Inducted 2013
Michigan Interscholastic Press Association
Betsy Rau
The scope of Betsy Pollard Rau’s influence on scholastic journalism in Michigan and across the country is tremendous. She has been called a “brilliant teacher of all things journalism.”
As a high school and middle school adviser for 31 years, her publications and students received hundreds of awards and honors. As director of the Michigan Interscholastic Press Association’s summer journalism workshop from 1990 to 2011, she challenged thousands of young people from all over the state to follow their passion for journalism.
As an instructor for Michigan State University’s news media adviser classes, she helped hundreds of new journalism teachers through the stressful first years of the job. And, as a faculty member, she oversaw the reinvention of Central Michigan University’s online magazine, and watched as the staff won national awards.
Rau has spread her passion for scholastic journalism to others as a keynote speaker in Texas, Pennsylvania, Michigan and Illinois. She received her secondary education degree with majors in journalism and education from Central Michigan University. In addition to MSU and CMU, Rau has taught in Midland and Vestaburg.
Rau received the MIPA John V. Field Award, Lifetime Achievement Award from the Journalism Education Association, a Gold Key from Columbia Scholastic Press Association and the Pioneer Award from the National Scholastic Press Association. She is a Dow Jones Newspaper Fund Distinguished Adviser, and a member of the CMU Journalism Hall of Fame.