Woman journalist has come a long way

By: Erin Floro

Boston University Communications professor, Caryl Rivers was recently awarded the Society of Professional Journalists Helen Thomas Award for Lifetime Achievement honor.  She began her journalism career 40 years ago as a sports reporter, which was unusual because most assignments were given to males to cover athletes.

Her notable career has spanned over four decades.  She has gone from interviewing local swimmers and baseball players to attending press conferences with important political figures such as FBI director J. Edgar Hoover.

Rivers is now a role model for potential female journalists.  As a Washington newspaper correspondent she has covered such issues as, the civil rights movement, the Kennedy presidency, and Vietnam.  She has written 14 books and continues to contribute to major newspapers in the United States.  While appearing as a panelist on a Boston television program, she focused on discrimination in the media against women.

She feels that she is paving the way for her students in the field of journalism, especially women.  By looking at her accomplishments, she hopes that they are inspired that anything is possible.