[Congressional Record Volume 144, Number 29 (Tuesday, March 17, 1998)]
[Senate]
[Page S2143]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                       TRIBUTE TO DR. RALPH IZARD

 Mr. GLENN. Mr. President, one of the fundamentals of our great 
Republic has been public education and the benefits it bestows to our 
society.
  As the early American pioneers moved westward across the Appalachian 
Mountains, they chartered--in 1804--the first university in the Western 
Territory near the Hocking River in the town of Athens: Ohio 
University. Since then, the impact of this pioneering institution has 
reached far beyond the Appalachian foothills, across the nation and 
around the globe.
  Today, I rise to offer a tribute to a modern-day educator who 
represents the best characteristics of our public education system, Dr. 
Ralph Izard.
  For a dozen years, Dr. Izard has served as director of the E. W. 
Scripps School of Journalism at Ohio University. Effective June 30, 
1998, after more than three decades of service to Ohio University and 
the academic community, he will retire.
  Mr. President, I recognize that journalism training occurs throughout 
our nation, however, those who rate post-secondary journalism education 
consistently rank Ohio University among the nation's best.
  Whether it's education, or politics or sports, it's tough to repeat 
as champions. Yet, that is the legacy of Dr. Izard at Ohio University. 
Year after year, the E. W. Scripps School of Journalism, under his 
direction, has produced premier writers, editors and public relations 
practitioners.
  Like all success stories, there are multiple reasons why the E. W. 
Scripps School of Journalism excels. Among them: a strong faculty and 
widespread private support from alumni and industry.
  E. W. Scripps is a legend in the publishing world. The Scripps' 
partnership with higher education through Ohio University is a national 
model for private support for public education.
  This success story includes another key ingredient; the leadership 
and professionalism of Dr. Ralph Izard. Involved in academia for 32 
years, Dr. Izard never lost his focus on individual students, and he 
never lost his love of teaching.
  That's because he never stopped learning. As technology changed, Dr. 
Izard kept pace. He insisted journalism education adapt to change. 
Thus, college training remained relevant to students and the job 
market.
  So today, nearly two centuries after those early pioneers founded a 
university in Athens, Dr. Izard personifies their ideals of higher 
education by preparing thousands of their sons and daughters for the 
challenges of a new century.
  For his achievements, leadership and dedication to education, we 
salute Dr. Ralph Izard and wish him well in future endeavors.

                          ____________________