UCO journalism gets record grant

EDMOND — The University of Central Oklahoma’s journalism department has received its largest single donation from the Ethics and Excellence in Journalism Foundation of Oklahoma City, founded by Edith Kinney Gaylord in 1982.

The $250,000 grant will be used to establish the Edith Kinney Gaylord Endowed Chair of Journalism Ethics at UCO.

Department Chairman Terry Clark said UCO will designate a specific faculty member to devote a majority of his or her time to teaching and improving ethics in journalism in Oklahoma and throughout the region.

UCO will apply to the Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education for a matching grant to provide a total of $500,000 to fund the chair.

“This honor is a huge vote of confidence in the quality of our students, faculty and program,” Clark said. “ Establishing a unique chair of journalism ethics is a fitting tribute to Edith Gaylord and her integrity and high standards.”

Gaylord, who died in January 2001, was a career newswoman from Oklahoma’s pioneering Gaylord newspaper family. In 1943, she became the first and only woman on the general news staff of the Washington Bureau of The Associated Press. She was president of the Women’s National Press Club and covered events ranging from the 1953 coronation of Queen Elizabeth II to a gas well blowout in Texas County.

Gaylord later returned to Oklahoma City where she spent many years as corporate secretary and member of the board of directors of The Oklahoma Publishing Co.

Throughout her career, Gaylord worked to promote excellence in journalism, and over her lifetime she supported numerous community organizations and projects with her time and money.

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