Susan Kirkman Zake, an associate professor in the School of Media and Journalism at Kent State University, was selected as the recipient of the 2020 Distinguished Adviser Award, Four-Year Multimedia, from the College Media Association (CMA).
Zake serves as the adviser to The Kent Stater, KentWired.com and TV2, the award-winning, student-run news outlets at Kent State University. Each semester, she works with her students on everything from how to build engagement to lede writing to payroll and personnel management to email newsletter content. At the same time she upholds and encourages their editorial independence. She is a journalist, educator, mentor and manager who helps to support a student newsroom held to professional standards of ethics and practice.
Director of the School of Media and Journalism, Emily Metzgar, praised Zake's work with student media at Kent State University saying "Sue's commitment to training young journalists is clear to all of us at MDJ. We're delighted that her unfailing dedication to students and their professional development is now being recognized with this significant national award."
The awards ceremony will take place virtually during the Associated Collegiate Press / College Media Association convention in October.
Zake joined the Kent State faculty in January 2007 following a 20-year career at the Akron Beacon Journal. She was the recipient of three Pulitzer Prize team awards during her professional career.