The National Association of Black Journalists has named a Philip Merrill College of Journalism professor and an alumna as its Journalist of the Year and its Emerging Journalist of the Year, respectively.

The 3,300-member association last week selected Miami Herald columnist Leonard Pitts as its Journalist of the Year for his work in 2007. The Pulitzer Prize-winning columnist is a visiting professor at the College.

NABJ also named the Tampa (Fla.) Tribune’s Sarah Hoye as its Emerging Journalist of the Year. Hoye earned her master of journalism degree in 2003 from the College.

The Special Honors are among the most-coveted annual awards given by NABJ. The awards will be formally presented July 26 at the NABJ Salute to Excellence Gala that will be part of the Unity: Journalists of Color convention in Chicago.

Journalist of the Year is given to a black journalist who has distinguished himself or herself during the year with work that was extraordinary in depth, scope or significance to people in the African diaspora. Pitts was recognized as a widely respected columnist whose strength and background show through his columns, which “speak to those silenced by poverty, violence and discrimination,” in the words of NABJ President Barbara Ciara.

The Emerging Journalist of the Year recognizes a black journalist with fewer than five years of experience whose work displays a commitment to NABJ’s goal of outstanding achievement by black journalists and to providing balanced coverage of the black community and society at large.

Hoye, who had already held jobs at the Lexington (Ky.) Herald-Leader and the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel before moving to Tampa, was honored for her exceptional work and for her abilities in multimedia reporting, which have made a great impact on her newsroom and on NABJ.

The association said that at a time when diversity in newsrooms is being shunted aside for the bottom line, the awards are not only important for the individual winners but also to recognize their voices and craft in a dwindling newsroom.

Founded in 1975, NABJ is the largest organization of journalists of color in the nation. It is headquartered at the University of Maryland, College Park.

Jay Kernis (BS ‘74), the senior vice president for programming at National Public Radio and Merrill College Board of Visitors member has been named managing editor of CNN, the cable news network announced today.

Read the NYTimes article.

Sandra D. Long, (BS ‘74) a Philadelphia Inquirer deputy managing editor, was appointed to one of two managing editor positions, former Merrill College Board of Visitors member and Inquirer Editor Bill Marimow announced Aug. 13. She will jointly rank as the No. 2 editor in the newsroom and be responsible for production-related activities and become the newsroom liaison with business operations. Long is the first African-American woman in the position and has been the highest-ranking African-American woman in the newsroom for some time now.

A recipient of multiple journalism awards, Long’s well-regarded work at The Philadelphia Inquirer began in January 1984 when she worked as a reporter. Her career continually grew as she became the Neighbors editor, Deputy Pennsylvania Editor, Assistant Managing Editor for Finance and Administration, and Associate Managing Editor for Operations and Deputy Managing Editor/News Operations. Prior to joining the paper she worked for the Philadelphia Bulletin and Wilmington, De. News Journal.

In addition to her new managing editor duties she also authors her blog “In Sandra’s Shoes” on The Inquirer’s Web Site where she describes her fight with breast cancer.

She is a founding member of the National Association of Black Journalists, a member of the Philadelphia Association of Black Journalists and of the National Association of Minority Media Executives.

The National Association of Black Journalists has chosen Mara Schiavocampo (MA ‘03) as their Emerging Journalist of the Year. This Special Honors Award will be presented at the Salute to Excellence Awards Gala during NABJ’s annual convention in August. Mara is a freelance contributor for various news outlets including Current TV and ABC News. Her work can be seen at www.marasonline.net.

Elizabeth Suh (BA ’04) was a member of the team that won the Pulitzer Prize in breaking news for The Oregonian. The story, which is the paper’s seventh prize, covered the confusing search for the family of James Kim who were snowbound in the Siskiyou Mountains.

Kim’s wife and their daughters were rescued near their car on a remote road nine days after the family left the interstate on attempted shortcut to the coast. James Kim was found two days later dead of hypothermia after hiking 10 miles in an effort to seek help.

“A high purpose of journalism is to reveal systemic problems in public policy or procedures,” Oregonian Editor Sandy Rowe said after the announcement. “That’s what we did with the Kim coverage. I’m grateful our work helped spur improvements.”

Read the Oregonian’s coverage here.

The Washington Post reports this morning that alumna Kiran Chetry (BA ‘96) will replace Soledad O’Brien and Miles O’Brien on ‘American Morning.’ Former CBS Anchor and correspondent John Roberts will be her co-host.

Read the full story here.

Pulitzer Prize winner Jane Healy, an 1971 alumnus and current Board of Visitor member, won the Distinguished Writing Award for Editorial Writing presented by the American Society of Newspaper Editors. Currently the editorial page editor for the Orlando Sentinel, Healy won for a five-part series of editorials called “Florida’s Shame” on how the laws and policies in Florida for managing growth are a sham.

Read the release and see the other ASNE winners here.