The Hosokawa Journalism Endowment
Background: The Robert R. Hosokawa Endowment
In 2000, an endowed lectureship was established at Whitman College by David and Beverly Hosokawa, and the Hosokawa Family Foundation. Intended to be a celebration of journalistic excellence, the lectureship honors Robert R. Hosokawa, David’s father, by bringing a noted journalist to campus. The endowment also established the Hosokawa Prize to be awarded each year in recognition of outstanding achievement and excellence as demonstrated by student journalists and photojournalists of Whitman Wire. A Whitman Alumnus of Merit, Class of 1940, Robert Hosokawa was a reporter for several papers in Missouri, New York, Iowa and Minnesota. He held journalism professorships at the University of Missouri and the University of Central Florida and has been a mentor to many young journalists.
2023 Hosokawa Journalism Lecture
The 2023 Hosokawa Journalism Lecture took place on Tuesday, April 18 at 7 p.m. in the Reid Campus Center Young Ballroom. Journalist Alexander Heffner delivered a talk titled “Civil Discourse in an Uncivil Age.”
Heffner is the host of “The Open Mind” on PBS and co-author of the bestselling book, “A Documentary History of the United States.” He is the recipient of Johns Hopkins University’s Agora Institute Fellowship, University of Denver’s Anvil of Freedom Award, Franklin Pierce University’s Fitzwater Medallion for Leadership in Public Communication, and Yale University’s Poynter Fellowship in Journalism. He has covered American culture, politics and civic life since the 2008 presidential campaign, and his writing appears in USA Today, Wired, Time, The Wall Street Journal, and beyond.
2023 Hosokawa Journalism Awards
The 2023 Hosokawa Journalism Awards went to:
- Sebastian Squire ’25 - “Update on Walla Walla book banning efforts" (News)
- Charlotte Elliott ’23 - “Students vs alumni: The ultimate frisbee showdown” (Sports)
- Samantha Fitts ’23 - “What It’s Like to Transition at Whitman” (Features/Arts and Entertainment)
- Bex Heimbrock ’25 - “BePanopticon” (Opinion/Editorial)
- Jake Lee ’25 - “Into the Box” (Photography)
2024 Hosokawa Journalism Contest
Categories
- News – Coverage and reporting of factual events; no opinions or editorials.
- Sports – Coverage and reporting of athletic events and competition.
- Features/Arts and Entertainment – Profiles, lifestyle stories, event coverage and reviews.
- Opinion/Editorial – Must appear in the Opinion section; topics can be Whitman-related or not.
- Photograph/Illustration – Any photo or illustration that appears in Whitman Wire.
Prizes
A $500 prize is awarded annually in each of the five categories.
Judging/Awards
Each category of entries will be reviewed by a panel of judges, including Whitman staff, faculty, alumni and professional journalists. Winners are announced and awards presented at the annual Hosokawa Awards Dinner.
Submissions
Any content that is published in the Whitman Wire during the 2023 calendar year is eligible for for the 2024 Hosokawa Awards. The 2024 Hosokawa Contest submission form will remain open until Monday, March 25, 2024.