Rod Diridon Sr., P. Anthony Ridder and College of Applied Sciences and Arts Dean Charlie Bullock sign documents Feb. 15 creating a $100,000 endowment that will continue funding an annual fellowship for a student in the School of Journalism and Mass Communications. Photo by Michelle Terris, Spartan Daily staff photographer.
Thanks to a recent $100,000 gift commitment from the Joseph B. Ridder Foundation, more SJSU journalism and mass communications students will have the opportunities made available to Sarah Kyo.
“I feel humble to have been selected for this honor twice, and I would like to thank the Ridder family and the Joseph B. Ridder Foundation board of directors for their generosity and support,” Kyo said. “The fellowship has helped me to pay for tuition, textbooks, and room and board expenses.”
The gift will establish a permanent endowment for a fellowship that not only supported Kyo’s academic and professional development, but positioned her to give back to San Jose State.
Kyo is a mass communications graduate student working on her thesis. Her 2009 fellowship helped pay for expenses when she was involved with the Dow Jones News Fund summer internship program. As part of the internship program, she participated in a one-week business reporting training session at New York University, and was an editorial intern for 10 weeks with the Advertising Specialty Institute.
Kyo also works as both a WorkAbility IV peer advisor at the SJSU Career Center and an office aide at the SJSU International House, where she resides. She designs flyers publicizing events and recently completed the first issue of the I-House’s alumni newsletter. She is also creating a digital archive for historic materials that will be added to the I-House website.
Ridder came to San Jose in 1952, after serving as general manager of the family-owned St. Paul, Minn., Pioneer Press and Dispatch. He immediately recognized the potential of this small-town community and acquired the morning San Jose Mercury and the afternoon San Jose News. The morning and afternoon papers were later combined into the present San Jose Mercury News. He was publisher until 1977 and retired as president in 1979.
Ridder was a strong proponent of philanthropy, and during his publishing career in San Jose he was recognized by more than 80 service awards from ethnic, veterans, philanthropic, religious, educational and cultural organizations. He was an astute publisher with a gift of hiring the best news people and encouraging their best work. He is remembered as a caring man with a great sense of humor.
Upon his passing in 1989, family and friends established the Joseph B. Ridder Foundation to commend his life-long commitment to philanthropy and to recognize his passion for excellence in journalism.
Learn more about the fellowship by contacting the SJSU School of Journalism and Mass Communications at (408) 924-3240.