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Of course, numerous NU alums whose names are now well known, whether in journalism, politics, or other fields, once served as reporters or editors at The Daily, or first saw their names in print there. This display case features a few examples of newsworthy alums whose names popped up in The Daily early in their careers.
Featured:
- Richard Gephardt: although he didn’t write for The Daily, his activities as president of the student government (1961-62) supplied many columns of press
- Robert Leighton: his Banderooge cartoons in The Daily (1978-1982) documented an era
- Saul Bellow: his first published short story won third prize in a Daily writing contest in 1936
- Walter Kerr: the noted theatre critic was the drama and arts editor of The Daily
- Joan Wagner Beck and Georgie Anne Geyer: both wrote for The Daily before going on to distinguished and pioneering careers in journalism
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Richard Gephardt Wins Presidency
Of NU’s Student Senate (predecessor of the ASG) in 1961-62. During Gephardt’s term, he appointed a committee to look into deferred rush, proposed a 25-cent annual tax to pay off the Senate’s debts, and voted in favor of boycotting the Campus barbershop for discriminating against black student customers. These activities were thoroughly covered in The Daily. Gephardt graduated in 1962 from the School of Speech (now Communication).
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Banderooge Lives On
The comic strip Banderooge, written and drawn by Robert Leighton, NU 1982, appeared in The Daily from 1978-1982, and its depiction of life at Northwestern stills rings true. The cartoons, collected in a 1982 book, are now available online. Robert Leighton still cartoons (for the New Yorker, among others) and writes comedy.
Visit the official Banderooge website to view the complete series.
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Bellow’s 1st Story Wins 3rd Prize
Author Saul Bellow, NU 1937, won third prize in the Campus in Print Story contest for 1935-36. Winners’ stories appeared in the Campus in Print column of The Daily. Bellow was awarded a book of short stories and a handbook on writing, courtesy of Chandler’s Bookstore. To read the whole story, visit the University Archives.
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Walter Kerr Critical Success
Noted NY theatre critic Walter Kerr got his bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Northwestern (School of Speech, now Communication, 1937 and 1938), where he was The Daily’s Arts and Drama editor. He spent 17 years with The New York Times, and won a Pulitzer Prize in 1978.
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Daily Reporters Make News
Joan Wagner Beck (Medill 1945 and 1947) and Georgie Ann “Gee Gee” Geyer (Medill 1956) worked on The Daily before going on to pioneering careers in journalism. Beck (who died in 1998) was a feature writer for the Chicago Tribune, and was the first woman at that newspaper to be in charge of a daily section and to join the editorial board. Geyer worked for the Chicago Daily News and the LA Times, including stints as foreign correspondent, before becoming a syndicated columnist.
Pictured, left to right: Beck, Geyer
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