STONY BROOK, N.Y., October 30, 2009 — Meghan Shalvoy, a Stony Brook University fourth year Women’s Studies major from East Islip, NY, won the School of Journalism’s second annual Center for News Literacy Spring 2009 essay contest with an essay addressed to the president of a fictional college, encouraging the college to keep News Literacy in its curriculum.

Pictured with Roslyn Savings Foundation Scholarship winner Meghan Shalvoy is from left, Howard Schneider, Dean of School of Journalism; Ken Ryan, News Literacy Instructor; Dean Miller, Director of The Center for News Literacy.

A committee of Stony Brook University School of Journalism professors selected Ms. Shalvoy’s essay from a pool of finalists. The award for outstanding essay is a semester of in-state tuition, generously funded by Roslyn Savings Foundation, a charitable organization devoted to community development on Long Island.

The Center for News Literacy at Stony Brook University was established in 2007 by former president Shirley Strum Kenny. It is committed to teaching students how to use critical thinking skills to judge the reliability and credibility of news reports and news sources.

The Center is currently in the process of developing innovative curriculum materials for high schools and the general public.

Funded by a grant from the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation, Stony Brook created one of the nation’s first courses in News Literacy in 2006.

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