University President William P. Leahy, S.J. presented the Ignatian Award to Maureen Orth at the annual Laetare Sunday celebration on March 6. (Photo by Gretchen Ertl.)
Award-winning journalist, humanitarian and philanthropist Maureen Orth was the featured speaker at the 65th annual celebration of Laetare Sunday at Boston College on March 6.
Orth also received the Ignatian Award, which recognizes an individual who lives the mission of "men and women for others," from University President William P. Leahy, S.J. The celebration, which was held at Conte Forum, began with a Mass for Laetare Sunday, the fourth Sunday of Lent.
A special correspondent for Vanity Fair, Orth is the founder of the Marina Orth Foundation, which promotes advanced learning in technology, English and leadership for more than 3,200 students in Colombia. She also is the mother of NBC News correspondent Luke Russert ’08 and widow of NBC News Washington bureau chief and “Meet the Press” moderator Tim Russert H'04.
In the course of her journalism career—which began in 1972 when she became the first woman writer at Newsweek – Orth has written about and interviewed Angela Merkel, Vladimir Putin, Margaret Thatcher, Irish President Mary Robinson, Bob Dylan, Stevie Wonder and Bruce Springsteen, among others. Her Vanity Fair piece on the battle over designer Oleg Cassini’s will won her a Front Page Award.
She also has been a network correspondent for NBC News, senior editor for New York and New West magazines; a contributor to the New York Times, Washington Post and Los Angeles Times; and is the author of two books, including the best-selling Vulgar Favors.
Orth volunteered for the Peace Corps after college, helping build a school named for her in Colombia. She later founded two non-profits, the Marina Orth Foundation in the U.S. and Colombia-based Fundacion Marina Orth. Orth’s work with the Latino community was honored by the Spanish Catholic Center in Washington, D.C., and last year she received the McCall-Pierpaoli Humanitarian Award from Refugees International, in recognition of her sustained commitment to the education and success of the youth of Colombia.
–News & Public Affairs