lectures/awards

The Melcher Family Award for Excellence in Journalism is an award for the best article by an undergraduate at Duke University.

Richard Melcher, (Duke, 74) is co-founder and principal of Melcher Tucker Consultants, a strategic consulting firm based in Chicago. Prior to founding the firm he was a writer and chief of the London and Chicago bureaus of Business Week. He has maintained close ties to the Sanford Institute and the DeWitt Wallace Center, and fondly recalls his years working on the Chronicle. This award represents his commitment to student journalism that is thoughtful, well documented and well presented.

The Winners

2005-2006

Jeff Stern, "Family Man: The Story of Three Men Who Share a Tent by the Tracks Just Off Main Street." March 29, 2006, The Independent.

An Honorable Mention was awarded to Seyward Darby for her coverage of the aftermath of Hurrican Katrina in Mississippi for Duke's student newspaper, The Chronicle. The article was entitled "Mission in Mississippi: North Carolina Medical Volunteers Bring Hope, Aid to Katrina Victims" and was published on September 13, 2005.

2004-2005

Andrew Gerst for his article "Building Comunidad" from the May 2005 issue of the Duke student publication Towerview.

An Honorable Mention for Investigative Reporting goes to Jake Poses and Matt Sullivan for their series of articles on possible steroid use by some Duke baseball team players, published in Duke's student newspaper the Chronicle in April 2005.

2003-2004

Philip Kurian. Honorable Mention to Emily Rotberg.

2002-2003

Tyler Rosen (right), pictured with award donor Rick Melcher (left).

The Award Process for the current academic year

1. Eligibility: Any piece published by a Duke freshman, sophomore or junior in a recognized print publication or website during the last summer or the current academic year (May 15 to May 15).
2. Submissions may be sent by e-mail to media@pps.duke.edu
   or by mail (5 copies) to:
   The DeWitt Wallace Center for Media and Democracy
   Box 90241
   Duke University
   Durham, NC 27708
   Faxed copies will be ineligible.
   Submissions should include all current contact information (phone, email, mailing address) and the source and date of publication.
   The deadline for submissions is June 1^st, although candidates are encouraged to send their pieces at any time before that date.
3. For questions about the award, please contact: Kenneth Rogerson at rogerson@pps.duke.edu or 613-7387.