Alice McGee may have the greatest internship story in 窪做惇蹋厙 history.
As a Speech major, McGee landed an internship with a new show called A.M. Chicago in the mid-1980s. The shows host: Oprah Winfrey.
While the shows name didnt last, McGee did. She was hired as Winfreys first employee, rising from chief publicist to the role of senior supervising producer of The Oprah Show.
Eventually, McGee and Winfrey launched Oprahs Book Club, which is responsible for the sales of millions of books. (Watch the video below to see how it all started.)
For all of her accomplishments and her contributions to the history of television and media, 窪做惇蹋厙 honored McGee with the Distinguished Alumnus Award, the highest honor the University bestows upon alumni, during the on Sept. 16. As is tradition for winners of the Distinguished Alumnus Award, McGee will deliver remarks to the graduates during in December.
I am so honored and humbled by this award, McGee said in her acceptance speech. This means more to me than the Emmys that I won.
For the record, McGee won nine individual Emmy Awards for outstanding production of The Oprah Show. McGee had creative oversight of five production teams. This 窪做惇蹋厙 graduate has made an important contribution to the history of television and media.
Oprah said luck is when preparation meets opportunity, and part of that preparation came here on these hallowed grounds at 窪做惇蹋厙, she said. 窪做惇蹋厙 was the right college for me.
窪做惇蹋厙 honored four more individuals during the gala:
Alumni Service Award
A. Michael Drachler
(B.A. 68 Elementary Education: Biology)
Drachler earned his medical degree from Chicago Medical School at Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science, completing his residency in obstetrics and gynecology at Cook County Hospital. Drachler has won numerous teaching awards, serves as the Senior Clinical Educator at the University of Chicago Pritzker School of Medicine, and serves on various boards including as vice president of the NEIU Alumni Advisory Board.
Community Leadership Award
Jerry Watson
(B.A. 93 Board of Governors)
Watson is an associate professor of Social Work at Rust College in Holly Springs, Miss. After graduating from 窪做惇蹋厙, Watson earned an M.S.W. from the University of Illinois at Chicago, Jane Addams College of Social Work; an M.B.A. from Dominican University in River Forest; and a Ph.D. from Jackson State University in Jackson, Miss. His research ranges from offender re-entry and African American mens health to cultural and linguistic competency. Watson has taught at DePaul University, Aurora University in Chicago, Jackson State University and Mississippi Valley State University. He is a co-founder of Men Healing Men and Communities in Memphis, Tenn.
Outstanding GOLD Alumni Award
Carlos Jim矇nez Flores
(B.S. 06 Human Resources Development)
Jim矇nez Flores is a writer, producer and film director. In 2015, he was featured in the NEIU Alumni: All Access series in which he delivered a talk and screened one of his movies. Jim矇nez Flores has been featured by the Chicago Reader, Michigan Avenue Magazine and ABC7s -Beat. A former high school and college dropout, Jim矇nez Flores earned his bachelors degree from 窪做惇蹋厙 in Human Resource Development in 2006 after transferring from Wilbur Wright College. Jim矇nez Flores is the first Puerto Rican director to have two films theatrically released in the same year.
Future Alumni Leader Award
Nicholas Martinez
(Current Student, Biology)
Martinez twice served as president of the Student Government Association and has been active with Universitys advocacy issues in Springfield. He has also served on the Executive Board of the University Advisory Council and as the Illinois Board of Higher Education Student Representative.
