Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Nicholas Kristof to give Oregon State commencement address June 14

Jan. 27, 2025

CORVALLIS, Ore. – Nicholas Kristof, an opinion columnist for the New York Times and two-time Pulitzer Prize winner, will deliver the commencement address at Oregon State University’s 156th commencement ceremony at 10:30 a.m. June 14 at Reser Stadium.

“Nicholas Kristof’s extensive writing and television commentary on human rights, conflict, global health, education, rural communities and many other topics continue to inspire and motivate,” said Oregon State President Jayathi Murthy. “We are delighted he will address OSU graduates as they begin their lives beyond OSU.”

Kristof, who grew up on a sheep and cherry farm near Yamhill, Oregon, has been a columnist for the Times since 2001.

He joined the Times in 1984, initially covering economics. He served as a Times correspondent in Los Angeles, Hong Kong, Beijing and Tokyo.

In 1990, Kristof and his wife, Sheryl WuDunn, then also a Times journalist, won a Pulitzer Prize for their coverage of China's Tiananmen Square democracy movement. They were the first married couple to win a Pulitzer for journalism.

Kristof won a second Pulitzer in 2006, for commentary for what the judges called “his graphic, deeply reported columns that, at personal risk, focused attention on genocide in Darfur and that gave voice to the voiceless in other parts of the world.”

He left the Times in 2021 to run for governor of Oregon, but returned a year later after being barred from the ballot.

Kristof and WuDunn are authors of five best-selling books: “China Wakes,” “Thunder from the East,” “Half the Sky,” “A Path Appears” and “Tightrope.” His memoir, “Chasing Hope,” was published in 2024.

General OSU

About Oregon State University: As one of only three land, sea, space and sun grant universities in the nation, Oregon State serves Oregon and the world by working on today’s most pressing issues. Our nearly 38,000 students come from across the globe, and our programs operate in every Oregon county. Oregon State receives more research funding than all of the state’s comprehensive public universities combined. At our campuses in Corvallis and Bend, marine research center in Newport, OSU Portland Center and award-winning Ecampus, we excel at shaping today’s students into tomorrow’s leaders.

Story By

Sean Nealon, 541-737-0787, [email protected]

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