Elizabeth "Libby" Young
Windward Community College
Journalism Professor
By Bonnie
Beatson
By Bonnie Beatson
For 35 years, Elizabeth “Libby” Young has made a difference in
the lives of her students.
Libby
is the “freshly” retired professor of journalism and English at Windward
Community College—the youngest and most beautiful campus of the University of
Hawai‘i system—where she has taught since 1980 and built the journalism
program’s reputation for excellence.
The
campus newspaper, Ka ‘Ohana, has won numerous first place national awards from
the American Scholastic Press Association, as well as local awards from the
Hawaii Publishers Association. Her level of professional competency, as shown by
her students and the Ka ‘Ohana newspaper, are concrete examples of her
abilities. Libby gets excited when students get “all fired up” about writing
stories for the paper. They take what is happening on campus and in the
community seriously…and begin thinking like professional
journalists.
Several
of Libby’s students have won the Hawaii Chapter of the Society of Professional
Journalists summer internships over the years — in competition with journalism
majors from four-year colleges and universities—and many have resulted in
careers launched in the field.
As
the first public information officer for the UH community college system from
1970 to 1976. Based on her master’s thesis at UH Manoa, which studied how
professional journalists formed their ledes, she was named one of several
promising researchers in the nation by the National Council of Teachers of
English.
Libby
has garnered numerous honors and prestigious awards for journalism and teaching
throughout her career.
Turning
struggling college students into working journalists has earned Libby the
reputation as a talented and effective teacher. At Windward Community College,
Libby received the 1990 Excellence
in Teaching Award, given annually by the University of Hawaii Board of
Regents.
Libby
Young’s teaching was not confined to the classroom. She encouraged her students
to engage in community issues. With the help of students, faculty, and community
leaders, as well as the support of Windward legislators, she mounted a
successful lobbying campaign at the State Capitol that resulted in securing
millions of dollars for Windward Community College’s master plan, including a
state-of-the art learning center and library.
She
was selected the 1995 Carnegie Foundation Professor of the Year for Hawaii and
one of “Ten Who Made a Difference” statewide in 1991 by the Honolulu
Star-Bulletin.
More
recently, Libby was recognized for her contributions as a transformational
leader in University of Hawai‘i Community College’s “50 Finest”. In
April, the state House of Representatives honored Libby noting her many
achievements at WCC, “maintaining excellence and establishing a learning
environment that creates an exuberance for learning.”
Can
we talk transformation?
For
me, transformation is key at any stage in life. After stepping away from a
career in graphic design to raise my two young sons, I needed new goals to enter
back into the workforce…and new skills. I began studying journalism with Libby
Young in 2000. She taught me timeless journalism skills: how to write a timely
lede—uncluttered and lean, clear and specific—and how to target my reading
audience, research a topic, write objectively with a logical order of thought,
conduct interviews (and overcome my shyness), write with good grammar, use AP
style, make persuasive appeals (where appropriate), be balanced and fair, and
tell a good story. And never forget accuracy, accuracy, accuracy!
I
discovered all that I learned from Libby Young built upon the knowledge that I
previously had as a designer. Doors opened up for me. I went on to earn a
master’s degree in communications and the college liked me so much they hired
me—transformational!
Today
I stand proudly alongside Libby Young and Windward Community College as the
marketing and public relations director. It’s a job that I love…and a career
that for 10 years has brought me joy as a writing professional. I appreciate all
that Libby has devoted to my success—as my teacher, mentor, friend and news
professional—and all that she has inspired me to accomplish.
Over
the years, many wonderful students have been part of the Ka ‘Ohana staff, and
many have gone on to become working journalists, freelance writers,
photographers, and advertising and public relations professionals in their own
right.
·
Brooks
Baehr – assignment editor, KITV
·
Kyle
Funasaki – marketing director, KHON-TV
·
Janine
Tully – aide to Rep. Ken Ito and former Sun Press reporter
·
Tiny
Tadani & Jenn Boneza –OC16,
·
Bill
Mossman & Terri Hefner – managing editor, MidWeek
These
former students who are working in the field agree that Libby is a
transformational educator.
Leila
Fujimori, Honolulu Star Advertiser staff reporter,
says Libby Young ‘lit the fire in her belly for reporting that has never been
extinguished.’ “Libby provides her students the right guidance to understand the
importance of journalism. She also pushed us to strive for excellence in
reporting and writing. In the classroom she made it interesting and real. She
brought in speakers from the professional journalism community (probably some of
you in this room!), took us to visit newsrooms and stressed the importance of
obtaining internships as a path to obtain a job after school.”
Former
student Alice Keesing
says, “The newspaper has always been the students’ voice and not hers. She is
the master of the art of gentle suggestion, making the newsroom a place of real
learning and empowerment.”
And
her peers agree:
Professor
Ann Auman, Chairman, School of Communications, UH Manoa:
“Libby
is a legend among journalism instructors in Hawai‘i. We all want her students in
our classes. Libby’s students from Windward Community College quickly rise to
the top of the more advanced journalism classes at UH Manoa as they pursue their
bachelor’s degree. They are already capable journalists with strong writing and
reporting skills they have honed while working at the Ka ‘Ohana
newspaper.”
And
if you ask Libby Young what makes a good teacher, she might say a good teacher
is one who continues to learn. After wining the Regents’ Excellence in Teaching
award, she said the most important thing is to not feel you’ve arrived. A
teacher has to keep learning, changing and adapting. She says, “It’s called
learning—and it never gets old.”
I
am proud to introduce Libby Young, honoree for this year’s SPJ Hawaii Chapter Hall of Fame.