A woman who is known as a leader and champion for journalism students and journalism education accepted ASJMC’s highest honor Thursday.

Judith Clabes, president and chief executive officer of the Scripps Howard Foundation, accepted the 2006 Gerald Sass Award for Distinguished Service to Journalism and Mass Communication as the fourth woman to receive the award.

“I’m very pleased to have an award in Gerald Sass’ name,” Clabes said in an interview before the award dinner. “It’s a great honor to receive this from the organization of journalism educators.”

Clabes’ work at the foundation led to the honor, according to Pamela Creedon, ASJMC president and a professor at the University of Iowa.

“Her accomplishments in the field are the reasons the executive board decided to give her this award, which is the highest award that we give from the ASJMC Administrators’ Board,” Creedon said.

The Scripps Foundation, the philanthropic arm of the E.W. Scripps Co., is known for funding various programs designed for outstanding collegiate journalists, as well as grants and internship opportunities.

Before joining the foundation, Clabes was a newspaper reporter and editor at the Kentucky Post and the Sunday Courier. She earned her bachelor’s degree from the University of Kentucky and a master’s degree from Indiana State University. She also has been awarded two honorary doctorates and was named a distinguished alumna of Kentucky.

Clabes describes the transition from journalist to chief executive of a foundation as “seamless, many of the same skills apply, and also the interest to journalism is the same,” Clabes said. “The foundation does most of its work in journalism.”

The foundation has also granted support to universities such as Ohio University to support its college of communication, and Hampton University, to build its school of journalism and communication.

The foundation is known for quality work in journalism education and support.

“I’ve been at it for 11 years and still working for new programs that fit the core program,” Clabes said. “I’m primarily interested in sustaining and promoting our core programs.”

Loren Ghiglione, professor and former dean at Northwestern University, said Clabes is a leader in the field.

“She’s been a first in so many ways,” said Loren Ghiglione, professor and former dean at Northwestern University. “Her work at the foundation shows that she has been on the cutting edge of change, and leading that foundation in directions that we think is important in terms of diversity. She tries to do important things.”

“When Judy speaks people listen, she gets to the heart of the issue, and gives you an answer with context,” Creedon added. “Once you hear what she has to say, it’s pretty amazing of what she’s told you with a short period of time that you’re interacting with her.”

Creedon describes a defining moment when she invited Clabes to Ohio State University deliver a speech in response to the report about “pink collar ghetto,” a term used in the ’70s, referring to the idea that women have historically assumed lower positions compared to men and that its hard for them to advance to higher positions.

“She was adamant that many things in the “pink collar ghetto” were excuses, not rationales,” Creedon said. “Women can do it. She has done it.”