President's Introduction
Speaker Lynn Sherr
121st Commencement Exercises
Wellesley College
May 28, 1999
Diana Chapman Walsh
President
Wellesley College
An award-winning correspondent with the ABC News program
20/20 since 1986, Lynn Sherr has covered a stunning array of
stories, with an accent on investigative reporting, national
politics, and women's issues. She also has covered many NASA
space missions, and has served as a network anchor providing
analysis of national election returns and as a floor
reporter at Presidential nominating conventions.
Before joining 20/20, Lynn Sherr was a national
correspondent for ABC News, which she joined in 1977.
Earlier, she was an on-air correspondent for WCBS-TV and
WNET in New York and WETA in Washington, DC. Prior to that,
she worked for Conde Nast Publications and The Associated
Press. If you want an inspirational example, seniors, of a
pathfinding and exciting career in broadcast journalism, you
need search no farther -- we've got the authentic article
here with us today.
Lynn Sherr has received numerous honors for her reporting
-- literally dozens of national awards. She received the
prestigious Peabody Award for her hour-long special on
anorexia nervosa. She has an Emmy, and national awards from
such organizations as American Women in Radio and
Television, the Planned Parenthood Federation of America,
the American Association for the Advancement of Science, and
the National Women's Political Caucus, to name just a few.
It is a source of great pride to me and the College that
Lynn Sherr is a 1963 graduate of Wellesley, a 1998 recipient
of the Alumnae Achievement Award, and, as of last year, an
active and engaged member of our Board of Trustees.
What's distinctive about Lynn Sherr's career as a
reporter -- the thing that really stands out -- is the
scholar's abiding curiosity and critical integrity she
brings to every story, something to do, perhaps, with her
Greek major at Wellesley. She chose that major, she has
said, because "it was fun." Lynn never just skims the
surface. She always digs deep, and there is invariably
something infectious in the palpable fun she finds in her
explorations.
Her most recent book, Tall Blondes, was published in
1997. It tells you everything you could ever want to know
about ... giraffes.
She's been fascinated, too, by the life and writings of
Susan B. Anthony and has published two books on the subject,
both reflecting extensive original research: Failure is
Impossible: Susan B. Anthony in Her Own Words and Susan B.
Anthony Slept Here: A Guide to American Women's Landmarks.
Lynn confessed to a C-Span interviewer in 1995 that
although she had meant to donate to her alma mater the 45
reels of microfilm she had acquired on Susan B., she just
couldn't bring herself to part with them. "So, Wellesley,
I'm sorry," she said, "I'll have to give you something
else."
Well, Lynn, we are deeply grateful for all you are giving
Wellesley, including, today, for postponing your travel
plans to be with the Class of 1999 on this special occasion.
Please join me in warmly welcoming Wellesley's own Lynn
Sherr. [View speech here.]
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