Schieffer School alumni news

Dan Jenkins ‘53 was one of 14 veteran journalists honored by Augusta National for 40 years or more of covering the Masters earlier this month.  The reporters and broadcasters made up the first class to receive the Masters Major Achievement Award.  Jenkins has covered the Masters for 57 years. 

Dr. Dale Edmonds ’57 will retire on June 30 from the Department of English at Tulane University.  Dale has taught English at Tulane for 42 years.  Dale writes to Newsworthy:
“This is one journalism (and English) major who went in a somewhat different direction from most of you after graduation, but I remember my days in the J-Department (Building 5), from 1953-57, fondly.  I learned how to write factual material, but, best of all, I learned how to edit, and this is a skill that has been extremely valuable to me over the years.  So, thanks Dr. Warren K. Agee, thanks J-Department, thanks friends and colleagues, thanks TCU--you helped me get here, and stay here.”

Kathi Clough Miller ’67, editor of the Skiff in 1966, retired in 2004 after 11 years as a reporter and assistant city editor with the Fort Worth Star-Telegram and 26 years with TXU Corp. in Fort Worth and Dallas in communications and government relations.  She now lives in Austin, working as a freelance writer and researcher, volunteering at the Bob Bullock Texas State History Museum.  She is also active in Democratic politics.

Craig Diebel ’77 has been named vice president and general manager of Internet Operations at the Fort Worth Star-Telegram.  Craig will report to publisher Wes Turner and be responsible for the financial performance of the paper’s Web site.

Allen Wallach ’88 is CEO/partner of Concussion Advertising in Fort Worth.  Concussion was recently ranked as the No. 1 largest Fort Worth advertising agency by the Fort Worth Business Press and garnered 32 Addy awards and two special awards for creative excellence at the annual Advertising Awards gala of the Ad Club of Fort Worth.  Allen reports that Concussion employs 11 TCU grads on its staff of 37.

Jill McNeal ’02 is a reporter and fill-in anchor at WFMY-TV, in Greensboro, N.C.  Before Greensboro, Jill worked for stations in Augusta, Ga. And Joplin, Mo.

Celestina Phillips ‘02 is now writing for Fort Worth, Texas Magazine and Downtown Fort Worth.

Former Skiff news editor Crystal Forester '04 is the managing editor for the Star Community Newspapers group, which includes the Carrolton Leader, Coppell Gazette, Flower Mound Leader, Lewisville Leader and the Southlake Times. Crystal has worked with the group for two years and served as an education and county beat reporter and  assistant managing editor before taking over the managing editor's role.

Jennifer Santini ’04 is an account executive with the Point Group in Dallas.  Jen earned her master’s degree at the University of North Texas before joining the Dallas firm.  She was a minor in ad/PR and one of Mike Wood’s Campaigns alumni, but she writes that her Schieffer School background  has given her “an edge over my competition.”

Aaron Kokoruz ‘05 has joined the The Harrell Group in Dallas as an account executive.  He came to the Dallas firm from The Hawthorn Group in Washington, D.C.

Laura Vaillard ‘05 is moving to Exxon Mobil, where she will be in charge of retiree communications.

Former Daily Skiff news and photo editor Emily Goodson ’05 has been promoted to assistant editor at The Tribune and Georgian in St. Mary’s, Ga.  Goodson has worked as a reporter and photographer at the twice-weekly newspaper near Jacksonville, Fla., since graduation.

Robert Dietrich ‘05 is serving in the Peace Corps and will be leaving for Armenia on May 26.

Courtney Reese ‘06 has left the Wichita Falls Times Record News to work at Jetstream Public Relations in Dallas.

News-ed alum Mike Dwyer ‘06 has been promoted to the city hall beat for the Joplin (Mo.) Globe. Mike, a former news editor for the Daily Skiff, has worked for the Globe since his graduation in June.