The Craig Newmark Graduate School of Journalism at CUNY is pleased to announce the featured speakers for our 2025 Alumni Awards for Excellence ceremony on May 12, 2025.
Ali Velshi will serve as the host for the evening. The award-winning MSNBC journalist and host of “Velshi” brings his extensive experience covering global events and his commitment to thoughtful discourse. Known for his immersive reporting style and the popular “Velshi Banned Book Club,” Ali will guide us through an evening of celebration.
Ali will engage in a special dialogue with Charlamagne Tha God, the influential co-host of the nationally syndicated radio show The Breakfast Club. A New York Times bestselling author known for his candid commentary and cultural impact, Charlamagne brings a unique perspective on media and society that promises to create an engaging and thought-provoking exchange.
We are honored to welcome Kara Swisher, who will deliver our keynote address. As host of “On with Kara Swisher,” co-host of the “Pivot” podcast, and author of the bestselling memoir “Burn Book: A Tech Love Story,” Kara is widely recognized as one of the most influential voices in technology journalism. Her unrivaled access to industry leaders and reputation as “Silicon Valley’s most feared but revered journalist” ensures an insightful and compelling keynote.
About the Alumni Awards
Established in 2008, our Alumni Awards for Excellence honor members of the Newmark J-School community for outstanding reporting and leadership across multiple categories including the Sidney Hillman Award, the Frederic Wiegold Prize, the Newsweek Alumni Prize, the Stephen B. Shepard Prize, and the Vivek Shah Executive Leadership Alumni Award. Read more about the 2025 Alumni Award Winners here.
The ceremony is open to special guests by invitation only. Inquiries can be sent to .