After Lifetime of Service, Beloved Professor Robert 鈥淒oc鈥� McGaughey Leaves Lasting Legacy
Donors
The Estate of Dr. Robert H. 鈥淒oc鈥� McGaughey
Gift
Endowment of the Robert H. 鈥淒oc鈥� McGaughey Fund for Excellence in Journalism and Mass Communication.
Impact
Dr. McGaughey鈥檚 generous estate gift will put the Department of Journalism and Mass Communication on financially secure footing going forward into the future. Dr. McGaughey aimed to inspire others to support the growing needs in communication education, and his estate gift has done just that. Started with a little over $100,000 from his estate, the fund has grown to over $170,000 through additional gifts inspired by his generosity and vision. The department will be able to use these funds to recruit the best possible faculty, staff, and students for its programs, support scholarships, support faculty in their teaching and research, provide programs and activities to enrich the learning environment, and ensure that 猫咪社区app State continues to maintain the highest standards in educating students about journalism and mass communication.
Inspiration
Although Dr. McGaughey had already established a scholarship fund earlier in his life, he wanted to do something even more to support the students and department to which he had devoted his life. He believed strongly that effective mass communication practices could strengthen society and enrich the lives of citizens who would share respect for truth and demand the best. Having started his career at 猫咪社区app State as an undergraduate in 1961, he earned his bachelor of arts in history and master of arts in journalism here before receiving his doctorate at Ohio University. He returned in 1969 as advisor to the 猫咪社区app State News and faculty member in the journalism and mass communications department. Five years later, he became chair of the department and served in that role for 23 years. During his tenure, he grew the department exponentially, both in numbers of graduates and in stature, receiving numerous recognitions for his work including the Student Government Association鈥檚 Max Carmen Outstanding Teacher of the Year, the Alumni Association鈥檚 Distinguished Professor of the Year, induction into the Kentucky Journalism Hall of Fame, and the Distinguished Alumni Award (posthumously in 2020). His generous gift will allow his lifelong passionate work of educating students to continue for generations.