SDSU distinguished journalism alumni honored

Four distinguished alumni will be honored by the SDSU Department of Journalism and Mass Communication during its annual scholarship and awards banquet at 7 p.m. Wednesday, April 7.

For more than 20 years, the Journalism and Mass Communication faculty have annually chosen several alumni to honor for their contributions to their fields. This year’s honorees include a newspaper editor, two public relations practitioners and an assistant United States attorney. 

The 2010 SDSU Department of Journalism and Mass Communication Distinguished Alumni are: 

• Rob Swenson, Editor, Sioux Falls Business Journal:
  

  Rob Swenson

  Before becoming editor of the Business Journal in 2008, Swenson was a reporter for the publication and worked as a reporter and editor for the Sioux Falls Argus Leader for more than 20 years. At the Argus Leader, he covered business and state government, and served as editorial page editor for several years. Before joining the Argus Leader, Swenson was a copy editor and reporter for the Brookings Register. A native of Lake Preston, Swenson graduated from SDSU in 1977 with a double major in journalism and political science. 

• Sherry Fuller Bordewyk, Director of Marketing and Foundation Relations, South Dakota State University Foundation:
  

  Sherry Fuller Bordewyk

  Bordewyk joined the SDSU Foundation in 2007 after serving two years as the adviser to The Collegian. Before that, she taught for 10 years in the Department of Journalism and Mass Communication. Her professional journalism experience includes stints as a reporter and copy editor for the Aberdeen American News, managing editor for the Brookings Register, and assistant city editor for the St. Cloud (Minn.) Times. An Armour native, Bordewyk is a former editor of The Collegian and  graduated from SDSU with a degree in journalism in 1987. She is currently finishing her M.S. in communication studies and journalism at SDSU. Sherry and her husband, Dave, also an SDSU journalism graduate, live in Brookings with their two sons. 

• Najla Ghazi Amundson, Media Relations Director for North Dakota State University:
  

  Najla Aamundson

  After graduating from SDSU in 1989 with a degree in journalism, Amundson completed her master’s degree in journalism from Northwestern University. Her first job was as a general assignment reporter at WDAZ-TV in Grand Forks, N.D. Later, she taught as an assistant professor in journalism at the University of North Dakota. Amundson’s professional experience includes stints as an advertising account executive for McDonald’s, a public relations coordinator for a rural electric cooperative, and 6 p.m. and 10 p.m. anchor and producer for WDAY-TV in Fargo. Amundson will graduate in May with a Ph.D in communication from NDSU. She lives in Fargo with her husband Paul. They have four sons. 

• Mark Salter, Chief of the Appellate Division, South Dakota U.S. Attorney’s Office:
  

  Mark Salter

  A graduate of Parker High School, Salter graduated from SDSU in 1990 with a degree in political science and journalism. He received his law degree from the University of South Dakota School of Law in 1993 and was a Thomas Sterling Honor Graduate.  After law school, Salter served in the United States Navy as a judge advocate. Upon completing his military service, Salter and his family moved back to South Dakota where he became a partner in the Sioux Falls law firm of Cutler & Donahoe, LLP. In 2004, Salter began working as an Assistant United States Attorney for the District of South Dakota where he currently serves as the Chief of the Appellate Division. In that position, Salter has argued more than 75 cases before state and federal appellate courts. Salter is married to Sue (Schwenck) Salter, who is also an SDSU journalism graduate. They live in Sioux Falls with their four children.