College reunions are typically spent looking backwards, reminiscing about the good ol’ days. But sometimes they impact the future.
Thanks to an idea first formed at the 50th anniversary celebration of The Observer, Case Western Reserve University's student-run newspaper, and a $100,000 commitment from Janet Lapidus Poole (WRC ’73), her family foundation and other supporters, Case Western Reserve has established the Jonathan Poole Memorial Student Journalism Fund. The endowment is designed to support excellence, innovation and independence at The Observer.
The fund honors the life and legacy of Janet’s husband, Jonathan Poole (ADL ’70; GRS ’72, education; MGT ’73), a devoted alumnus, former student newspaper leader and passionate advocate for journalism. Jonathan Poole served as business manager of the Reserve Tribune, the predecessor to The Observer, and remained closely connected to the paper and the university throughout his life.
“There was no better way to recognize really good journalism—exceptional journalism—than to put this support behind The Observer, which was so important to Jon,” said Poole.
Jonathan Poole helped organize and energize the 50th anniversary event by reconnecting alumni from across generations. Conversations during that reunion centered on the challenges facing student journalism and the need for additional resources—particularly support for students pursuing unpaid internships and opportunities for professional development.
Although early discussions were interrupted by the deaths of faculty advisor Jim Sheeler in 2020 and Poole himself in 2022, the vision was revived when longtime friend and former editor Doug Smock (ADL ’70) reached out to Janet to explore creating a memorial gift in Jonathan’s name.
“This is exactly the kind of thing Jon would have done if he were here,” said Poole. “The whole time, it just felt right.”
The endowment ensures permanent annual support for The Observer. Its primary purpose is to recognize exceptional student journalism, with annual financial awards for editorial and journalistic excellence.
Beyond awards, the fund also provides flexible resources for student journalists, including professional development opportunities, conference attendance and exploration of emerging tools such as digital publishing and artificial intelligence. Importantly, the endowment is designed to supplement—not replace—existing university funding, preserving the newspaper’s independence and stability.
“Independent student newspapers like The Observer are laboratories for developing reporting and editing skills, but they're also the real thing,” said Ben Mauk, The Observer’s faculty advisor and the Shirley Wormser Professor of Journalism and Media Writing in Case Western Reserve University’s College of Arts and Sciences. “This generous gift recognizes that The Observer isn't just incubating the next generation of journalists, it's already a vital local news source. An endowed fund will see that it remains one, recognizing ambitious reporting projects and advancing online and multimedia production.”
For both Poole and Smock, the fund reflects a deep belief in journalism’s role in a democratic society.
“You can’t live in a free society without information you know is the truth—not alternate truth, not opinion, but real journalism,” said Poole.
Smock, who went on to a long career in professional journalism, emphasized the broader value of student newspaper work. “Whatever you decide to do for your career, the experiences you learn on a student newspaper—writing, research, questioning—are extremely important today.”
The inaugural student honorees, who will both graduate this May, were recently selected and each will receive a monetary award thanks to the fund:
- The Jonathan Poole Memorial Award for Outstanding Journalism was given to Darcy Chew (biomedical engineering), executive editor of The Observer, for her editorial leadership and journalistic excellence. The jury recognized Chew’s story, “Former CWRU professor Krauss appears in Epstein files,” published on Nov. 21, 2025.
- The Jonathan Poole Memorial Award for Editorial Excellence was given to Hannah Johnson (English and finance), director of print at The Observer. The jury recognized Johnson’s editorial leadership and significant contributions to maintaining The Observer’s high standards of reporting, editing and distribution.
Alumni and friends who share Poole’s commitment to independent, high-quality journalism are invited to contribute.
“I can’t think of a better way to remember my husband,” said Poole, “than by helping create future critical thinkers and communicators.”
Visit case.edu/give to make a donation. Select “Other - CWRU” under the designation, and enter “Jonathan Poole Memorial Student Journalism Fund.”