The Cal Poly Journalism Department is planning a two-day celebration in honor of the 100th anniversary of the student press on Friday and Saturday, Oct. 14 and 15.
The weekend festivities will culminate with a Spotlight Gala at the Embassy Suites Hotel in San Luis Obispo starting at 5:30 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 15. Ben Bradlee Jr., former deputy managing editor of The Boston Globe, will give the keynote address. The journalist and author led the paper’s 2003 Pulitzer Prize-winning series on abuse in the church. His team’s investigation was the basis for the movie Spotlight, winner of the 2016 Academy Award for Best Picture.
The Journalism Department will also induct the inaugural class of the new Mustang Media Hall of Fame, which will include “Weird Al” Yankovic. The honor is designed to recognize the accomplishments of extraordinary Cal Poly students, faculty, and staff who have made vital contributions to the development and history of vibrant student media at Cal Poly.
In addition to Yankovic, the inductees include alumnus Bruce McPherson, former California secretary of state; George Ramos, Los Angeles Times journalist and former Journalism Department chair; and Robert E. Kennedy, Cal Poly president from 1967 to 1979. Yankovic and McPherson will be honored in person; Ramos and Kennedy will be honored posthumously.
The Spotlight Gala event is open to the public. For a full listing of weekend events and to register, go to mustangnews.net/anniversary/event-schedule/.
This article appears in Oct 6-13, 2016.