CBS News Correspondent Andy Rooney to Speak at the University of Virginia

October 11, 1999 -- Andy Rooney, Emmy Award-winning CBS News correspondent, author and columnist, will be the keynote speaker at the University of Virginia's Valedictory Exercises May 20.

Organized by the 2000 graduating class at U.Va., the ceremony will include announcements of some of the University's most prestigious awards, presentation of the 2000 class gift, and a speech by Rooney, who is currently in his 22nd season at CBS News' 60 Minutes.

Rooney's unique 60 Minutes' reports, "A Few Minutes with Andy Rooney," have been a regular feature since 1978. He won Emmy Awards for segments in 1979, 1981 and 1982.

He has written, produced and narrated a series of broadcasts for CBS News on various aspects of America and American life, including "Mr. Rooney Goes to Washington," for which he won a Peabody Award; "Andy Rooney Takes Off," "Mr. Rooney Goes to Work" and "Mr. Rooney Goes to Dinner."

In 1964, Rooney wrote "An Essay on Doors," the first of what has become his specialty, the television essay, a personal format illuminating subjects most people take for granted.

In 1968, Rooney wrote two CBS News specials in the series "Of Black America." His script for "Black History: Lost, Stolen or Strayed" won him his first Emmy Award.

In addition to his work at CBS, Rooney writes a column for Tribune Media Services that appears in about 200 newspapers across the nation. He has also been a contributing writer to Esquire, Life, Look, Reader's Digest, Harper's, Saturday Review and other magazines, and is the author of some 11 books, including "My War."

For more information on the ceremony, contact Puja Seam, graduation committee chair, at (804) 243-1631 or Rhodes Ritenour, president of the '2000 class trustees, at (804) 979-6192.

FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: Please contact University News Services at (804) 924-7116. Television reporters should contact the TV News Office at (804) 924-7550.
SOURCE: U.Va. News Services

ALL 1999 NEWS RELEASES

Top news site edited by Jane Ford (jford@virginia.edu); maintained by Karen Asher (kac@virginia.edu); releases posted by Suzanne Raileanu (sr3r@virginia.edu).
Last Modified: Monday, 11-Oct-1999 15:19:28 EDT
© 1999 by the Rector and Visitors of the University of Virginia
Topnews Information: (804) 924-4298.