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CSPA is affiliated with the Graduate School of Journalism at Columbia University in the City of New York.

Mark Goodman, professor and Knight Chair in scholastic journalism at Kent State University, will receive the Charles R. O'Malley Award for excellence in teaching from the Columbia Scholastic Press Association (CSPA) during its 85th annual Convention.

Goodman was formerly the executive director of the Student Press Law Center (SPLC) in Arlington, VA. For 22 years, he led the Center as it provided free legal assistance to high school and college student journalists, serving as an advocate for their free expression rights.

As executive director, he also served as the SPLC's spokesperson, legal director, magazine and Web site editor, chief fundraiser and manager of administrative, legal and intern staff.

As SPLC's executive director, Goodman also lectured and presented over 30 seminars across the U.S. and abroad each year on media law issues, student free expression rights and the importance of student media.

During his term, the SPLC raised over $2.5 million dollars through its "Tomorrow's Voices" campaign of which CSPA's former director, the late Charles R. O'Malley, was an honorary chair and major contributor.

CSPA's current executive director, Edmund J. Sullivan, said: "It's fitting that Mark Goodman will receive the Charles O'Malley award. Mark has consistently demonstrated his desire to teach student journalists about how to take advantage and protect their First Amendment rights. Now, he continues his mission in a different setting, entering the classroom at Kent State and enriching the lives of the budding student journalists of our country."

Goodman will receive the O'Malley Award during a special Adviser Awards Luncheon on Friday, March 20, 2009 on the campus of Columbia University in New York City.