The multi-award winning journalist who is credited with exposing the Pennsylvania State University sex abuse scandal will be in Athens, Ohio Friday to tell her story.
Sara Ganim, a 24-year-old crime reporter with the Patriot-News of Harrisburg is the youngest journalist to win the Sidney Award for socially conscious journalism.
Ganim broke the story of former PSU football coach Jerry Sandusky who was charged with more than 50 criminal counts that allege sexual abuse of 10 boys over 15 years.
“I always look forward to talking to students,” Ganim said. “I really enjoy it when I get to get away from work and talk to students.”
The presentation will be a discussion with a question and answer session. Ganim’s talk was brought to fruition by Molly Yanity, a graduate student studying journalism.
“I wanted her to come speak at OU because she is an investigative reporter,” Yanity said. “She was writing about this story in March (of 2011) and it wasn't broken on the national scene until November.”
Ganim said what helped her remain persistent the whole time in front of the national media was to just keep “looking forward.”
“Things were breaking really fast, and we have this philosophy at the Patriot News to just try and think what will keep the story moving forward,” Ganim said. “Other outlets were looking backward while we kept looking forward; I think this really helped us.”
Ganim is set to speak in Baker University Theater Friday at 6 p.m.
bc822010@ohiou.edu
