2025 Mustang Media Hall of Fame Inductees Announced
We’re thrilled to announce the 2025 inductees into the Mustang Media Hall of Fame!
The Cal Poly Journalism Department celebrates the outstanding individuals who have shaped its legacy — whether through transformative contributions to the department and media organizations or by turning their student media experience into remarkable professional success.
Established in 2016, the Hall of Fame recognizes the power of a vibrant, student-led media operation at the heart of our Learn-by-Doing mission. Located on the third floor of Building 26, just across from KCPR-FM, the Hall is home to an inspiring group of past honorees including (in alphabetical order) Melissa Figueroa Chechourka, Bruce Flohr, Jim Hayes, Susan Houghton, Robert Kennedy, David Kerley, David Kraft, Mark Looker, Bruce McPherson, Conan Nolan, Tracey Ozmina, Lauren Rabaino, George Ramos, Kevin Riggs, Al Yankovic and Ed Zuchelli.
Please join us in congratulating the 2025 Hall of Fame honorees, who will be formally inducted during a special gala celebration on Saturday, Oct. 25, 2025.
An avid writer since childhood, Claudia Buck Page got hooked on journalism in high school and set her sights on Cal Poly. Starting as a freshman, she wrote for Mustang Daily and was active in student government, graduating with honors in 1976. Her news career launched as a radio reporter in Santa Barbara, covering county government and hosting a public affairs show. In 1978, she joined the Sacramento Bee, covering City Hall and eventually the state Assembly. After her two kids were born, she started a freelance writing business with bylines in SUNSET, California Journal and other magazines. She later became managing editor of California Journal and was co-editor of the California Political Almanac. Returning to the Bee, she spent a decade as a business editor and personal finance columnist, launching a national advice column. In her last 2 years, she returned to writing under a California Endowment grant for healthcare coverage. Buck Page has long supported Cal Poly, serving 16 years on the journalism advisory board. After stepping down as board chair, she co-founded the Buck-Page Scholarship with her husband, Paul Page, a Graphic Communications graduate. The couple’s son, Cameron Page, also is a Cal Poly grad, in Construction Management. In retirement, she is a literacy tutor for K-3 kids, an annual journalism awards judge and continues to mentor Cal Poly students.
Tracy Campbell has built a distinguished career spanning more than three decades in strategic communications, public relations, marketing, advocacy, and community engagement. She’s spearheaded many impactful initiatives, including launching innovative companies and products, developing breakthrough digital advocacy communities, mitigating reputational risks for clients, advancing legislative and ballot initiative campaigns, and helping manage national crisis communications events for NASA. As the founder and president of CEA Strategies, Campbell now leads a virtual communications consultancy focused on helping mission-driven organizations develop strategic communications programs that drive growth. Known for her collaborative leadership and ability to align teams, audiences, and goals, Campbell brings decades of experience to the non-profit and corporate sectors. Her senior communications roles with the California Hospital Association, Visit SLO CAL, Health Net, NASA, and global firm Hill and Knowlton reflect a career of influence, innovation, and award-winning work. Campbell has been a steadfast advocate for journalism and the Cal Poly Journalism Department, serving more than 20 years as chair of the Journalism Advisory Board, partnering with five different department chairs. Her Cal Poly learn-by-doing education launched her early career as a reporter and laid the groundwork to become both a respected communications leader and a passionate advocate for the causes and organizations she supports.
Peter H. King, a native of Fresno, attended Cal Poly SLO from fall 1973 to fall 1977. He was appointed co-Editor of the Mustang Daily in 1976, teaming with the late Fred Vulin. In his senior year, King left Poly to work full-time at the Fresno Bee, launching a 40-year "senior project" in newspapers that included stops at the Associated Press, San Francisco Examiner, Sacramento Bee, and the Los Angeles Times. He spent over three decades at the Times, serving variously as staff writer, city editor, senior correspondent, and columnist. Among other honors, he played a role in two staff Pulitzers. He was named a Pulitzer Finalist in 1994 for his California and the West commentaries. He later directed media relations and strategic communications for the President of the University of California. Officially retired, he continues to pursue writing and consulting projects. He lives in Orinda, California, with his wife of 38 years, Maura Dolan, a distinguished LA Times reporter. They raised two children, Mary Ellen and James, and now are governed by two, going on three, grandchildren.
Ellen Pensky McGraw is a distinguished Cal Poly alumna whose career blends journalism, marketing and public relations. She honed her journalistic skills working on the Mustang Daily newspaper and as editor of the Outpost monthly magazine, experiences that laid the foundation for her multifaceted professional career. Ellen founded BumbleBee Marketing Services nearly 25 years ago. Under her leadership, the agency became a trusted partner for major tech clients, specializing in B2B demand generation, public relations, digital marketing and events. Her work has won many awards and in 2020 was honored as Pleasanton’s business of the year. Beyond her entrepreneurial success, Ellen has been a dedicated mentor and advocate for Cal Poly’s journalism program, serving on the advisory board for ten years, helping to facilitate special events like 100-year Mustang Daily, 50-year KCPR anniversaries and Jim Hayes Symposium. Although she loved working on those events, Ellen’s most treasured project on the advisory board was the founding of the mentorship program designed to match students with mentors who would meet regularly and share their “real world” experience. In 2024, Ellen sold her successful company and turned her focus to creating and implementing women’s wellness programs through events, podcasts and articles to help other women advocate for their health. She sits on several boards and shares her skills and expertise with her local community. She and her husband Jim live in El Dorado Hills when not visiting their daughter who is a lawyer in San Francisco and son-in-law.
Sean McMinn is a data journalist based in Washington, D.C., and a Cal Poly journalism 2014 graduate. He is currently the data/graphics editor for POLITICO and has previously worked on graphics and investigations teams at NPR and CQ Roll Call, as well as taught masters data classes at Northwestern University and American University. His work has been recognized with awards from the National Press Foundation, Investigative Reporters and Editors, the Radio Television Digital News Association Murrow Awards and others. At Cal Poly, he was a Mustang Daily news reporter and the inaugural Mustang Media Group editor when student media converged into MMG in 2013. He's a native of Thousand Oaks, Calif.