Co-Anchor of ABC’s “Good Morning America”, Robin Roberts
Robin Roberts, who has connected with athletes, entertainers, fans and viewers for decades – first at ESPN and for the past 20 years on “Good Morning America” - will be honored with a Lifetime Professional Achievement Award from a new University Center Seton Hall for Sports Media at a special gala on September 15 at The Lighthouse at Chelsea Piers in New York City. Roberts has been one of the most prominent broadcast journalists of her time. She has won numerous Emmy Awards, including four at “Good Morning America,” and most recently a 2022 Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Informational Talk Show as host and executive producer of “Turning the Tables” on Disney+ . She was voted the “Most Trusted Person on Television” by a Readers poll in 2013, was honored with the Walter Cronkite Award for Excellence in Journalism, and has been featured in the Broadcasting & Cable Hall of Fame and Sports Broadcasting Hall of Fame. More importantly, she is a two-time cancer survivor and has joined Be the Match to help raise awareness of the need for bone marrow donors. The Sports Media Center at Seton Hall University was launched in the fall of 2021 with a generous gift from sports journalist and Seton Hall alumnus Bob Ley ’76, who anchored the SportsCenter desk with Roberts at ESPN and on location at events from Atlanta to the South. Africa. “The Sports Media Center is already brimming with activity that benefits our students, and it’s a tremendous promise,” Ley said. “Our Gala on September 15th will gather friends and supporters of the Center to celebrate our official launch and set our ambitious course. Recognizing my dear friend and colleague Robin with our inaugural Award will bring the evening to a close, as so perfectly embodies the professional and personal qualities that will further inspire our students.” The Sports Media Center is the latest progressive move from Seton Hall, where a wide variety of world-class “Pirate” sports are on the The South Orange campus offers a learning laboratory for students to hone modern storytelling skills, while receiving an education that steeped in traditional journalistic principles. “We are proud to be honoring Robin Roberts on this momentous occasion,” noted Renee Robinson, Ph.D., interim dean of Seton Hall’s College of Communication and the Arts. “She has helped convey countless powerful stories that touch our lives, while practicing the highest journalistic standards throughout her long and rich career. sports media at Seton Hall.” The University’s undergraduate program in sports media has been growing dramatically in recent years, and the University is committed to expanding the resources and opportunities for its students. In May, former ESPN reporter and columnist Jane McManus was tapped as the Center’s first Executive Director. The Center hosts visiting professionals in the classroom, panel talks and conferences. He helps students build solid portfolios, often covering events and stories about BIG EAST athletes. The Center also gives students the opportunity to network with top professionals in the field, get internships and find top-notch jobs after graduation. “At the Sports Media Center, we connect the next generation of sports media professionals with the tools they need to lead and succeed in a competitive industry,” said McManus. “Although our faculty is unparalleled, we could not do that without shining examples of women and men in the field who have reported with dignity and empathy. Robin Roberts is one of those examples, and we are delighted that he will be joining with us to officially launch the Centre.” McManus spent nearly 10 years at ESPN covering the NFL and as a columnist for espnW, and in 2018 she became the director of the Center for Sports Communication at Marist College in Poughkeepsie, NY She was also an adjunct professor at Columbia University’s Graduate School of Journalism, where she received her Master’s degree. Tickets to the event and sponsorship are still available for the Gala on September 15, 2022, 6 p.m. at the location of the first event in New York City: The Lighthouse at the newly renovated Chelsea Piers. Inquiries: www.shu.edu/sportsmediagala, (973) 378-9876, barbara.geiger@shu.edu.
