 "Photo: Jeffrey McWhorter, Daily Texan Staff")
More than 50 years after his death, American journalism tycoon William Randolph Hearst’s name continues to resurface in newsrooms across the nation, literally.
The Hearst Foundation, a charitable organization established by the journalist in 1945, recently donated $750,000 to UT’s College of Communication. Because this contribution brought the total amount of money UT has received from the Hearst Foundation to more than $5 million, the Texas Student Media Building was officially renamed the William Randolph Hearst Building on Friday.
“We treasure our relationship with the Hearst Foundation,” said Rod Hart, dean of the College of Communication. “Many of our graduates have gone on to work for Hearst companies.”
One of those graduates, Jeff Cohen, is the current editor and executive vice president of the Houston Chronicle. He worked for The Daily Texan as a sports reporter and editor.
“The Daily Texan was a place that absolutely changed my life,” Cohen said. “It ignited a fire in me for daily journalism that has been burning for many years.”
The offices of The Daily Texan have not changed much since Cohen worked there, he said. The building that houses The Daily Texan, the Cactus Yearbook, KVRX 91.7 FM and Texas Student Television has not been renovated since it was built in 1972. The Texas Travesty, another Texas Student Media entity, is housed at 2609 University Ave.
Director of Texas Student Media Kathy Lawrence said the $750,000 from the Hearst Foundation is already being put to use.
About $100,000 will be used on new furnishings, painting and wiring. The remainder of the money will be used to repair the infrastructure of the building, including installing a new elevator and replacing air conditioning and heating systems.
“The project is designed to serve the media as they are today and how they will be in the future, as opposed to what it was in 1972,” Lawrence said.
The renovation will directly impact the 700 students involved in Texas Student Media, as well as other students within the College of Communication. About 20 students from the Communication Council were present at the renaming ceremony.
“We have a lot of students involved with projects that go on in that building,” said Megan Ortiz, president of the Communication Council.
In addition to the $750,000 from the Hearst Foundation, UT will also make a donation to the renovation project.
“The University, without out any real request from us, made an additional donation of $1.2 million,” Hart said. “So this is going to be a $2 million renovation.”
The extra money from the University will be put toward making the Hearst Building the first building on campus certified by Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design. Essentially, the building will be environmentally “green.”
“Our hope is that it will be a functioning green building,” Lawrence said. “I believe the renovation will help the student experience at Texas Student Media.”
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