Three outstanding alumni of ACU’s Department of Journalism and Mass Communication will receive the Gutenberg Award for Distinguished Professional Achievement on October 17, 2024.
The awards honor Ryan Cantrell for his contributions to the Texas Rangers Baseball Club, Joel Weckerly for his dedicated service to the Cypress-Fairbanks Independent School District, and Marjon Zabihi Henderson for her exceptional work with the Neiman Marcus Group.
“All three of our honorees this year exemplify excellence in their fields. The university’s mission is educating students for Christian service and leadership, and it’s so rewarding to see our
graduates doing just that in the realm of media and strategic communication,” said Dr. Kenneth Pybus, chair of the Department of Journalism and Mass Communication. “Each of them is
tasked with telling a story – the story of a high-end retail chain with a rich history of quality, the story of a major public education system preparing students to contribute to their communities, the story of a championship baseball team with a distinctively Texan appeal. They each tell those stories in perfect ways.”
Ryan Cantrell (’11) has worked at Texas Rangers for six years, starting as digital and social media manager and serving as digital and social media director since February 2023. Cantrell is responsible for developing and executing social media strategy to support the entire Texas Rangers organization. Cantrell graduated from ACU with a bachelor’s degree in journalism in 2011.
Joel Weckerly (’04) has worked at Cypress-Fairbanks Independent School District for 16 years and began serving as Director of Communication in 2016. Weckerly is responsible for managing communication professionals who specialize in video production, web, multimedia and translation services. He graduated with a bachelor’s degree in journalism from ACU in 2004.
Marjon Zabihi Henderson (’04) has worked at Neiman Marcus for 20 years, starting as its public relations coordinator and serving as vice president of brand experience and special events since May 2024. She is responsible for all digital marketing strategy, social media, digital accessibility and more. Henderson graduated with a bachelor’s degree in Integrated Marketing Communication from ACU in 2004.
The Gutenberg Celebration will take place at The Grace Museum on Thursday, Oct. 17, at 6:30 p.m. You may reserve your spot online at acu.edu/gutenberg. For more information, please contact the Department of Journalism and Mass Communication at 325-674-2296.
The Department of Journalism and Mass Communication at ACU is one of just 120 programs accredited by the Accrediting Council on Education in Journalism and Mass Communications. It helps prepare students to become exceptional, ethical and agile communicators in the rapidly changing media professions.