By Richard Williams, Staff Writer
St. Bonaventure University’s Jandoli School of Communication will be adding Jackie Trescott, ’68, and Joan Roeben Licursi, ’65, to its Wall of Distinguished Graduates. Announced on Sept. 30, they are 20th and 21st members added to this exclusive list.
Trescott and Licursi will join the likes of Adrian Wojnarowksi, sports reporter for ESPN, who was just added in 2019.
Nominated by Jandoli school alumni and faculty, these honorees are recognized for having distinguished themselves in their chosen career following a Bonaventure education. Each is honored with a plaque mounted on a wall in the John J. Murphy Professional Building.
Trescott’s career was highlighted by her 36 years of writing for the Washington Post’s style section and is a member of the National Association of Black Journalists Hall of Fame. Licursi spent time working in communications for the Boys Club of America and as a managing director at Burson-Marstellar, a global public relations and communications firm.
“There are a lot of people who have had impressive careers, so to be plucked out of that many people is just awesome and I’m very honored and happy about that,” said Trescott.
While writing at The Washington Post, Trescott was able to cover a variety of topics for the Style Section, saying, “[We] covered politics, entertainment, the media and celebrities in general.”
While Trescott spent most of her career at one place, Licursi held a variety of positions throughout her career and is humbled after being added to the wall of distinguished graduates.
A supporter of Bonaventure, Licursi was a member of the National Alumni Association Board, a volunteer for The Bonaventure Fund and a member of the Advisory Board for the Jandoli School of Communication.
Licursi served on Bonaventure’s board of trustees from 1994-2003.
She received the Journalism Alumna of the Year Award in 1981 and the university’s Alumna of the Year Award in 1995.
“It’s really an honor and a humbling experience to be added to that group,” said Licursi.
Licursi was also appreciative of the education she received at Bonaventure.
“It was an intensive experience for four years that gave you a little bit of everything,” said Licursi. “I left not only with a skillset but also a belief that doing good had value.”
Both Trescott and Licursi were taught by Dr. Russell J. Jandoli, whom the school of communication is named after at St. Bonaventure University.
“Certainly, by his example,” said Trescott. “He never stood in the way when you had an idea of what you wanted to write about.”
Licursi was also thankful to have been taught by Jandoli.
“I was blessed to be at Bonaventure at the time that Dr. Jandoli was head of the journalism department,” said Trescott.
Trescott is scheduled to be honored at the 2021 Hellinger Awards Luncheon on Oct. 11, 2021, at the Press Club in Washington, D.C, and Licursi will be recognized by the Jandoli School when she comes to campus for her class reunion, tentatively set for May 2021.
williarj20@bonaventure.edu
