Professor Craig Smith Wins National Awards

Craig Smith, a California State University, Long Beach, communication studies professor and former presidential speechwriter, received two national awards Nov. 21.

The director of CSULBs Center for First Amendment Studies was honored at the National Communication Associations (NCA) 100th annual convention in Chicago.

Smith said he is now a third time recipient of the Robert ONeil Award for outstanding scholarship on First Amendment issues.

I wrote the award-winning paper with my centers research director professor Kevin Johnson, who was once a student of mine here, Smith said. So I am doubly proud of that award.

Smith also accepted the Gronbeck Award for his work in interpreting and addressing political communication issues. The award, Smith said, is the result of his latest book, Confessions of a Presidential Speechwriter, published last year in February by Michigan State University Press.

In his book, he describes the time spent as a speechwriter for President Gerald R. Ford and later for George H.W. Bush, Smith said. He said he recounted his history involving Freedom of Expression. According to his books overview, Smith wrote about meeting Robert Kennedy and Richard Nixon and advising Gov. Ronald Reagan. His book explores his time in Washington D.C., when he founded the Freedom of Expression Foundation and became its president.

The Gronbeck Award was named after Bruce Gronbeck, who died in September at 73 years old.

Gronbeck was a communications professor at the University of Iowa and was recognized as a scholar of rhetoric and media, according to the UI website. He received several awards including the Outstanding Mentor Award from the university as well as the NCA Mentor Award. He is responsible for mentoring 65 doctorate candidates at UI.

I knew Bruce for a long time since both of us were in political communication, Smith said. Bruce published a lot of articles and books on political communication, and I think thats why the National Communication Association decided to honor him by naming this particular award after him.

Smith said he recalled a Facebook post from Gronbeck on Sept. 9.

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Professor Craig Smith Wins National Awards