of Skip Leabo. There will be more details to come!

(edit 10/1: Photos are up at the Journalism Studies web site)

During the reception, FJSA members elected some new officers, bringing the current slate to:
President Sue Owen Whaley; Vice President Rob Clark; Secretary Rich Tijerina; Treasurer Jerry Cooper; Programs chair Natalie Holladay; Web chair Arena Welch; Membership chair Scot Walker; Mentoring chairs Loren Steffy and Kelly Brown.

Natalie Holladay, Kelly Brown and Arena Welch did yeoman's work getting the reception together, inviting speakers, securing the classy Stark Galleries and the food, procuring donations, plaques, mailing lists, programs and ballots, handling RSVPs and printing nametags. The event's success is due to them, our great speakers and McElroy herself. Judging from the amount of happy chatter and mingling -- the reception didn't break up for nearly two hours, despite at least half of us being sunburned and sweaty from the football game -- the proverbial good time was had!