Howard W. Hewitt – Many Wabash alumni give back in so many ways it’s hard to detail them all though we try.
Tim Padgett ’84 was Bachelor Editor during his time on campus and went on to a well-documented career as a Bureau Chief for Time Magazine. Tim has returned to campus twice in the last three years to visit, critique, and inspire students who write for the Bachelor.
He will be honored Saturday during Alumni Chapel with the Clarence A. Jackson Career Service Award for his 27 years in journalism.
But it’s the small moments he shares with students that are rewarding beyond all plaques and certificates. Tim met with Bachelor staffers Thursday and went through a detailed critique of last week’s issue of the Bachelor. He praised the progress he has seen in recent years, called out good writers for their efforts, and gently prodded others to improve portions of their writing.
He did it all with humility and grace. He also has a fun sense of humor.
Tim delivered a compelling Alumni Colloquium Thursday afternoon entitled “Hegel and Headline News: A New Media Dialectic.” The talk focused on Time Magazine’s approach not to present news with a partisan twist but to allow reporters to use their expertise in reporting to share opinions formed by fact and research.
You can watch Tim’s entire talk on the Wabash College YouTube Channel here.
A big turnout of faculty and students appreciated the refreshing explanation of how news could be presented outside the “shouting matches” of some cable news outlets.
Wabash frequently has alums return to give exciting and meaningful talks. But Tim always goes one more step and takes a few of the Bachelor staffers, and their advisor, out to dinner. It’s there he shares the personal stories of his Wabash years and fascinating and funny anecdotes from his remarkable career.
You can see Padgett’s entire talk on the Wabash College YouTube Channel. It will be posted there soon.
I never cease to be amazed at how encouraging and generous he is with our students. He always offers to write a letter of recommendation, or make a phone call for students seeking a job or considering graduate school.
During Saturday’s Alumni Chapel he will be honored for a remarkable career.
Tim Padgett is some Little Giant.
