Dan Rather Receives Custom Bennett Recognition Award

Veteran journalist Dan Rather was the most recent recipient of a custom recognition award Bennett Awards designed for Washington State University’s (WSU) Edward R. Murrow Award for Lifetime Achievement. The Edward R. Murrow Awards are presented by WSU each year, and honor exceptional lifetime achievement by leaders in the communications industry. Rather’s distinguished career in news spans 60 years, and he is best known for his 24 years as anchor for CBS Evening News, the longest such tenure in broadcast history. Rather was also an award-winning investigative journalist, including a role as a correspondent for 60 Minutes. Rather joins a long list of esteemed Murrow Award recipients, including Walter Cronkite, Tom Brokaw, and Ted Koppel.

Rather received his unique recognition award at the Thirty-Eighth Edward R. Murrow Symposium, held September 27, 2012 at WSU’s Beasley Coliseum in Pullman, Washington. Presented by the Murrow College of Communication and WSU, the Edward R. Murrow Symposium recognizes exceptional achievement in communication as it celebrates scholarship and connects students to industry leaders. As part of the recognition award ceremony, Rather also delivered a keynote address.

In 2011, Bennett Awards worked collaboratively with WSU to create a new custom award design for this illustrious achievement award. This unique, classic award design features a Terrie Bennett-designed sculpture in the shape of vintage broadcast microphone, like the microphone used by Edward R. Murrow. The signature of Edward R. Murrow is engraved into the top of the microphone. This custom trophy is produced in bronze, and mounted on a black marble base with personalized, gold-fill engraving of the award name, year of presentation, recipient name, award purpose, and presenting organization.