University Park, Pa. -- Penn State has recognized John J. Curley, an honorary alumnus and volunteer chair of the College of Communications campaign committee, as its 2010 Fundraising Volunteer of the Year. The award, which was officially presented to Curley on Sept. 24, honors the leadership of alumni and friends in securing philanthropic support for the University.
“For more than 20 years, John Curley has proved that you don’t have to be a graduate of the University to be a dedicated Penn Stater,” said Peter G. Tombros, chair of For the Future: The Campaign for Penn State Students. “Through his volunteer service and his own philanthropic leadership, he has helped the College of Communications to become one of the finest programs of its kind in America, and he continues to inspire our students, our faculty, and our supporters with his dedication and vision.”
The first editor of USA Today and the former president, chairman, and CEO of Gannett Co. Inc., Curley was appointed to the College of Communications Board of Visitors in 1989, and he has continued to serve the college throughout the last two decades. In 1999, the graduate of Dickinson College and Columbia University was named an honorary alumnus of Penn State for his achievements and service. Curley currently holds the position of distinguished professional in residence and professor of journalism in the College of Communications, where he has taught for almost 10 years. He helped to found the John Curley Center for Sports Journalism, established in 2003 and named in his honor in 2006, which explores issues and trends in sports journalism through instruction, outreach, programming and research.
“John continues to help both our college and the University as a whole to capitalize on their strengths and make important connections with the wider world,” said Douglas Anderson, dean of the College of Communications. “We are extraordinarily fortunate that a professional of John’s caliber and standing in the world of journalism has chosen to share his expertise and experience with our students. Through his service and philanthropy, he has also had a profound impact on the future of our institution. ”
As a volunteer, Curley chaired the college’s Board of Visitors for more than a decade, and he served on the Grand Destiny campaign executive committee and the National Council on Penn State Philanthropy. Curley now leads the College of Communications campaign committee. With his wife, Ann C. Curley, he is a member of the Elm Circle, the highest level of recognition that Penn State offers to its supporters. The couple, who make their home in Potomac, Md., has endowed several undergraduate scholarships and the John and Ann Curley Professorship for First Amendment Studies, and they also are longtime supporters of Penn State Intercollegiate Athletics and other funds and programs across the University.
“John has set a powerful example through his generosity and leadership,” said Penn State President Graham Spanier. “We are delighted to have this opportunity to honor all that he has done for Penn State and the College of Communications, and we are deeply grateful that he continues to serve his adopted Alma Mater with such enthusiasm and grace.”