George Ramos, Professor and former Chair, Journalism, 1947-2011
Professor George Ramos, 1969 Cal Poly Journalism graduate, 1993 College of Liberal Arts/College of Arts and Humanities Distinguished Alumnus, three-time Pulitzer prize-winning journalist with the LA Times, and former chair of Cal Poly’s journalism department, passed away in late July.
Ramos dearly loved journalism and Cal Poly’s Journalism Department. During his undergraduate days, he served as editor-in-chief to the Mustang Daily, the first Chicano student to do so. After serving at the LA Times from 1978 to 2003, he requested to be in consideration for the chair position when a change in leadership was needed. He was appointed to serve as the chair of the department by Dean Harry Hellenbrand and was reappointed into the position by Dean Linda Halisky. He served for five years, from 2003 to 2008, before retiring and moving into the faculty early retirement program. He was scheduled to teach two sections of JOUR 219 – Multicultural Society and the Mass Media for the fall quarter 2011.
As chair, he served as advisor to the award-winning Mustang Daily and taught numerous students in courses ranging from JOUR 201 – Journalism History and JOUR 203 – News Reporting and Writing to JOUR 304 – Public Affairs Reporting and JOUR 460 – Senior Project. In his retirement, he remained quite active as a journalist, taking on the position as ranking editor for CalCoastNews, for which he volunteered pro bono.
Ramos had an illustrious career as a journalist for the LA Times and was awarded two Pulitzer prizes for on-the-spot reporting, one in 1993 about the rioting in the aftermath of the Rodney King beating case. “I wrote a first-person, front-page column about being accosted by a gun-wielding rioter on the first night of the rioting.” The other was awarded in 1995 as part of the team covering the Northridge earthquake.
His first Pulitzer was the Pulitzer Prize Gold Medal for Meritorious Public Service, awarded to the LA Times in 1984. With dual roles as co-editor and reporter, he and a team of other Chicano journalists produced a series of stories presented over three weeks “about the roots, lives, and aspirations of the 3 million Latinos who lived in California’s 13 southern counties.” The Pulitzer was the first ever awarded to Chicano journalists.
Ramos was an active member of several organizations: Veterans of Foreign Wars, Post 4696; National Association of Hispanic Journalists; California Chicano News Media Association; Society of Professional Journalists; and Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication. In 2007, he was inducted into the National Association of Hispanic Journalists’ Hall of Fame.
He was a strong supporter and mentor to aspiring journalists, sharing his own story to inspire and motivate students, especially Latinos and others from historically underrepresented groups. In 2003, he established an endowment at Cal Poly for the George Ramos Scholarship for Journalism Excellence to promote and reward excellence in print journalism for students interested in public affairs.
Ramos will be missed by his many friends and in various communities at Cal Poly and beyond, including those in the College of Liberal Arts and its Journalism Department. Links to articles and tributes to Ramos are listed below. A public memorial has been set for August 6 at 1 pm at the Veterans’ Memorial Building, 209 Surf Street, Morro Bay.
Mustang Daily
Cal Poly Journalism Professor George Ramos dies at age 63
Journalism Professor leaves legacy at Cal Poly
CalCoastNews
CalCoastNews editor George Ramos dead at 63
George Ramos remembered as tough reporter, tough teacher
Los Angeles City Council adjourns in memory of George Ramos
Remembering George Ramos
Memorial service set for George Ramos
The Tribune
George Ramos, Pulitzer winner and Poly journalism professor, dead at 63
LA Times
George Ramos dies at 63; former Times reporter and columnist
George Ramos, reporter and friend -- R.I.P.
LA Observed
George Ramos: tough-guy reporter with a big heart
National Association of Hispanic Journalists
NAHJ Mourns Passing of George Ramos; Consummate Journalist, Mentor to Many
Pacific Coast Business Times
Business Times writers remember George Ramos
USC Annenberg News
USC Annenberg remembers George Ramos, longtime adjunct professor and LA Times journalist