Ohio University announces long-term investment in student media organizations

Generous gift from The Richard Salomon Family Foundation advances University’s commitment to independent student journalism through funds supporting The Post

Today, Ohio University announced two major developments that will secure the long-term success of independent student media on campus.

First, The Richard Salomon Family Foundation has created The Laura Landro Salomon Fund through a $100,000 gift to support the independent student newspaper, The Post, which has played a significant role in launching the careers of countless journalists, including many prominent writers and editors working in national media outlets and several Pulitzer Prize winners.

That list includes Laura Landro Salomon, who graduated from Ohio University in 1976 with a bachelor’s degree in journalism. During her years there, she worked at the Post as a copy editor, a staff reporter, and an editor and writer for the arts and features section. As a student in the late Dean John Wilhelm’s foreign correspondence course for seniors, she was chosen for one of the internships that sent graduates to foreign news bureaus, joining McGraw Hill World News in London.

That led to full time posts with McGraw Hill’s newsletter group and Business Week magazine, and ultimately to The Wall Street Journal where she spent 35 years as a reporter and editor. She is still a freelance contributor to the paper on health and medicine topics.

“My years at the School of Journalism and the College of Communication gave me a great education in the principles and role of journalism in society, and working at The Post gave me the basic skills, instincts, and experience to hit the ground running as a professional journalist. The fact that so many Post alumni are working in journalism and communication careers demonstrates that this is a perfect training ground,” Landro Salomon said. “But equally important, at a time when the media is under pressure from many quarters, and reliable sources of news have never been more important, The Post is a vital resource for the entire Ohio University community. I’m thankful to my fellow directors at the Richard Salomon Family Foundation to be able to contribute to The Post’s ongoing mission.”

This gift will directly benefit students working for The Post, including but not limited to expenses such as student pay, technology and equipment needs, and professional development, among other uses.

The establishment of this fund further ensures the long-term health of The Post, a time-honored institution that enhances the outstanding and integrated student experience at OHIO. 

“The Post and other similar organizations provide invaluable real-world experience to students across a multitude of disciplines at Ohio University,” President Hugh Sherman said. “We are grateful to The Richard Salomon Family Foundation for recognizing the importance of independent student journalism, and we are committed to expanding the opportunities for student media organizations at OHIO.”  

As reported in June 2021, President Sherman made a commitment to safeguard the continued success of The Post – and other independent student media organizations on campus – by partnering with student leaders and mentors in the Scripps College of Communication to build a sustainable funding model to support of the type of experiential education these groups offer to students across the University.

Today, Scripps College of Communication Dean Scott Titsworth shared the College’s latest plan that would transition the current Student Media Internship Manager position to become Director of Student Media (DSM). The DSM will be responsible for developing and maintaining a high quality co-curricular learning experience for all students participating in student media activities at Ohio University.

University partners including WOUB Public Media, the Scripps College of Communication, the Division of Advancement, and University leadership agreed to support funding for the position for at least five years, at which time the Scripps College will assume full responsibility for the full-time position.

“The Scripps College is grateful to our University partners for this demonstration of their commitment to an independent and high-quality student media,” Titsworth said. “OHIO’s reputation as a leading communication program attracts the best students in the state and is very competitive in attracting top students nationally. Such quality is reflected in the award-winning student organizations devoted to student media. Additionally, those organizations provide an essential voice for students in the current and historic record of the University.”