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Andy Alexander Named Ohio University’s Alumnus of the Year
By: Kelly Martin
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Veteran journalist and Scripps College of Communication alumnus Andy Alexander (BSJ '72) has been named Ohio University’s Alumnus of the Year.
A former editor of OU’s student newspaper The Post in 1969-1970, Alexander’s career has spanned four decades.
He began as a reporter with the Cox Newspapers chain in Dayton where he stayed until transferring to its Washington bureau. In 1997 he was named bureau chief and during his term the Cox Washington Bureau shared in the Pulitzer Prize for national reporting.
From 1997 to 2009, he was the Washington bureau chief for Cox Newspapers, where he oversaw a staff of 25 reporters and editors in Washington, Baghdad, Jerusalem, London, Beijing, Mexico City, the Caribbean, New York and the West Coast. He has also served a two-year term as ombudsman for The Washington Post.
Currently Alexander is serving as Scripps Howard Visiting Professional in the E.W. Scripps School of Journalism and is working with the Scripps College as a liaison with the Voinovich Center. He has chaired an alumni task force to modernize WOUB Public Media, which included finding and recruiting members.
During the annual Scripps College Celebration in May, Alexander received the college’s highest honor when he was inducted to the Ohio Communication Hall of Fame.
Tom Hodson, WOUB director and general manager, was Alexander’s college roommate and associate editor of The Post in 1969-1970 and says no one is more deserving than him.
“This is a well-deserved honor for Andy,” said Hodson. “Of all the alumni I’ve known, he’s been a constant force in educating students and has dedicated a lot of time and energy into working with Ohio University students over the years.”
Hodson added, “Because of his incredible dedication to students and Ohio University, it’s only fitting that he be given this award.”
The award will be presented on Friday, Oct. 14 during the annual Ohio University Alumni Association’s Alumni Award Gala.