Award-Winning Journalist, Ohio Wesleyan Alumnus to Speak May 8 at University’s 2016 Commencement Ceremony
DELAWARE, Ohio – Gregory L. Moore, former editor of The Denver Post and a 1976 Ohio Wesleyan University graduate, will deliver the keynote address May 8 at the university’s 172nd commencement ceremony.
During his 14-year career with the Post, Moore led the newspaper to four Pulitzer Prizes, including a 2012 staff award for local coverage of breaking news following a mass shooting at a Colorado movie theater that left 12 dead and 58 injured.
Moore also was honored as the National Press Foundation’s 2012 Benjamin C. Bradlee Editor of the Year and has received both the Lifetime Achievement Award from the National Association of Black Journalists (NABJ) and the Journalist of the Year Award from NABJ’s New England Chapter. In addition, he has served as co-chair of the Pulitzer Prize Board along with Thomas L. Friedman, bestselling author and foreign affairs columnist for The New York Times.
Before joining the Post in 2002, Moore worked for The Boston Globe, The (Cleveland) Plain Dealer, and The (Dayton) Journal Herald in roles ranging from reporter to city editor to managing editor. At Ohio Wesleyan, he was a journalism and politics and government double major.
Since graduating Moore has remained engaged with his alma mater, providing support for the Butler A. Jones House of Black Culture, the Willa B. Player Black Resource Center, a mission trip to Ghana, and other initiatives. He has mentored students at Ohio Wesleyan and elsewhere, preparing them to become insightful, impactful journalists. For his mentoring, Moore earned the 2012 Alumni of the Year Award from Ohio Wesleyan’s Office of Multicultural Student Affairs. He also has served the university as a member of its Board of Trustees.
In discussing his OWU experience, Moore has said: “I dabbled in a number of disciplines. I sampled a rich menu of religion, sociology, psychology, economics, and astronomy before settling on journalism. Outside of the classroom, I engaged in the issues of our times, participating in protests on campus and learning negotiating skills across the table from top administrators of the university. Our leaders encouraged that level of engagement. And I am grateful. …
“I have a deep love affair with this institution,” Moore said. “[I]f you want to see a young person flower, OWU is the place to be. If you want to see a young person experience and benefit from diversity, come to OWU. If you want to see a young person embrace learning for life, this is the place for them. I know it was right for me.”
Shelli Reeves, president of the Ohio Wesleyan Class of 2016, said she is excited to hear Moore speak to the graduating seniors and share advice with the soon-to-be OWU alumni.
“Greg has impacted my life at OWU through his continued engagement with the current students,” said Reeves, an international studies and black world studies double major from Shaker Heights, Ohio. “He is an advocate for students and ensures that we are equipped to move forward in our lives. I am extremely excited for Greg to share his wisdom with the graduating class.” After earning her OWU undergraduate degree, Reeves plans to complete her first book.
Ohio Wesleyan’s 2016 commencement ceremony will begin at 1 p.m. May 8. Weather permitting, the ceremony will be held outdoors on the lawn in front of Merrick Hall, 65 S. Sandusky St., Delaware. The full ceremony, including Moore’s remarks, will be streamed live online at www.owu.edu/stream. Learn more about Ohio Wesleyan’s 2016 commencement at www.owu.edu/commencement.
Founded in 1842, Ohio Wesleyan University is one of the nation’s premier liberal arts universities. Located in Delaware, Ohio, the private university offers 87 undergraduate majors and competes in 23 NCAA Division III varsity sports. Ohio Wesleyan combines a challenging, internationally focused curriculum with off-campus learning and leadership opportunities to connect classroom theory with real-world experience. OWU’s 1,675 students represent 43 U.S. states and territories and 33 countries. Ohio Wesleyan is featured in the book “Colleges That Change Lives,” listed on the latest President’s Higher Education Community Service Honor Roll with Distinction, and included in the U.S. News & World Report and Princeton Review “best colleges” lists. Learn more at www.owu.edu.