Jonathan Marshall

Jonathan Marshall, M.S. '62, the former publisher and editor of the Scottsdale Progress in Arizona, is paying tribute to the First Amendment with a $1.25-million gift to the School of Journalism and Communication.

Jon Marshall and his wife Maxine, who now operate the philanthropic Marshall Fund of Arizona, announced in June that they are providing the endowment in support of freedom of the press and freedom of speech. The funding will create the Jonathan Marshall First Amendment Chair.

"Jonathan Marshall and his wife, Maxine, have been champions of not just free speech and press, but all civil liberties," said Dean Tim Gleason. "As the publishers of the Scottsdale Progress, they were never afraid to champion civil rights, even when it threatened the paper's survival. Through the Marshall Fund they have continued to support organizations working to protect civil rights."

The chair will stand as a visible symbol of the School's commitment to freedom of speech and the press, and to the responsibilities that are an integral part of the ethical exercise of those freedoms. Students may aspire to careers in newspapers, magazines, television, the Internet, advertising or public relations, each requiring specialized knowledge and skill. But at the core, all of the School's students are being educated to use First Amendment freedoms to advance democracy.

"This chair is a fitting legacy for their careers in the newspaper business and as advocates for a better society."

At a time when First Amendment rights of journalists and of the public are under attack from many sides, this chair would send an important signal about the School's ongoing commitment to First Amendment values. The School will seek a senior scholar with a strong background in communication law and policy and a national reputation to fill this chair. The Marshall Chair will take the lead in integrating the teaching of communication law into the curriculum.

The chair, in connection with the recently endowed Hulteng Chair in Media Ethics, is expected to raise the School's national prominence in communication law and ethics, thus enabling the School to play a greater role in shaping national dialogue about the importance of the First Amendment.

"With its focus on the study of free press law and policy, the Jonathan Marshall First Amendment Chair gives us the potential to become a leader among schools of journalism and communication in the area of communication law and policy," Gleason said. "This chair is a fitting legacy for the Marshalls careers in the newspaper business and as advocates for a better society."

The Marshalls have been longtime supporters of the School. They also fund the annual the Jonathan Marshall Award for Innovative Teaching, given to outstanding faculty members (see page 7 for this year's winner). The Marshall Chair joins five other endowed chairs in the School.

After growing up in New York City, Marshall earned a B.A. in economics and political science from the University of Colorado in 1946. Prior to attending UO, Marshall was editor and publisher of Arts magazine and a program officer at the Ford Foundation. He earned a master's in journalism from UO in 1962.

Maxine Marshall graduated from Arizona State University. In 1963, the couple bought the Scottsdale Progress. In 1974, Jonathan Marshall ran for U.S. Senate but lost to Republican candidate Barry Goldwater. Marshall was the School's Ruhl Fellow in 1986 and he delivered the Allen Lecture in 1991.

He was editor and publisher of the Scottsdale Progress until 1987, when they sold the paper and established the Marshall Fund to support arts groups and organizations working for civil rights and environmental protection in Arizona. He is a former member of the Alumni Association Board.