At SIPA Adviser's Luncheon on Saturday, March 4, 2006, Beth
Dickey was honored by the organization for her service to
the regional press association. Karen Flowers, who will succeed
Dickey as executive director of SIPA, made the following
remarks in announcing the renaming of the Distinguished Service
Award:
Beth Dickey has decided to retire at the end of this academic
year. Although we cannot believe she would want to leave
the easy-going life as an associate professor in the University
of South Carolina's School of Journalism and Mass Communications,
who, in addition to teaching classes, chairs the advertising/public
relations sequence, is adviser-chair of the nationally recognized
Bateman Team, serves on various committees and is executive
director of the best regional scholastic press association
in the country, we can't seem to talk her out of it.
She says she is ready for the hectic life of being a gentleman
farmer's wife. (Gary bought a tractor to persuade her of
his honest intentions.) She is ready to swing on the porch
at their Lake Murray house and listen to the coyotes from
their cabin in McCormick. And the plans she has for seeing
things beyond these sites are keeping three travel agents
busy.
Of course those of us in scholastic journalism feel the
pain of her departure more than we are going to admit. We
can't let her leave without something tangible to remind
her of 33 years as director of SIPA.
But she made me promise not to embarrass her or say anything
to make her cry. So I am NOT going to tell you that she is
a
Champion of the First Amendment. Or ...
A visionary whose ideas and leadership has molded
34 SIPA conventions - the best little convention
in the nation. Or ...
A scholastic journalism friend who listens with compassion
and advises with wisdom. Or ...
A mentor for those of us in scholastic journalism.
And, I'm NOT going to tell you that SIPA will always have
the Dickey spirit because of Beth's unselfish devotion
to our beloved organization for more than a third of a
century.
BUT what I AM going to tell you is that SIPA history and
the minutes from this convention will reflect that the executive
board has voted to declare from this day forward the SIPA
Distinguished Service Award will be known as the ELIZABETH
B. DICKEY DISTINGUISHED SERVICE AWARD.
