The George T. Delacorte Center
Delacorte Lectures on Magazine Journalism
The Delacorte Lectures, presented each week in the spring semester, examine aspects of magazine journalism by a leader in the field of magazine publishing. The series is headed by Victor Navasky, the George T. Delacorte Professor in Magazine Journalism and director of the Delacorte Center.
All lectures are open to the public and begin at 7 p.m. in the Journalism School's Joseph Pulitzer World Room (third floor). Attendance is required of students in the magazine concentration.
Listen to past Delacorte Lectures and more in the Event Archive.
Spring 2012 Schedule
| February 2 | Calvin Trillin, author, journalist |
| February 9 | John R. (Rick) MacArthur, president and publisher, Harper’s |
| February 16 | Cyndi Stivers, editor-in-chief, Columbia Journalism Review |
| February 23 | Jacob Weisberg, political journalist, editor-in-chief, Slate |
| March 1 | Eric Bates, executive editor, Rolling Stone |
| March 8 | Hugo Lindgren, editor, New York Times Magazine |
| March 15 | No lecture |
| March 22 | Brandon Holley, editor-in-chief, Lucky |
| March 29 | Richard Turley and Josh Tyrangiel, Bloomberg News |
| April 5 | Ariel Foxman, managing editor, InStyle |
| April 12 | No lecture |
| April 19 | No lecture |
| April 26 | Desiree Rogers, Johnson Publishing (Ebony, Jet) |
Faculty
Magazine faculty at the school include Profs. Victor Navasky, Cyndi Stivers, Helen Benedict and Michael Shapiro, and many adjunct faculty from the profession. In recent years, these have included John Bennet, David Blum, Marie Brenner, Kevin Buckley, Jose Ferrer, Stephen Fried, Robert Love, Cathleen McGuigan, Bruce Porter, Amy Wilentz, Roger Youman and others. A board of editorial advisers, composed of industry leaders, helps guide the Center's programs and initiatives.
Founder
George T. Delacorte ('13CC), the founder of Dell Publishing and a devoted Columbia alumnus, generously enabled the University to create the Delacorte Professorship in the Humanities and to enhance the campus physically. His great contribution was the founding in 1984 of the George T. Delacorte Center for Magazine Journalism and the creation of the Delacorte Professorship in Magazine Journalism. Columbia recognized his devotion to the University by awarding him an honorary doctorate in 1982.
Mission
The mission of the Delacorte Center is:
- To provide students a theoretical understanding of, and practical experience with, magazine writing, editing and publishing.
- To generate a continuing exchange of ideas with the professional magazine community.
- To provide students the technical skills and experience needed to function effectively in the computer-driven world of magazine publishing.
- To introduce students to the special role journals of opinion and ideas can play in a democratic society.
- To provide technical assistance to students interested in launching their own magazine ventures.
Activities
The George T. Delacorte Center promotes and coordinates all activities related to magazine study within the school. The Center offers a broad range of courses in magazine journalism; serves as the coordinating focus for master's projects in long-form journalism; operates the Delacorte Magazine Lab; presents the annual George T. Delacorte Lecture Series and other lectures, symposia and similar events for students, the industry and the public; organizes informal and regular meetings between students and professional magazine writers, editors and publishers; advises journalism students on academic and professional goals; and provides workshops for those in the industry who seek to improve their skills and technical expertise.
Columbia Journalism Review
The Center also interacts with the Columbia Journalism Review, the nation's oldest and most respected journalism publication. CJR was founded in 1961 to assess the performance of journalism in all its forms, to call attention to its shortcomings and strengths; to help define and redefine the standards of honest, responsible service; to stimulate continuing improvement in the profession and to speak out for what is right, fair and decent. The magazine is published bimonthly and is edited by a professional staff with the advice of a board of editorial advisers. CJR offers a one-year staff position and fellowships to outstanding Journalism School students.