DePaul’s Center for Journalism Integrity and Excellence celebrated its 10th anniversary at its annual luncheon Thursday, April 23. The center honored veteran political analyst and Editor-in-Chief of the Cook Political Report Amy Walter with its Distinguished Journalist Award.

“This is a really humbling moment for me,” Walter said. “I don’t really think of myself as anything other than just somebody doing their job day in and day out. Plus, I grew up watching Carol (Marin) on TV, so it’s a full-circle moment for me.”

Previous award recipients include former NBC Nightly News anchor Lester Holt, PBS NewsHour anchor Judy Woodruff and 60 Minutes correspondent Bill Whitaker.

Walter, who grew up in Barrington, Illinois, said the warm weather made it feel like a “Ferris Bueller-like day,” and reminded her of her life in the city before she moved to the Beltway.

“That really brings me back to my time,” Walter said, recalling her time at the University of Chicago’s Institute of Politics.

DePaul alumna Haley BeMiller, now a state government correspondent for the Columbus Dispatch, returned to her alma mater to accept the center’s Distinguished Alumna Award. She said she was “so humbled.” 

“It means a lot to me,” BeMiller said. “DePaul was a big part of my life, it kickstarted my career and to be back here and being recognized for the work I’m doing, I’m just really honored and really grateful.”

BeMiller covers state government in Ohio, which she said unexpectedly allowed her to also cover the 2024 vice presidential race since then-Ohio senator JD Vance became President Donald Trump’s running mate.

“Congress, the White House, they get all of the attention,” BeMiller said. “As Amy was saying, our politics have become really nationalized, but local and state government, those are really where the decisions that really really impact you are taking place.”

“I can’t say enough about the importance of state legislative reporting,” she added.

Carol Marin, who co-founded the Center for Journalism Integrity and Excellence in 2016 with her long-time producing partner Don Moseley, said the center looks for people “at the top of their skill set.” 

“The two of them are just tremendous. They have reach, they have depth, they also have kindness and fairness, and all of those elements conspire to make a really great reporter, and in our judgement, someone to whom we want to give that award,” Marin said.

Former DePaul journalism professor Rick Brown, who retired from DePaul last year, was honored with the first-ever Distinguished Mentor Award. He said it was “kind of amazing.” 

“Carol Marin, Don Moseley and Lisa Parker are all amazing journalists,” Brown said. “So for them to think I was worthy of this award is pretty amazing, so again, it was just great and additionally emotional because Lisa was my student at Medill as well.”

Several of Rick Brown’s former students attended the ceremony, including Bella Michaels, who graduated from DePaul in 2021 and now hosts her own podcast called “Off the Record.” While Michaels said Brown was known for his stern teaching style, his mentorship has lasted long after she graduated.

“I wore waterproof mascara for a reason today,” Michaels said. “When he got up on that stage, I was like, ‘No one deserves this more than Rick,’ because he’s been the biggest mentor and now honestly friend slash grandpa.”

Walter said she is excited for young journalists to carve their own path.

“It’s never going back to the way it was, and you guys are the people who will be designing that and defining it,” Walter said. “You don’t have to live by the rules that were set by the generations before you — you’re re-making it, and I think that’s pretty cool.”

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