Inducted 2018
Educator
Jim Wojcik
Jim Wojcik, associate professor of journalism, joined Central Michigan University’s Department of Journalism in the spring of 2000. That followed almost 30 years as director of student media at CMU. In his role as the department’s internship coordinator, Wojcik is the link between the professional world and about 100 journalism and public relations students each year.
He is known for mentoring and following the careers of hundreds of CMU graduates from small newspapers to some of the nation’s largest. Wojcik was born in Detroit, graduated from CMU in 1965 and became a sports editor at the Mt. Pleasant Daily Times-News. He returned to his alma mater as sports information director and worked in the university’s public relations department. He then taught journalism for a year in the department before returning to the Mt. Pleasant Daily Times-News as its editor. He came back to CMU as director of student media in 1971 and stayed.
Wojcik worked to establish the Student Media Board to safeguard the editorial independence of CMU student publications, including Central Michigan Life. Competing against much larger journalism schools, CM Life earned All-American status for 15 consecutive years and two national Pacemaker Awards. He has coordinated the Michigan Community College Press Association Annual Conference since 2011.
Wojcik was instrumental in creating the Lem Tucker Scholarship, a four-year full-ride student scholarship that promotes the involvement and success of minorities in journalism. The award has helped launch dozens of students into careers since its inception in 1997.