Blanchard, renowned media historian, dies at 60

Margaret A. Blanchard, an outstanding media historian, teacher and First Amendment scholar, died May 25 at her home in Hillsborough after a long illness.

Blanchard, 60, was a William Rand Kenan Jr. professor in the School of Journalism and Mass Communication, where she had taught since 1974.

Richard Cole, school dean, called Blanchard "a giant in the field of freedom of expression, respected internationally. She talked softly and smiled, but her books sang out the rights of individuals and the press against restrictions.

"In addition to her own scholarship, she nurtured scores of doctoral and master's students who are now outstanding professors and journalists across the United States and in other countries," Cole said.

Fund honors Blanchard A fund in Margaret A.Blanchard's name has been started in the School of Journalism and Mass Communication, and checks may be sent to the school at CB# 3365. Checks may be made out to the Blanchard Fund or to the school (with "Blanchard Fund" on the memo line).

Blanchard's 1992 book "Revolutionary Sparks: Freedom of Expression in Modern America" was nominated for a Pulitzer Prize in history. She wrote two other books, "Freedom of Expression in the United States" and "Exporting the First Amendment: The Press-Government Crusade of 1945 - 1952." She was editor of the "Mass Media History Encyclopedia," which the New York Public Library listed as one of the 20 best reference books of 1999. In addition, Blanchard wrote more than 50 scholarly articles, chapters and other publications.

She taught media history, freedom of expression and various professional skills courses in the school and was affectionately known as "Ma Blanchard" by her students, who called themselves "Peggy's people." In 1999 and 2000, she won Favorite Faculty awards from the senior class, General Alumni Association and Division of Student Affairs, and she received the school's David Brinkley Teaching Excellence Award in 1998.

Although she had entered the University's phased retirement program, she continued to advise a number of doctoral students. David A. Copeland, a former advisee who is now on the communications faculty at Elon University, said Blanchard "cannot be replaced, but she will always be remembered for her unselfish giving of her time, talents and concern to others."

A staunch supporter of press freedom, Blanchard received the N.C. Press Association's William C. Lassiter First Amendment Award in 1996. The next year she won the Frank Luther Mott - Kappa Tau Alpha Research Award for her book "Exporting the First Amendment."

The Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication's (AEJMC) Committee on the Status of Women named Blanchard one of the top women communication scholars. At the time of her death, she was book review editor of AEJMC's "Journalism and Mass Communication Quarterly."

"She leaves a big gap in American journalism education," said John Adams, dean emeritus of the school. "Her work in the field of journalism history, particularly in the First Amendment area, evolved to the point that she became one of the nation's preeminent researchers, and her books were recognized as tops in her field."

In 2002, Blanchard became only the sixth person to receive the American Journalism Historians Association's (AJHA) highest honor, the Sydney Kobre Award for Lifetime Achievement in Journalism History. The following year, the group named its annual award for the outstanding media history dissertation the Margaret A. Blanchard Dissertation Award. Blanchard was AJHA president in 1988.

"Her high standards and devotion inspired a generation of young scholars," said John Ferré, current AJHA president. "A lot of the talent in the field today is directly traceable to her personal influence."

Blanchard was a reporter for the "Palm Beach Post-Times" in West Palm Beach, Fla., from 1963 to 1965. She was a reporter at the "Miami Herald" from 1966 to 1969 and woman's editor of the paper's Broward County edition from 1966 to 1968. She worked in public relations in various positions from 1969 to 1971.

Born in Schenectady, N.Y., Blanchard received an associate's degree in 1963 from Palm Beach Junior College, a bachelor's degree in journalism in 1965 from the University of Florida, a master's in communications in 1970 from Florida, and a doctorate in history in 1981 from Carolina.

Professor John Semonche, Blanchard's dissertation adviser, said, "She surpassed her mentor -- to my delight."

"Peggy was my most gifted Ph.D. student," Semonche said. "In making the transition from newspaper copy to scholarly work, she was able to take the criticism of her written work and generalize it, something very few, even very able students, are able to do."

At the time of her death, Blanchard and Semonche were working on a book to be called "Speak No Evil: Sin, Sex, and Free Speech from Comstock to Helms."

A member of Orange United Methodist Church, Blanchard edited a book on the church's history and edited the Sunday church bulletins before printing.

Survivors include her parents, Earl C. and Gladys M. Blanchard of Graham, a brother, Stephen Blanchard and his wife, Sherilyn, of Ticonderoga, N.Y.; three nephews, Joshua Blanchard of Atlanta, Ga., Timothy Blanchard of Fort Gordon, Ga., and Jonathan Blanchard of Ticonderoga; two aunts, Jennie Hickok of Schenectady and Rachel Phillips of Ballston Lake, N.Y.; and an uncle, Robert Hickok Jr. of Potomac, Md. Her sister, Deborah Blanchard, died in 1959.

A fund in Blanchard's name has been started in the school, and checks may be sent to the School of Journalism and Mass Communication, CB# 3365. Checks may be made out to the Blanchard Fund or to the school (with "Blanchard Fund" on the memo line).

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Hyatt honored for fitness leadership and public service

Ron Hyatt, professor of exercise and sport science, has received the state's highest award for his leadership, scholarship and service to advance public fitness programs in North Carolina.

State Health Director Leah Devlin presented Hyatt with the Order of the Long-Leaf Pine award on behalf of Gov. Mike Easley during a meeting of the Justus-Warren Heart Disease and Stroke Prevention Task Force on May 6 in Raleigh.

The Order of the Long-Leaf Pine is presented to individuals who have a proven record of leadership and service to the state of North Carolina.

Hyatt has been involved with physical education and fitness programs for nearly 50 years. Before joining the faculty in 1966, he was an intramural sports director and coach in public schools and colleges for 10 years, and he directed health and physical education at the N.C. Advancement School in Winston-Salem for two years.

The Dillon County, S.C., native holds master's and doctoral degrees from Carolina and is a retired colonel in the North Carolina National Guard with 41 years of service.

He collected data for the first North Carolina Fitness Test in 1959 and has been engaged in fitness research since then. He served for seven years on the former Governor's Task Force on Cardiac Health and Stroke Prevention and 10 years on the Governor's Council for Fitness, including three years as chair. He was previously named an Outstanding State Volunteer.

Hyatt is a past recipient of the University's C. Knox Massey Award for service and was the faculty marshall for 10 years.

Hyatt wrote the textbook, "The Organization and Administration of Intramural Sports," and is director of the Program for Public Policy in Sport.

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McCoy wins top manager award for 2004

She puts the interests of the organization first and is an incredibly talented and committed business manager.

Who is this exemplar of management? It is Gretchen McCoy, business manager of the Central Office of the Family Support Network of North Carolina. McCoy is the 2004 winner of the University Managers Association's (UMA) top honor, the Manager of the Year Award. UMA president Phill Lyons made the presentation at the group's annual meeting on May 20.

McCoy has been with the Family Support Network since March 2003 and has worked for the University for 21 years. She previously has held positions in the Office of Human Resources, the School of Social Work, the Odum Institute for Research and the Center for Maternal and Infant Health. The latter is in the School of Medicine, as is the Family Support Network.

Her nominating materials describe her as having a thorough understanding of the value and nature of management, the University's policies and procedures and of the organization. Of special note this past year was that McCoy brought additional funds and structure to the organization, moving it from a very difficult financial situation to being strong and on a solid footing.

The Family Support Network of North Carolina is a statewide network that promotes and provides support for families with children who have special needs. For more information, see www.fsnnc.org.

Founded in 1983, the UMA has 200 members. Its purpose is to provide a forum for the exchange of information relevant to management in the University setting and to benefit all campus managers by being a voice for change on issues of widespread importance.

Selection of managers of the year is based on University career accomplishments or a significant accomplishment within the past 12 months. Only UMA members are eligible to receive the award, but any Carolina employee may make a nomination. For more information about the UMA, refer to uma.unc.edu.

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Shining Heels

LINDA ALLRED

Title: Office assistant, Medical Student Section, Department of Family Medicine.

Where do you volunteer?

Brown's Chapel United Methodist Church in Pittsboro and within the Department of Family Medicine.

How long have you been a volunteer there?

I've worked in the Department of Family Medicine for five years and I've been a member of Brown's Chapel United Methodist Church for about four years.

What does your volunteer work involve?

Within the Department of Family Medicine, I help coordinate quarterly food drives for the Interfaith Council Community Kitchen and annual "Adopt-a-Family" efforts at Christmas time. I open the door for people to make donations to individuals or groups in need by advertising the need, providing a drop off spot for their donations and arranging delivery of the goods to the final destination. The generous folks I work with do the rest. Of course, the best way to most people's hearts is through their stomachs, so we've done that twice this year. In January, we had a "Souper Bowl" lunch and sold bowls of soup or chili, cornbread and dessert to raise money for the shelter. For St. Patrick's Day, we sold plates of corned beef and cabbage, chili and cornbread to raise money to help a family in need. With several people cooking, it was fun for everyone and not a lot of effort for anyone.

My volunteer work through the church has included destruction (helping tear down walls for Hurricane Floyd victims), construction (helping rebuild those walls), cooking/baking to raise funds for a wheelchair ramp ministry, tree/brush removal (cleanup after Hurricane Isabelle) and cooking and serving meals at the Allied Churches Kitchen in Burlington. Before moving to Chatham County four years ago, I served as a Red Cross volunteer in Alamance County and was part of the Emergency Response Team.

Why do you volunteer?

I have been richly blessed, and I am compelled to share those blessings with others. I love people, but I am very uncomfortable in social situations. When I'm working, I can reach out to people and find out who they are and share who I am without having to make small talk. Besides, it gets me out of the house and keeps me moving.

Does your volunteer work have anything in common with the work you do at Carolina? If yes, what?

When I was interviewed for my current job, I was told that "we stress the family in Family Medicine," and I have found that to be so true. Department management is very supportive of our activities and allows us to be flexible, at times, with our work and lunch schedules so we can accomplish our goals. By working together within the department to help people in the community, we become a stronger unit, and it is reflected in the work we do at Carolina.

How can other Carolina employees get involved like you have?

Keep your eyes and ears open and be willing to try something new and different. I never thought I could hammer a nail until I spent six months of Saturdays in Kinston tearing out and rebuilding a house for an elderly couple. Volunteer opportunities are open everywhere. There are many senior citizens who need someone to just call them every day, or every week, just to say "hello" -- to let them know that they are important to someone. And if you stop by to drop off leftovers from dinner that they might enjoy, it just makes their day! My life at the moment doesn't allow me to commit to regularly scheduled volunteer activities; I stay busy with unscheduled, unplanned needs that arise.

Excerpts from nominating letters:

"It's hard to keep this brief because there are so many things Linda Allred ... does to help others both in our department and outside. ... Every holiday/celebration event is an opportunity for Linda to think about what `theme' she might use to get people to do something for others in need. How she does it with a full-time job, a family and an active life in her church, I don't know. She truly is amazing."

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Davis receives inaugural Light on the Hill Award

In honor of his lifetime of loyalty and dedication to the University, Walter Royal Davis of Chapel Hill and Midland, Tex. received the University's first Light on the Hill Award at ceremonies held on May 22.

Established this year by Chancellor James Moeser and presented at his discretion with the support of the Board of Trustees, the Light on the Hill Award recognizes exceptional individuals who have advanced the University in teaching, research and service, benefiting its community of students, faculty and staff.

"Walter Davis is a standard-bearer of the University's highest ideals," said Chancellor James Moeser. "He embodies the qualities the Light on the Hill Award was created to acknowledge and those we hope to be characteristic of every recipient who follows him."

A longtime benefactor of Carolina and one of the most prominent philanthropists in North Carolina, Davis was born in Pasquotank County, the fourth of six children of modest farming parents. He graduated from Hargrave Military Academy and, with no money to attend college, supported himself with jobs as a clerk and truck driver. He eventually settled in Texas where he parlayed a $1,000 loan and five trucks into the world's largest independent petroleum transport company. After merging his company with Occidental Petroleum, Davis went on to lead Occidental as it developed the first oil wells in the Middle East. Today, Davis's business empire stretches from New Mexico to North Carolina, with properties ranging from oil wells to seaside resorts.

A three-term member of the Board of Trustees, Davis successfully lobbied the state legislature during the 1970s to return funds from the sale of University-owned utilities to Carolina. He was instrumental in acquiring the $32 million used to pay for construction of the Walter Royal Davis Library, as well as renovations to Wilson Library and the Health Sciences Library. His many gifts have provided funds for students, faculty, campus buildings, research and strategic initiatives such as the Davis Oral History Fund supporting scholarly works in the Southern Oral History Program, a component of the Center for the Study of the American South. Davis served on the Board of Governors and the Board of Visitors. In addition to the inaugural Light on the Hill Award, Davis has received the University's prestigious William Richardson Davie Award from the Board of Trustees and the Distinguished Service Medal from the General Alumni Association.

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Campus Awards

WILLIAM AND IDA FRIDAY CENTER FOR CONTINUING EDUCATION
Anne Smith Hastings

Hastings, who has taught sociology to distance students since 1986 and currently is teaching six courses in the center's three distance education programs, was presented the second Excellence in Teaching Award on May 6 at the Instructor Appreciation Banquet.

HEALTH SCIENCES LIBRARY
Denise Mabe

Mabe, information associate in Support Services, received the annual Award of Excellence, given to a library staff member who goes above and beyond the call of duty -- demonstrating exceptional resourcefulness, compassion or support. Mabe's commitment to great service has been consistent and exceptional throughout the disruptions of renovation over the past year. A nominator wrote: "Her standards of excellence at the desk are remarkable. She goes out of her way to help each patron in the best way possible."

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Decorations and Distinctions

Ute J. Bayen
Associate professor of psychology, Bayen has been awarded a Humboldt Research Fellowship for a year of study in Germany, beginning in August. She will be based at the University of Mannheim, where she will conduct research on the impact of aging on eyewitness testimony.

Douglas A. Drossman
Professor of medicine and psychiatry and co-director of the Center for Functional GI and Motility Disorders in the Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology in the School of Medicine, Drossman has received the 2004 American Gastroenterological Association's Distinguished Educator Award. This award recognizes an individual for achievements as an educator on both local and national levels, including efforts dedicated to training fellows, publishing educational documents and teaching seminars and classes.

David A. Hoffmann
Sarah Graham Kenan Distinguished Scholar and associate professor of management at the Kenan-Flagler Business School, Hoffman has been elected a fellow of the Society for Industrial and Organization Psychology (SIOP). He was honored for his research in organizational climate and particularly his focus on workplace safety. The announcement was made during the group's annual conference in Chicago.

Terry Houston
Director of Recruitment and Special Programs in the Office for Minority Affairs, Houston has been recognized in the March/April issue of "Profiles in Diversity Journal" for her work in breaking down barriers for minorities. The articles appears in the section "Special Feature: Health, Life and the Challenge of Changing Demographics."

Maura Lafferty
Assistant professor of classics, Lafferty has won the Rome Prize from the American Academy in Rome. The prize supports an 11-month research residency at the Rome academy, where Lafferty plans to continue her study of the culture of Latin in Western Europe during the early Middle Ages.

Lisa Ann Lindsay
Assistant professor of history, Lindsay is one of 40 fellows announced for the 2004-05 academic year by the National Humanities Center. The grant will allow her to do research on her project, "A South Carolinian in Colonial Nigeria: One Family's History and the African Diaspora."

Aziz Sancar
Sarah Graham Kenan professor of biochemistry and biophysics in the School of Medicine, Sancar has been elected one of 178 new fellows of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences in honor of his "extraordinary contributions" to his field.

Peter White
White, director of the North Carolina Botanical Garden, accepted an Award of Excellence from National Garden Clubs Inc. at its annual convention in St. Louis on May 18. The Award of Excellence is the club's highest achievement award and is presented to individuals or organizations that have made contributions of national or worldwide significance in fields related to its goals and interests. White was cited in part for "defining the elements of the `Conservation Garden' and for leadership in native wildflower conservation in the Southeast."

William E. Whitehead
Professor of medicine and co-director of the Center for Functional GI and Motility Disorders in the Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology in the School of Medicine, Whitehead has received a 2004 Janssen Award in Gastroenterology for Basic or Clinical Research in Digestive Sciences. The honor is awarded on behalf of Janssen Pharmaceutica Inc. in cooperation with the American Gastroenterological Association.

The William and Ida Friday Center for Continuing Education
The Friday Center recently won a Gold Award from the University Continuing Education Association (UCEA) for its "UNC - Anywhere" ad campaign. Casey Liston, graphic designer, received the award at the UCEA national conference in San Antonio, and Norm Loewenthal, Friday Center director, also attended.

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Six professors win 2004 Ueltschi Service-Learning Course Development Grants

APPLES Service-Learning Program has announced the names of six professors who are recipients of the 2004 Ueltschi Service-Learning Course Development Grants. They will use the grants to develop innovative service-learning courses for undergraduate students by integrating community service into the traditional academic setting.

The following professors were chosen for this honor, listed with the department or school and the course he or she will teach:

Gary Bishop, Department of Computer Science, COMP 190: Enabling Technology;

Altha Cravey, Department of Geography, GEOG 152: Mobile Geographies;

Patrick Davison, School of Journalism and Mass Communication, JOMC 191: Intermediate Photojournalism;

Deborah Fleming, School of Dentistry, Community Based Dental Hygiene;

Laurie Langbauer, Department of English, ENGL 6: Ethics and Children's Literature; and

Charlotte Peterson, School of Dentistry, Community Based Dental Hygiene.

Grant recipients will receive $8,000 to support expenses such as course development, books, materials and stipends. Recipients must teach the course at least three times within five years, starting in the 2004-05 academic year.

The applications for the grants were evaluated based on each professor's demonstrated dedication to service learning, the strength of the proposed course and syllabi, and the support of the instructor's department.

Jim and Jean Ueltschi, both alumni, fund the grants in collaboration with the Office of the Provost.

The Ueltschi Service-Learning Course Development Grants are administered through the APPLES Service-Learning Program, a student-run, student-sponsored Carolina program that engages students, faculty and community agencies in service-learning partnerships.

For more information about the Ueltschi Service-Learning Grants or about the APPLES Service-Learning Program, call Jenny Huq, director, at 962-0902 or Leslie Kirk, assistant director, at 843-6829.

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Star Heels

The following is a partial list of employees who have received recognition as Star Heels:

Academic Affairs Library
Linda Drake
Kelly Kress
Annette Johnson
Suzanne Lankford
Betty Meehan-Black

Accounting Services
Nancy Wilson

Ackland Art Museum
Tammy Wells-Angerer

Aerospace Studies
Summer Montgomery
Tom Reilly

African & Afro-American Studies
Timothy McMillan

Anesthesiology
Gary Wilhelm

Anthropology
Suphronia Cheek

Asian Studies
Sayoko Bardwell

Carolina Copy
John Foust

Carolina Population Center
Jay Stewart

Carolina Vaccine Institute
Dwayne Muhammed

Center for Alcohol Studies
Daniel Kim

Center for Developmental Science
Terri Clark

Center for Digestive Diseases & Nutrition
Brenda Trapp

Center for Environmental Medicine, Asthma & Lung Biology
Rhonda Wynn
Janice McKoy

Center for HPDP
Amber Vaughn

Center for Infectious Diseases
Amy Rives

City & Regional Planning
Carolyn Turner

Classics
Kim Miles

Clinical Services
Kay Rogers

Communication Studies
Niku Arbabi

Computer Science
Missy Wood

Construction Management
Lindsey Hopkins

Dental Ecology
Jennifer Strickland

Cystic Fibrosis/Pulmonary Research
Tze-chuan Mar

Diagnostic Services
Darryl Mangum

Design Services
Matt Suffern

Development
Taunja Ruch

Disbursement Services
Mary Douglas

Emergency Medicine
Sherry Gilliland

Endodontics
Donna Perdue

Energy Services
George Devinney

Kevin Faison
Jean Feiler
Roger Reece

Engineering Info. Services
Katherine O'Brien

English
Susan Marston

EOE/ADA Office
Brenda Siler

EXSS
Maura Murphy
Reggie Hinton

Facilities Planning
John Masson

Facilities Services
Tracy Agnew
Curtisteen McCrimmon
Jim Mergner
Mark Moon
Constance Murray
Ed Phillips
Bill Roach
Steve Stoddard
Melissa Wilson

Family Support Network
Daniel Willey

Financial Planning & Budgets
Yahui Chao

FPG Child Development Institute
Kay Babel
Kevin Gunn

General Clinical Research Center
Cynthia Mann

Germanic Languages
Barbara Brown

Editor's Note: The Star Heels Award Program is sponsored by TIAA-CREF. Winners each receive a $20 gift certificate. For more information on the Star Heels program, call Employee Services at 962-1483.