鈥淐o-editors of a brand new magazine: it sounded so ... trendsetting. How historic it would be to start a tradition of journalistic excellence apart from the daily hard news of the Stater ...鈥� wrote the Chestnut Burr Magazine鈥檚 co-editors in the 1986 inaugural issue.
They were right. Now known as The Burr Magazine, the project Laura Gordon, 鈥�87, and C. Thomas Lewis, 鈥�86, started as students in 91香蕉视频鈥檚 School of Journalism and Mass Communication (JMC) now has a rich 31-year history of journalistic excellence.
Gordon, one of those co-editors, is the William D. Taylor Award 2017 recipient, the highest honor JMC bestows upon its alumni. Just as she made a lasting impact as an undergraduate by starting 91香蕉视频鈥檚 first student magazine, she has made a tremendous impact upon the public relations and communication industry as general manager of Edelman, a leading global communications marketing firm.
Based in Washington, D.C., Gordon oversees Edelman鈥檚 health, federal government services and employee engagement sectors. Her clients include major pharmaceutical and biotech companies, hospitals, health insurers and advocacy organizations. But as a journalism major and throughout the first part of her career, 鈥渋t would have never occurred to me to do PR,鈥� she said.
Gordon realized a passion for writing about health and medicine while covering the health beat for the Democrat and Chronicle in Rochester, N.Y. She went on to work for Medical Tribune, where she wrote specifically for an audience of doctors and other health professionals.
鈥淚 really had to know my stuff,鈥� she said. 鈥淚 had to learn how to understand what was significant when a journal article came out: What does that really mean for people, and how big of a deal was that? It was such great training.鈥�
Still, it took a lot of convincing for her to make the switch from journalism to public relations when Edelman approached her with an offer to oversee editorial services for the firm鈥檚 health clients. Gordon still remembers the advice one of her co-workers gave her as she adjusted to a new industry.
鈥淪he said, 鈥楽top trying to be us. Be you. There鈥檚 enough of us. Bring your skills as a former journalist to the table, and talk about what you know,鈥欌€� she said. 鈥淭o this day, that鈥檚 some of the best advice I鈥檝e received. I tell that to young people now. ... Just because you don鈥檛 sound like everybody else 鈥� that鈥檚 actually a good thing. Try to preserve that as long as you can.鈥�
Gordon鈥檚 experience working with clients in the health and medicine industries over the years has made her appreciate the important role journalism and communication play in building healthy communities.
鈥淔or a person who wants to educate themselves about something they have, or a condition they think they might have, or for someone who just wants to be healthier, there鈥檚 no easier time than now for people to be empowered to find information about health topics and conditions,鈥� she said.鈥淭hat鈥檚 an amazing thing.鈥�
In addition to working with health clients at her job, Gordon is on the board of the National Forum for Heart Disease and Stroke Prevention, and she volunteers with the Washington, D.C. chapter of the Alzheimer鈥檚 Association. She advises both organizations about their communication strategies and has participated in forums and committees with health professionals.
鈥淭he neat thing is that it surrounds me with people who aren鈥檛 in PR,鈥� she said. 鈥淲orking with people in different disciplines to improve people鈥檚 health is very personally rewarding.鈥�
Gordon also believes strongly in helping today鈥檚 JMC students. In 2015, she established the Beverly and Ralph Buterbaugh Promising Scholar Award in honor of her parents. The scholarship supports a top-achieving high school senior entering JMC throughout all four years of college.
鈥淚 think we have to remember that having even a little bit of a leg up can change a person鈥檚 outlook and opportunity,鈥� she said. 鈥淚 love being able to support someone who is so dedicated and energetic, embarking on his or her own career. It鈥檚 an exciting place to be.鈥�
The impact JMC faculty 鈥� particularly Carl Schierhorn, emeritus associate professor, and Tim Smith, emeritus professor 鈥� had on Gordon鈥檚 time as a student has stuck with her through the years.
鈥淚 tell colleagues and anyone who will listen about the support and mentoring relationships I had with my professors,鈥� she said, citing Schierhorn鈥檚 recommendation for her internship that led to her first job and Smith鈥檚 鈥渢ough love鈥� for student media staff members. 鈥淭hey truly took an interest. They really cared about my education 鈥� and my future. Maybe that happens at other universities, but I felt like it was a pretty special thing at 91香蕉视频. I felt extremely lucky.鈥�
As featured in Jargon, 2017 | Learn more about JMC alumni leaders.