Celebrating the impact its graduates make on the world of sports media, St. Bonaventure University’s Jandoli School of Communication will honor two of its alumni shaping the intersections of sports, journalism, and public relations at a trio of on-campus events.
Donna Ditota to join Wall of Distinguished Graduates while Mike "Mex" Carey will receive the John Domino Award as SBU hosts Dick Joyce Sports Symposium
Celebrating the impact its graduates make on the world of sports media, St. Bonaventure University’s Jandoli School of Communication will honor two of its alumni shaping the intersections of sports, journalism, and public relations at a trio of on-campus events.
Donna Ditota will be enshrined on the school’s “Wall of Distinguished Graduates” on Friday, Feb. 21, while Mike “Mex” Carey will receive the John Domino Award for Excellence in Sports Media on Monday, Feb. 24.
“Both Donna and Mex represent the best qualities of the Jandoli School in the sports media industry. We are thrilled to welcome them back to campus, recognizing their professional achievements and giving our current students an opportunity to learn from their experiences,” said Aaron Chimbel, dean of the Jandoli School. “Donna's career accolades underscore her skill, dedication, and passion for the art of sports writing while Mex has helped shape the conversations around men’s college basketball working with some of the most storied programs in the country.”
The biennial Dick Joyce Sports Symposium rounds out the celebrations with a panel discussion on Tuesday, Feb. 25. Titled “The Future of College Sports: Navigating Media Access and Athlete Autonomy,” the panel will discuss how NIL (name-image-likeness) deals, evolving media rights, and shifting power dynamics are reshaping the ways in which college sports stories are told.
Ditota joins Wall of Distinguished Graduates
Ditota has spent nearly 40 years as a sports reporter for her hometown Syracuse Post-Standard, becoming the first woman to be named the New York Sportswriter of the Year in 2023. She was elected to the U.S. Basketball Writers Association’s Hall of Fame in 2024.
In her latest recognition, Ditota becomes the 26th distinguished graduate honoree, joining Pulitzer Prize winners Robert Dubill, John Hanchette, Charles Hanley, and Dan Barry, New York Times bestselling novelist Cynthia D’Aprix Sweeney, and three-time Emmy winner Victoria Corderi.
“I’m thrilled to be added to the Wall of Distinguished Graduates,” Ditota said. “There are people who have won Pulitzer Prizes on that wall! Many thanks and big Bona hugs to those who believed I belonged among them.”
A 1983 graduate of St. Bonaventure, Ditota was a four-year starter and two-time team MVP for the women’s basketball team. At the time of her graduation, she held the school record for rebounds and blocks.
The ceremony, which is free and open to the public, will be held at 3 p.m. on Friday, Feb. 21, in the John J. Murphy Professional Building.
Carey honored with John Domino Award
Carey is the associate director of athletic communications for Michigan State University, serving as the primary contact for the university’s men’s basketball program and Hall of Fame coach Tom Izzo.
It’s the latest stop in an impressive collegiate sports communications career, which included 12 years as the assistant athletic director for communications and sports information director at Georgetown University with previous stops at Siena College and St. John’s University.
In 2019, Carey was awarded the CoSIDA (College Sports Information Directors of America) 25-year award for his work in sports communications.
"What I learned at St. Bonaventure and what I have carried forward for more than 30 years in this business is the importance of caring for people,” Carey said. “I may not be the best or sharpest at what I do, but I think what you learn at Bonaventure is how to care for one another, how to communicate with people and build relationships. That’s what this business is all about — being able to talk with each other and listen to each other.”
Carey will be honored at a dinner on the St. Bonaventure campus on Monday, Feb. 24.
The award is named after John Domino, a 1984 St. Bonaventure graduate who worked for both NBC Sports and ESPN. Domino died from cancer in 1994. The Jandoli School of Communication celebrates his courage, skill and humanity by presenting the John Domino Award to a St. Bonaventure graduate who has excelled in their sports media career.
Symposium tackles media access and athlete autonomy
The biennial Dick Joyce Sports Symposium will explore the future of storytelling in college athletics with Carey along with St. Bonaventure athletics director Bob Beretta and Buffalo News sports reporter Rachel Lenzi. Amy Moritz, former sports reporter at The Buffalo News and professional in residence in sports media for the Jandoli School, will serve as moderator.
The event, which is free and open to the public, will be held at 11:30 a.m. in the Regina A. Quick Center for the Arts on St. Bonaventure’s campus and livestreamed at https://video.ibm.com/channel/st-bonaventure-university-live-stream.
The event is named after sportswriter Dick Joyce, a 1960 graduate of St. Bonaventure who worked for the Associated Press for nearly 20 years. Joyce died in 1988 at the age of 53.