William Randolph Hearst Award Presentation

SJSU Journalism students hosted a joint meeting and Q & A session about First Amendment rights of a free press with Bay Area journalism and media students and faculty from San Francisco State University, UC Berkeley, Stanford University, Santa Clara University, East Bay CSU – Hayward, and Bay Area Community Colleges. 

Jim Acosta, CNN's Chief White House Correspondent received the honor at the SJSU Student Union Ballroom on Thursday evening, Oct. 25th at 7 pm.

Thanks to the generosity of SJSU Journalism School alumni and the William Randolph Hearst Foundation, tickets were free for the 2018 Hearst Award Ceremony.

Earlier on Thursday, Oct. 25th, Jim Acosta interacted with students from Bay Area Universities and Community Colleges from 1 PM to 2 PM @ Hammer Theatre in downtown San José.

Jim Acosta is CNN chief White House correspondent, currently covering the Trump administration and previously covered the Obama administration from the White House and around the world. He regularly covers presidential press conferences, visits by heads of states, and issues impacting the Executive Branch of the federal government. In addition, Acosta reported from the 2016 campaign trail following Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump.

Acosta is based in the network's Washington, D.C., bureau and serves as a substitute anchor for the network across a variety of CNN programs. Previously, Acosta was national political correspondent throughout CNN's 'America's Choice 2012' election coverage, embedded with the Romney presidential campaign as the lead correspondent. He traveled with the GOP presidential candidate to key battleground states and to the U.K., Israel, and Poland, covering the latest campaign developments. Acosta sat down with Mitt Romney for two one-on-one interviews, breaking several political stories and presidential debate coverage. In addition, he covered both of President Barack Obama's inaugurations and contributed to the network's mid-term election coverage.

In 2009, when the Obama administration lifted some restrictions on American travel to Cuba, Acosta reported from Havana, Cuba, on the effects of the policy change and on the post-Cold War relationship of the United States and Cuba. During the 2008 presidential election, Acosta covered the campaigns of then-Sen. Hillary Clinton, Sen. John McCain and then-Sen. Barack Obama, frequently contributing as co-anchor on CNN's weekend political program, Ballot Bowl. During his time with CNN, Acosta has covered several breaking news stories, including the tragedy at Virginia Tech and the Gulf Coast during the oil spill crisis.

Before joining CNN in March 2007, Acosta was a CBS News correspondent since February 2003. Originally based in New York, he later relocated to the CBS bureau in Atlanta. He contributed primarily to the CBS Evening News and has covered stories including the Iraq war from Baghdad, the 2004 presidential campaign of then-Sen. John Kerry, Hurricane Katrina, and the blackout of 2003 that impacted major cities in the Northeast U.S.

Previously, he was a correspondent for CBS Newspath, the network's 24-hour news service, from 2001-2003 and was based in Dallas and Chicago during that time. Acosta covered the Pennsylvania miner rescue, the Washington, D.C.-area sniper story and the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, among other stories.

Prior to CBS Newspath, he was a reporter and substitute anchor for WBBM-TV, the CBS-owned station in Chicago from 2000 to 2001; a reporter for KTVT-TV, the CBS-owned station in Dallas, from 1998 to 2000 and a reporter and substitute anchor for WBIR-TV in Knoxville, Tenn., from 1995 to 1998. He began his journalism career with WMAL-AM radio in Washington, before making the transition to television.

Acosta graduated cum laude from James Madison University with a bachelor's degree in mass communications and a minor in political science. This biography was provided online by the Cable News Network.

SJSU Diaz Compean Student Union Ballroom
Thursday Evening, Oct. 25, 2018
7:00-9:00 pm
Second Floor

Founded in 1936, the JMC School on the campus of San José State University remains the largest of its kind in Northern California. It is ranked among the top nationally accredited programs in the United States. Graduates in journalism, advertising, and public relations are recognized internationally for their innovative critical thinking, creativity, ethical and professional standards of performance, 21st century media skills and leadership abilities.

The JMC School is dedicated to the proposition that the free flow of ideas, together with accurate and timely information, is vital to the development and improvement of democratic societies. We are committed to providing an educational center of excellence, grounded in the Liberal Arts, and focused on teaching all forms of media from experience, competency, and a commitment to honest public service for diverse global communities.

The goal of the William Hearst Endowment for Visiting Professionals focuses on bringing distinguished individuals to campus to provide inspiration and expert guidance on career success based on ethical and responsible public service through the media.

On Thursday evening, October 25th in the SJSU Student Union Ballroom, CNN’s Chief White House Correspondent Jim Acosta received the 2018 William Randolph Hearst Award for ‘Excellence in Professional Journalism.” He also delivered remarks in celebration of the First Amendment right of freedom of the press, and the importance of free speech, media ethics, values and speaking truth to power in America today.