UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Three Penn State alumni, a faculty member and a longtime communications professional in the state of Pennsylvania were recognized as award winners by the Alumni Society Board of the Donald P. Bellisario College of Communications.
Awards were presented on campus this week. Those honored were:
Melissa Conrad (class of 2015), social impact manager, Zillow
Emerging Professional Award
Conrad, who leads all social impact employee engagement efforts for Zillow, was selected for the award that honors an outstanding graduate of the past 10 years. During the early part of her career she has moved from public relations to corporate social responsibility. Conrad was a strategic member of the first-ever social impact innovations team at Starbucks and a founding member of the global purpose team at Adidas.
R. Thomas Berner (class of 1971, 1974 master of arts), professor emeritus
Alumni Achievement Award
Berner, a respected longtime faculty member who impacted generations of students with his teaching and mentorship, earned the award for contributions for the profession and the Bellisario College. He earned both his bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Penn State and, after an accomplished career in the classroom, along with ample professional journalism experience, he remains active supporting alumni and friends — as well as working as an editor for local publications and honing his skills as an artist.
Jerry Schwartz (class of 1977), retired national writer/editor, The Associated Press
Outstanding Alumni Award
Schwartz spent his entire 45-year career at The Associated Press headquarters in New York and had the byline for the AP’s main story on Sept. 11, 2001, as well as editing The Associated Press Stylebook in recent years and numerous other accomplishments during his career. He received more than a dozen nominations for the award, as fellow alumni, many of whom started their careers with him as undergraduates at The Daily Collegian, recognized him as a deserving candidate for the award.
Mile Sanina, assistant teaching professor of journalism
Excellence in Teaching Award
Sanina, who came to Penn State after working for PublicSource, the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette and PBS NewsHour, transitioned easily into the classroom. The award recognizes Bellisario College faculty members who have demonstrated excellence in teaching, contributed significantly to the growth of students’ learning and gained an exemplary reputation among colleagues, students and alumni. According to one of her multiple nominators, Sanina “consistently goes above and beyond for each student she crosses paths with. She supports you in both long- and short-term goals that extend far beyond a semester or academic year.”
Cate Barron, retired president, PA Media Group
Douglas A. Anderson Communications Contributor Award
Barron spent nearly four decades in an award-winning journalism career that spanned print-only and all-digital news products. No matter the format, she focused on telling stories that would impact readers, benefit communities and right wrongs. She worked at The Patriot-News, PennLive and PA Media Group, ultimately rising to the position of president.