The school was one of only five programs in the nation originally selected by the William Randolph Hearst Foundation in 1990 to receive an endowment of $200,000 to bring in several mass communication professionals each year to talk to classes and visit with students in small groups. Other schools were selected later.

The following people have visited the school as Hearst Visiting Professionals:

2007-2008

• Jim Drinkard, assistant bureau chief, Associated Press
• Bill Morton, former CEO, Jack Morton Worldwide, New York
• Jamie Jacobson and Charlie Adams, Adams and Logino advertising
• Dennis Sampier, head of community relations, Detroit Pistons
• Travis Tygart, chief legal officer, U.S. Anti-Doping Agency
• Donna Brutkowski, copy editor, Washington Post.
• Sean Flynn, director of marketing, Florida Marlins
• José Galvéz, photographer
• Nancy Mullahy, executive Vice President and Managing Director, Starcom MediaVest Group
• Joe Richman, executive producer, Radio Diaries
• Sue Johnson, multimedia journalist
• Jeff Glick, multimedia director, Nashville Tennessean
• Izzy Bleckman, Charles Kuralt’s cameraperson
• Nigel Holmes, graphic designer, formerly of Time magazine
• Rodrigo Cervantes, Spanish language journalist, Atlanta
• Celeste Bustamante, professor, Department of Journalism, University of Arizona
• Genie Tyburski, Web manager, The Virtual Chase
• Paul Elam
• Lieutenant Colonel Maria Carl, public affairs officer, Patrick Air Force Base, home of the Space Shuttle launch program
• Draggan Mihailovich, producer, “60 Minutes”
• Katie Delahaye Paine, CEO, KDPaine & Partners
• Debra Leithauser, editor, Sunday Sources and TV Week
• Leslie Yazel, Washington Post
• Joel K. Bourne Jr., writer, National Geographic
• Bobbi Bowman, diversity director, American Society of News Editors
• Scott Price, author, reporter, Sports Illustrated.
• Richard Griffiths, executive producer, CNN
• Peter Kowalski, director of research, KDPaine & Partners
• Kirk Stewart, former VP, Nike
• Jeong-Nam Kim, professor, Purdue University
• Leah Konen, assistant home editor, Quick and Simple
• Max McCombs, professor, University of Texas

2006-2007

• Susan Credle, executive vice president, BBDO advertising, New York
• Alberto Cuadra, senior information graphics designer, The Houston Chronicle
• Louis Deluca, senior staff photographer, Dallas Morning News
• Leslie Fair, senior attorney, Federal Trade Commission
• Ann Greer, director of communications and marketing, Phillips Collection, Washington, D.C.
• Richard Griffiths, executive producer, “The Row,” CNN
• Scott Jagow, reporter, “Marketplace,” American Public Media
• Chris Kirkman, senior graphics reporter, South Florida Sun-Sentinel, of Fort Lauderdale, Fla.
• John Ledingham, professor, department of communication, Capital University, and principal of a PR consulting firm in Columbus, Ohio
• Mary Beth Oliver, professor and co-director of the media lab, College of Communications, Penn StateJay Rosen, press critic and writer
• Andrew Schorr, “Patient Power” radio show host
• S. Shyam Sundar, professor, College of Communications, Penn State
• R. Jeffrey Smith, national investigative correspondent, The Washington Post
• Kim Stone, executive vice president, Miami Heat
• Pete Souza, photojournalist, The Chicago Tribune
• Federico Subervi, research chair on mass media and ethnic minorities, Texas State, San Marco
• Joe Treen, former executive editor, People Weekly
• Kris Viesselman, art director for maps, National Geographic
• Jeff Williams, copy editor, Newsday, and freelance writer, Cigar Aficionado

2005-2006

• Len Apcar, director of online, The New York Times
• Roz Chernoff, senior vice president and global planning director, Publicis Advertising
• Megan Collins, coordinator, fan development & special events, Baltimore Ravens
• Col. William Darley, editor, Military Review
• Steve Duenes, infographics director, The New York Times
• Richard Griffiths, executive producer, "The Row," CNN
• John Grimwade, infographics director, Conde Nast
• Bryant Haskins, director of corporate media relations, Pfizer Inc.
• Karen Kasmauski, contributing photographer, National Geographic Magazine
• Max McCombs, professor and research chair, University of Texas
• Mary Beth Navarro, vice president and corporate communications manager, Wachovia Bank
• David Oakley, founder and creative director, BooneOakley advertising agency
• Steve Reiss, assistant deputy managing editor, Style at The Washington Post
• Helen Ross, chief of correspondents, PGATour.com
• L.J. Shrum, professor, Department of Marketing, University of Texas-San Antonio
• Bill Silberg, medical reporter and editor, and a senior vice president, The Commonwealth Fund
• John Stossel, co-host, ABC News’ “20/20”
• Wayne Wanta, president, Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication
• David Weaver, professor and research chair, Indiana University

2003-2004

• Edward Alwood, former CNN correspondent, author of "Straight News: Gays, Lesbians and the News Media”
• Tamera Green, a senior vice president, Muhleman Marketing, Charlotte
• Mark Yates, director, N.C. Victim Assistance Network
• Lisa Correll, program services coordinator, N.C. Victim Assistance Network
• Sherri Chisolm, director of client relations, JP Sports, Charlotte
• Mike Weisman, executive producer, 2002 Olympic Games for NBC and the World Series for Fox
• Mark Schoofs, Pulitzer Prize winner (for a series of stories on AIDS in Africa), the Village Voice
• Charles Tobina, partner and media attorney, Holland & Knight, LLP, Washington, D.C.
• Mike Maidenberg, retired publisher, of the Grand Forks (N.D.) Herald
• Michael McCullough, chief marketing officer, Miami Heat
• Kim Stone, chief of staff, Miami Heat

2002-2003

• Karen Koutsky, news director, WGHP-TV, High Point, N.C.
• Julie Dixon, vice president, Golin/Harris International Washington, D.C., Group
• Ken Lehner, vice president of marketing, Carolina Hurricanes
• Jim Cain, president, Carolina Hurricanes
• Mike Doyle, reporter, McClatchy Newspapers, Washington Bureau
• Roy Gutman, writer, Newsweek magazine
• Robin Daughtridge and Phil Velasquez, photo journalists, Chicago Tribune
• Patrick Schneider, photojournalist, The Charlotte Observer
• Wushen Lin, former writer and columnist, Beijing Review (1950s-1970s)
• Richard Curtis, managing editor for graphics and photography, USA Today
• Ray Cormier, a copy editor, travel section, The New York Times
• Anita Huslin, reporter, The Washington Post
• Ingrid Johanssen, news director, WCTI, New Bern, N.C.
• Steve Vogel, senior director of public affairs, State Farm Insurance
• Kellam Eanes, games producer, Cartoon Network Online
• John Dancy, former network correspondent

2001-2002

• Robert Bohle, professor of communications and visual arts, University of North Florida
• Norm Grey, president, Creative Circus, Atlanta
• Angela Pratt, head of sports marketing, University of Virginia
• Mike Persinger, sports editor, The Charlotte Observer
• Steve Weinberg, author of three books on investigative reporting and former director of the Investigative Reporters and Editors Association
• David Oakley and John Boone, BooneOakley advertising agency
• Gary Sorba, president, Vilcom Sports
• Orayb Najjar, associate professor of journalism, Northern Illinois University
• Louis Deluca, staff photographer, The Dallas Morning News
• Jeff Garigliano, editor, Fortune magazine
• David Stacks, marketing director, Augusta Sportswear
• Dave Cupp, news director, WVIR, Charlottesville
• Bill O’Brian, The Washington Post
• Jan Goodwin, author, “Price of Honor: Muslim Women Lift the Veil of Silence on the Islamic World”
• Kellam Eanes, Cartoon Network
• Michael Manning, product development manager, The Boston Globe’s Boston.com
• Mark Dolej, picture editor, The (Durham) Herald-Sun
• Gary O'Brien, picture editor, The Charlotte Observer
• Pattie Keckeisen, Mirador magazine
• Adam Stoltman, Mirador magazine
• Scott Strazzante, staff photographer, Chicago Tribune

2000-2001

• Mark Holmes, editor, nationalgeographic.com
• Bonnie Anderson, vice president of recruiting and talent development, CNN
• Stacy Wall, executive producer, Hungry Man Productions
• Lorraine Branham, assistant to the publisher, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
• Michael Manning, product development manager, The Boston Globe's Boston.com
• Richard Griffiths, CNN
• Kellam Eanes, producer, Cartoon Network

1999-2000

• Deborah Potter, correspondent, CNN
• Deidre Fitzpatrick, group creative director, Bozell advertising in California
• Jeff Richardson, executive, Burson Marsteller, Washington, D.C.
• Bill O’Brian, The Washington Post
• Margaret Alford, The Philadelphia Inquirer
• Brian Storm, lead multimedia editor and producer, MSNBC
• Tom Corrigan, The Depot, Web site of The Greensboro News & Record

1998-1999

• Beryl Adcock, copy editor, Knight Ridder Washington Bureau
• Charles Apple, graphic artist, The Chicago Tribune
• Cynthia Darwin, president, Darwin Communications of Dallas, a broadcast talent appraiser
• James A. Fyock, James A. Fyock & Associates, Winston-Salem, N.C.
• Paul Gumbinner, president, Gumbinner/Gaubenstock executive placement firm
• Alfred Hamilton, event marketing manager, First Union Bank, Charlotte
• Larry Keith, editorial projects director, Sports Illustrated
• Michael Manning, marketing content developer, The Boston Globe's boston.com
• Lauren Purcell, senior editor for features, Mademoiselle magazine
• Angela Robbins, news director, ABC television news station in Augusta, Ga.
• Teresa Sasinska-Klas, director, Institute of Journalism and Communication of Jagiellonian University, in Krakow, Poland
• Amy Schillings, senior account manager, Long Haymes Carr/Lintas, Winston-Salem
• Ron Sustana, public-relations consultant
• Bart Tessler, vice president for news, Westwood One radio network
• Dheeraj Vasishta, Web site builder, agency.com, New York
• Kathleen Vincent, art director, Dallas Morning News
• Stacy Wall, creative director, Wieden & Kennedy Advertising
• Ted Wood, whose photographs have appeared in Time, Newsweek, Vanity Fair, Outside and Smithsonian magazines

1997-1998

• Victor Cohn, former medical reporter, The Washington Post, author of "News and Numbers"
• Nadine Cohodas, freelance writer, Washington, D.C.
• Susan Credle, senior vice president, BBDO, New York
• Kathryn Creech, general manager, HomeArts Network, Hearst New Media's lifestyle Web site
• Robin Daughtridge, chief photographer and metro photo editor, The Chicago Tribune
• Graham Dower, editorial board member, USA Today
• Robert Friedman, vice president of cable program sales, Paramount Television
• Bob Fulghum, creative supervisor, Frankel & Co., Chicago.
• James Fyock, James Fyock & Associates, Winston-Salem
• Flora Garcia, production manager, Time Online
• Dirck Halstead, senior White House photographer, Time magazine
• Alfred Hamilton, event marketing manager, First Union Bank
• Alan Heil, retired deputy director, Voice of America
• Larry Keith, director of special projects, Sports Illustrated
• Donald MacDonald, retired instructor of news and feature writing, Napier University, Edinburgh, Scotland
• Lynne Perri, deputy managing editor of photography and graphics,USA Today
• Gene Policinski, former sports editor, USA Today, Freedom Forum associate
• Patrick Saylor, public relations director, Colonial Williamsburg
• Brian Storm, lead multimedia editor and producer, MSNBC
• Joel Tau, former president, American Medical Writers Association
• Stacy Wall, creative director, Widen and Kennedy, New York

1996-1997

• Todd Badgeley, account executive and designer, Lipson Alport Glass and Associates
• Lorraine Bennett, editorial manager, CNN
• Mandy Brame, sales promotion manager, Gardner Glass Products.
• Bud Bultman, CNN
• John Caserta, art director, The Chicago Tribune Internet site
• Toure Claibourne, Advantage International, sports marketing firm
• Robin Daughtridge, picture editor , The Chicago Tribune
• Randall Harber, senior editor, CNN
• Wayne Komodoi, sports presentation editor, The New York Times
• Davis "Buzz" Merritt, The Wichita Eagle
• Christina Nifong, staff writer, The Christian Science Monitor
• Cy Porter, project director, Radio and Television News Directors Association Foundation
• David Reinfurt, interactive media designer, IDEO Design of San Francisco
• Angela Robbins, news director, ABC News in Augusta, Ga.
• David Rohde, The Christian Science Monitor
• Harris Siegel, managing editor/photo and graphics, The Asbury Park Press
• John Stevens, professor, University of Michigan
• Carol Wallace, deputy managing editor, People magazine
• Jack E. White, national correspondent, Time magazine

• Ed Caudill, professor, University of Tennessee
• Robin Daughtridge, picture editor, The Chicago Tribune
• Steve Doig, The Miami Herald
• Dinah Eng, president, Asian American Journalists Association
• Sam Fulwood, The Los Angeles Times
• Jim Fyock, James A. Fyock Public Relations, Winston-Salem
• Bob Holliday, WRAL-TV, Raleigh
• Jennifer LeMay, creative director, Leo Burnett Inc.
• Max McCombs, professor, University of Texas at Austin
• John Nichols, Pennsylvania State University
• Roy Park Jr., Park Communications
• Bill Sheehan, International Media Fund
• Phil Velasquez, photographer, Chicago Sun-Times.
• Stacy Wall, associate creative director, Wieden & Kennedy.
• Tom Young, The Associated Press, Washington, D.C.

1994-1995

• Amanda Biers-Melcher, senior account executive, Rubenstein Associates Public Relations, New York
• Wendy Bounds, reporter, The Wall Street Journal, Pittsburgh
• Jeff Bye, production assistant, Seinfeld television show
• Rebecca Darwin, former publisher, Mirabella, The New Yorker and Gentleman's Quarterly
• Jeffrey Dearth, president, The New Republic Inc. and founder of The Electronic Newsstand Inc.
• Susan Fowler-Credle, vice president and associate creative director, BBDO, New York
• Kent Jenkins, assistant city editor for politics, The Washington Post
• Carl Malamud, founder, Internet Multicasting Service
• Draggan Mihailovich, producer, CBS Sports
• Ellen Neuborne, business reporter, USA Today
• Angela Robbins, producer, WCAU-TV, Philadelphia
• Graham Williams, editor, Union (S.C.) Daily Times

1993-1994

• Kelly Clark, associate media director, J. Walter Thompson, New York
• Donna Fagg Gibbs, associate creative director, Bozell Advertising, New York
• Sophronia Scott Gregory, associate editor, Time magazine
• Charles Klaveness, feature editor, The New York Times
• Draggan Mihailovich, CBS Sports
• Carlo Vittorini, chair and publisher, Parade magazine
• Stacy Wall, Wieden & Kennedy advertising agency, Portland, Ore.

1992-1993

• Nadine Cohodas, legal affairs reporter and author
• Diane Cooke-Tench, creative supervisor and board member, Martin Agency, Richmond, Va.
• Richard Curtis, managing editor for graphics and photography, USA Today
• Wendy Fox, The Boston Globe
• Wayne Johnson, associate creative manager, Leo Burnett advertising
• Al Larkin, The Boston Globe
• Walter Mears, columnist, The Associated Press
• Angela Mitchell, writer published in The Village Voice
• Randy Olson, 1992 National Newspaper Photographer of the Year
• Jean Scanlan, director of information services and research, Price Waterhouse, Boston
• Judith Schoolman, Reuters

1991-1992

• Joey Cummings, executive director, Young and Rubicam, New York
• Howard Fineberg, assistant managing editor, The Arizona Republic
• Wayne Johnson, associate creative manager, Leo Burnett, Chicago
• Mort Rosenblum, senior international correspondent, The Associated Press
• Signe Wilkinson, editorial cartoonist, Philadelphia Daily News