WVPB Alum Giles Snyder Inducted Into MU Journalism Hall Of Fame

Giles Snyder is one of three Marshall School of Journalism and Mass Communications (SOJMC) graduates who will be inducted into the school’s Hall of Fame Friday night in Huntington. The other inductees are Kathy Cosco and Patricia Proctor.

“This year’s inductees are exceptional leaders in the field of journalism and mass communications,” Sandy York, interim SOJMC director, said. “It is a privilege to honor them and share their accomplishments.”

The first class was enshrined in 1985, and the latest honorees bring the number of inductees to 81.

“This year’s class of inductees is another perfect example that proves Marshall has one of the best journalism and mass communications programs in the country,” said Chris Dickerson, president of the SOJMC Alumni Advisory Board, which handles the nomination process. “We’re fortunate to have such a rich pool of candidates that represents successes in varied aspects of the field locally, regionally and nationally.”

Snyder, a 1987 SOJMC graduate, is a widely respected newscaster for NPR. Before taking that job in Washington, D.C., he spent 16 years working for West Virginia Public Broadcasting. Among his other accomplishments, he joined Beth Vorhees in the creation of the weekly radio news magazine show Inside Appalachia, which launched 20 years ago.

He also has written a humor column for the Martinsburg newspaper, and it has been recognized by the West Virginia Press Association and the National Society of Newspaper Columnists.

Cosco, a 1988 SOJMC graduate, is director of strategic marketing for Mountain Health Network. Her varied career has seen her work in public relations, marketing and government service. She has worked for several major companies, and she has served as a spokeswoman for a governor and helped with an election campaign for a U.S. senator. She also helped with the push that saw Huntington named as America’s Best Community in 2017.

Proctor, a 1987 SOJMC graduate, is the founding director of the Simon Perry Center for Constitutional Democracy at Marshall University. Following graduation, Proctor went to law school and worked as a law clerk and at various law firms before returning to Marshall in 2011. She has helped the university create a centralized pre-law advisory function. Proctor also has been honored for her legal work by Best Lawyers in America and by Super Lawyers.

Inductees need to have a connection to the SOJMC, such as being a graduate or a faculty member, and should meet at least one of two major criteria to be nominated:

• A graduate of Marshall’s JMC program who has contributed to Journalism and Mass Communications as a profession. The nominee has made a contribution to the profession of journalism or has made a positive impact upon the profession.
• Contribution(s) to Marshall University’s SOJMC. The nominee, either through talent, treasure or activity, has made an outstanding impact upon the school.

The school has an enshrinement dinner and ceremony each fall to honor the inductees. This year’s event is scheduled for Friday night in the Don Morris Room of the Memorial Student Center.