Journalism - Tom Rademacher
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Tom Rademacher
Tom Rademacher is an award-winning journalist at the Grand Rapids Press in Grand Rapids, Michigan. He has written for the Press for the past 23 years, the last 13 as a columnist.
Rademacher, who graduated with Grand Valley's Class of '78, has been recognized numerous times for his writing skills by the Michigan Press Association, the Associated Press, and the National Society of Newspaper Columnists.
In addition to his dedication to news reporting and journalism, he also is an educator. He has been an adjunct professor of English and journalism at Grand Valley and Aquinas College, and he has been an adjunct professor at Grand Rapids Community College for 12 years.
Rademacher, a native of Grand Rapids, is a hometown type of person.
I've been with the Press since I graduated from the Valley in '78, he says, I likely will retire from there.
Rademacher says he began his community journalism career as a child, reading and appreciating the narrative writing skills of American storytellers like Poe, Hawthorne, Twain and Melville.
He then became the editor of the student newspaper at Grand Rapids West Catholic High School, the sports editor for the student newspaper at Grand Rapids Community College, and contributed sports stories to the newspaper at Alma College. When he began studies at Grand Valley, it was natural to also write for its student newspaper, the Lanthorn.
Perhaps it was there, he says, that he began to find his voice and to show a keen eye for human-interest stories and an ability to tell them with honesty and humor. In fact, the Lanthorn story he says he remembers best was in chronicling the resurgence of chewing tobacco among Grand Valley baseball players. As he puts it, the story ran with a photo of two players actually spewing juice.
While at Grand Valley, he also contributed stories to the Grand Rapids Press, where he was hired full time after graduation.
Over time, he has gained recognition from colleagues, won awards, and further developed his unique style of truthseeking and storytelling, never forgetting that his first obligation was to the truth and that his first loyalty was to his readers.
Journalism is about talking to people, he once told a group of Grand Valley journalism students. You have to engage people you don't know in everyday conversation.
Rademacher says his future includes writing, teaching, running for exercise and challenging himself with home-improvement projects. He lives in Rockford with his wife, Hollie, and three sons, Tom, 15; Patrick, 14; and Andrew, 11.
Page last modified February 22, 2010
