Jack White Excellence in Journalism Scholarship Honors Late San Diego News Anchor

New scholarship supporting the next generation of journalists is accepting contributions.

Tuesday, August 16, 2022
Scholarship honors legendary San Diego news anchor Jack White.
Scholarship honors legendary San Diego news anchor Jack White.

Jack White was the face of San Diego television news from the late 1960s until his retirement in 2002. The iconic local news anchor was known for his generosity and professionalism during his 35 years at KGTV Channel 10. 

Since his passing in October 2020, his wife Lynn Stedd, a San Diego State University alumna, has worked to honor his legacy by establishing the Jack White Excellence in Journalism Scholarship.

Stedd recalls her time at SDSU as creating the building blocks for her successful career in public relations, communications and marketing. She hopes the scholarship will support students in reaching their goals and will proliferate White’s love of writing, the industry, and people. 

Beyond his passion for being an anchor, White would describe himself as simply a writer. He was a charter member of the San Diego Press Club, where he connected with local media professionals and reveled in the tight-knit community. 

“There was never a dull moment with Jack. He made me laugh every single day,” Stedd said. “He was my everything.”

In an obituary for the San Diego Union-Tribune, Pam Kragen wrote, “To viewers, White was the well-groomed and unflappable professional who could cover everything from a plane crash to a telethon to where to find the best bowl of chili in town.”

“To Channel 10 colleagues and friends, White was a kind man, an egoless mentor and a positive thinker whose spirits never flagged.”

The Jack White Excellence in Journalism Scholarship is accepting contributions to support the next generation of journalists, and hopes to open applications by early 2023 to Journalism and Media Studies students at SDSU. 

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