DCAA supports Cardinal Democratic and Republican convention coverage
Two reporters from The Daily Cardinal will attend both the Democratic and Republican National Conventions this summer.
The Daily Cardinal Alumni Association approved providing funds for the Cardinal during its May meeting, where incoming editor-in-chief Theda Berry presented detailed plans for covering the Republicans in Cleveland July 18-21, and the Democrats in Philadelphia July 25-28. The Cardinal will follow Wisconsin delegates and politicians as they navigate what are sure to be two of the more interesting conventions in recent memory.
Berry highlighted the Cardinal's new media plans in particular. "The Cardinal had success this spring with its live blogging of the important election events like the Iowa caucus, Super Tuesday, and Wisconsin primary and will repeat that at the conventions," Berry said. "We've also utilized Facebook Live and Periscope live streaming, and look forward to bringing news as it happens through streaming from the convention floor."
The DCAA has a long history of supporting Cardinal convention coverage and is pleased to continue this effort.
Senator Kohl seeds new scholarship in memory of Keenen Peck
A new scholarship honoring a former Daily Cardinal writer and editor will be available to a Cardinal staff member starting in the 2016-17 academic year.
Alumni who became close friends with Keenan Peck in the early 1980s during his time at the Cardinal established the Keenen Peck Memorial Scholarship in 2015. A brilliant and witty writer and a loyal friend and colleague, Peck was a key voice at the paper for a number of years.
Keenen Peck in 1999
"Keenen made an indelible impact on the Cardinal through his passion for politics, his deep knowledge of journalism and his unwavering belief that great writing not only informs readers, but can inspire them to action," Jim Nelson, a friend of Peck's and former Cardinal staffer, said. "This scholarship is a way for his legacy and commitment to live on and to support students who share his desire to change the world for the better through the written word."
Peck went on to graduate from the University of Wisconsin Law School and served as a law clerk for the late U.S. District Judge Terence T. Evans in Milwaukee. In 1997, he became counsel to former U.S. Sen. Herb Kohl on the Senate Judiciary Committee. Kohl contributed $10,000 through the Herb Kohl Educational Foundation to honor Peck and inspire others.
"With this scholarship, the memory of Keenen Peck as a brilliant lawyer who was passionate about politics, journalism and helping people will live on to inspire future leaders," Sen. Kohl said. "A former member of my Senate Judiciary staff, he was of the very best, someone we all miss and remember fondly."
"Keenen used words to illuminate the challenges we face in making America's dream a reality. He encouraged us to take action. We thank you for helping keep his goal alive," his brothers Kevin and Kraig Peck said in a statement.
Daily Cardinal opinion writers or desk editors are eligible to apply for the scholarship.
Peck died unexpectedly of a heart ailment in 1999. He was 29.
$125,000 for 125 Years: Gift Establishes Cardinal Scholarship Fund
The DCAA is pleased to announce the creation of the Daily Cardinal Scholarship Fund. The endowed fund was made possible by a $125,000 gift, the largest single gift in Cardinal history, from Herman Baumann, current president of the Daily Cardinal's board, and his wife, Kay Schwichtenberg.
“The Daily Cardinal had a huge impact on my education and career, and we wanted to honor the 125th anniversary of the newspaper, so we created the scholarship fund," said Baumann. "The cost of education is growing faster than students' ability to pay for it, so scholarships are a good way to help out."
The scholarships are exclusively for students who work for The Daily Cardinal. An initial $15,000 of the total will be used to fund scholarships and the newspaper's summer advertising internship program in 2016, and the balance will remain in the endowment, Baumann said.
The DCAA plans to raise $15,000 to bring the endowment back to its original total by April 1, 2017, the date of the Cardinal's 125th anniversary celebration in Madison, according to Anthony Sansone, president of the DCAA.
“The Daily Cardinal is an outstanding career development platform and we wanted to enhance those capabilities," Schwichtenberg said. "Cardinal alumni have earned not just Pulitzers and Emmys but have excelled in law, advertising, medicine, marketing, academia and business. We know working at the Cardinal brings out the best in students. It can produce the next generation of attorneys, doctors, professors, marketers, business leaders and journalists."
"This is a wonderful gift, and we hope it encourages other Cardinal alumni to support the Daily Cardinal," Sansone said.
"We really appreciate Herman and Kay's generosity," said Jim Dayton, current Cardinal editor-in-chief. "This endowment will help support the many talented people on our staff and allow the Cardinal to flourish for years to come."
"In the past few years students have dramatically improved the financial position of the paper and upgraded technology," Baumann said. The future is bright, and we are honored to be able to support the Daily Cardinal."
Baumann added, "We should keep in mind that a strong and impartial news media is critical to the efficient functioning of our democracy. The Cardinal, and student media in general, are the irreplaceable training grounds for the next generation of 'watchdogs'."