Journalist Charlayne Hunter-Gault decries decline in public trust of media

[NORTON, Mass.] - Journalist Charlayne Hunter-Gault decried the ''politicians and pretenders'' in America who have contributed to the decline in public trust in journalism and warned the 431 members of Wheaton College's Class of 2005 that they and their professors are honor-bound to safeguard the institutions of freedom ''for the sake of democracy itself.''

''Not long ago I was approached by a college student who proceeded to tell me she long dreamed of becoming a journalist but now she was beginning to wonder if she could pursue this dream,'' Hunter-Gault, the award-winning former national correspondent for The NewsHour with Jim Lehrer and South Africa bureau chief for CNN. ''When I asked about the source of her doubts, she told me she was afraid she would no longer be able to tell the truth...a young person in the United States of America in 2005 afraid there was nothing in this country including the time-honored constitution that would insulate her and protect her from an environment poisoned by politicians and pretenders to our profession.''

The transcript of Wheaton's commencement address and high-resolution photos will be posted online by 2:30 p.m. on Saturday, May 21.

Hunter-Gault made civil rights history as the first African American woman to graduate from the University of Georgia in 1962, and has gone on to establish herself as one of television's premier journalists. During her association with The NewsHour, Hunter-Gault won two Emmys and a Peabody for excellence in broadcast journalism. She is author of In My Place, a memoir about her experiences at the University of Georgia.

''For all of our sakes, and perhaps for the sake of democracy itself, men and women who care about the world they inhabit, and you graduates especially, who now bring to the world a gift of new energy and fresh commitment, I would hope you would help make sure that it passes by not abandoning faith in our profession, but holding the feet to the fire of those who decisions affect all of our destinies and the destinies of generations to come, the politician and those who own and control the media.

''Rage, rage against the dying of the light of trust and truth and institutions you need to help safeguard your freedom. Rage until you can be confident of good news that will help you be good and better citizens of the world.''

Among the more than 700 alumnae/i who participated in Reunion Weekend was Laura Povey from the Class of 1930 to celebrate her 75th reunion. Honorary degree recipients included Hunter-Gault, philanthropist Jean Jones Beard and novelist Alexandra Marshall, both Wheaton Class of 1965. Jones, of Amherst, Mass., is a clinical social worker and one of the authors of Nothing to Hide, a book and exhibit that highlights how families deal with mental illness. Boston-based Marshall is the author most recently of Court of Common Pleas and Something Borrowed, and has written for many other publications, including the Boston Globe and The New York Times. Marshall and her husband, Boston Globe columnist James Carroll, also celebrated their 28th wedding anniversary today.

Wheaton students and alumni have won 18 prestigious national scholarships this academic year. Senior Carolyn Wills of Salt Lake City, Utah, will study ethics at Oxford as Wheaton's second Rhodes Scholar in four years. Seniors Tyler Matteson of Epsom, N.H., and Liza Semler of Middlesex, Vt., are two of 50 students nationwide to win the Thomas J. Watson Fellowship; the award will support a year of travel and research. Juniors Alex Dewar of Portland, Ore., and Myles Matteson of Epsom, N.H., were named Truman Scholars and plan to study law and public policy after they leave Wheaton. Four members of the Class of 2005 and two alumnae won Fulbright scholarships this year: Henry Gerlits '05 of Franklin, Mass., will teach English in South Korea; John Heywood '05 of Oakland, Calif., will study emerging Internet technology in Estonia; Tamar Palandjian '05 of Warwick, R.I., will study the role of youth in the democratization of Armenia; Karin Seeber '05 of Groton, Mass., will teach English and American studies in Germany; Megan Shea '04 will teach in the Czech Republic; and Joy Williams '03 will study African identity through dance in Colombia. Five seniors also won French Government Teaching Assistantships: Caitlin Deighan of Slingerlands, N.Y.; Sarah Malloy of Providence, R.I.; Julia Naegele of La Mesa, Calif.; Richelle Pinette of East Hartford, Conn.; and Janet Turkovich of Westford, Mass. Two other alumni-Fred Marcks and Cathy Brown-won Rotary scholarships.

Wheaton is a highly selective college of the liberal arts and sciences with a student body of 1,550. It is a member of the Twelve College Exchange, which also includes Amherst, Bowdoin, Dartmouth, Mount Holyoke, Trinity, Wellesley and Wesleyan.