MU Awards Honorary Degree to Journalist Byron Calame

April 20th, 2011

COLUMBIA, Mo. – Throughout the past four decades, Missouri native and University of Missouri alumnus Byron E. “Barney” Calame has dedicated himself to the practice of ethical journalism and to the education of aspiring journalists. For his work in the field of journalism, the University of Missouri presented Calame with an honorary degree at the May 2011 Graduate School Commencement Ceremony.

Calame received his bachelor’s from the MU School of Journalism in 1961 and a master’s in political science from the University of Maryland.

He began working for The Wall Street Journal in 1965. During the next 39 years, he held positions from reporter to deputy managing editor. In his final position, he was responsible for quality control and upholding the ethical standards of The Wall Street Journall and continued to report for the newspaper. He also took charge of the paper in the absence of the managing editor. When Calame retired at The Wall Street Journal, T-shirts were produced for the staff which read, “What would Barney do?”

In 2005, Calame began a two-year term as the public editor and ombudsman for The New York Times. As the readers’ representative, he responded to the public’s comments and complaints and monitored the staff’s journalistic practices. Calame is known throughout the journalism community as a person with impeccable integrity and the highest ethical standards.

Calame also is a supporter of young people entering journalism, serving as the head of the Dow Jones News Fund program, which provides paid internships for aspiring journalists.

Calame is the husband of fellow honorary degree recipient Kathryn Calame, professor of biochemistry and molecular biophysics and microbiology at the Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons. The couple has two grown children.

Honorary degrees are awarded to graduates or former students who have achieved distinction. Degrees also are awarded to people who have rendered distinctive service to the state or the university, as well as people of high distinction from around the world.