Judy Woodruff

May 2002 Commencement Speaker

Judy Woodruff, a 30-year veteran of broadcast journalism, has devoted most of her career to political reporting. In September 1995, she traveled to Beijing to cover the U.N. World Conference on Women. She moderated CNN's first two "Global Forums," international town meetings with former President Bill Clinton in 1994 and former President Jimmy Carter in 1995. Before joining CNN, Woodruff was the chief Washington correspondent for PBS's MacNeil/Lehrer NewsHour and anchor of the award-winning Frontline series on PBS.

Woodruff has earned many awards, including the News and Documentary Emmy Award for outstanding instant coverage of a single breaking news story for CNN's coverage of the Centennial Olympic Park bombing and the Allen H. Neuharth Award for Excellence in Journalism. In 1994, she became the first recipient of the National Women's Hall of Fame President's 21st Century Award.

She serves on the board of trustees of the Freedom Forum, the Carnegie Corporation, and the Urban Institute. Woodruff earned a bachelor's degree from Duke University, where she is a trustee emerita.

Woodruff was awarded the honorary degree Doctor of Public Service from Coastal Carolina University during the commencement ceremony.