Helen Fallon, Pittsburgh Union Progress writer and copy editor, was honored by the Women’s Press Club of Pittsburgh Wednesday during its 70th annual dinner and scholarship awards at Caliente Pizza & Drafthouse in Aspinwall.
The club, the second oldest women’s press club in the country, has recognized Fallon’s long career in journalism and academia by creating an award in her name: the Helen Fallon Young Communicators Award. Details and criteria are still being decided, but the organization plans to name its first recipient at next year’s scholarship dinner.
“She helped me build my confidence both professionally and personally,” said WPC Secretary Susan Orr while announcing the award. “You’re always thinking of ways to support up and coming journalists.”
“Journalism isn’t going anywhere. And we will continue to hold people accountable,” Fallon said in her remarks.
She said she intended the Young Communicator award to be an extension of the Women’s Press Club and to be awarded annually to both a journalist and another communicator.
“The one thing that I can tell anyone in this room — even people who think it doesn’t matter — these organizations, when you make these connections they help you do a lot of things in your own work, in your career, in your community,” she said.
Fallon is an ardent striker as well as a professor emeritus and former director of Point Park University’s Honors Program. She remained an active journalist while she taught by working as a part-time Pittsburgh Post-Gazette copy editor. In addition to teaching print journalism courses, she chaired the Department of Journalism and Mass Communication from 1999-2008 and served as acting dean of the School of Communication from 2008-09. She directed the Honors Program until 2020. She is active in journalism professional organizations, serving currently on the Press Club of Western Pennsylvania board and the Pennsylvania NewsMedia Association Foundation board. Fallon also is a member the Jefferson Regional Foundation’s board, a nonprofit dedicated to the well-being and health care needs of residents.
Also during Wednesday’s event, WPC recognized the winners of its 70th annual Gertrude Gordon Scholarship Contest. First-place winner is Abigail Hakas, a senior at Chatham University majoring in communications with a concentration in journalism, whose work has appeared in many publications including PUP. Adrienne Cahillan, a junior at the University of Pittsburgh studying public and professional writing and political science, won second place, while Ellie Schroeder, a senior at Robert Morris University working toward a B.A. in public relations, a certificate in entrepreneurship and an M.S. in organizational leadership, won third.
Guest speaker for the evening was Priyanka Tewari, host of “Morning Edition” on 90.5 WESA, Pittsburgh’s NPR news station.
In September, during Point Park University’s homecoming, its alumni association honored Fallon as this year’s distinguished professor.
Karen is a copy editor at the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, but she's currently on strike. Email her at kcarlin@unionprogress.com.
Andrew writes about education and more for the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, but he's currently on strike. Email him at agoldstein@unionprogress.com.