Bob Boccaccio

Bob Boccaccio graduated in broadcast journalism from LSU in 1981. After a decade as a TV news photographer and production house cameraman and editor, Boccaccio opened Baton Rouge-based Boccaccio Productions, which would serve as his launchpad for a 25-year slot as Louisiana’s go-to director/cameraman. Between 1991 and his retirement in 2016, Boccaccio shot and/or provided crews for nearly 4,000 productions, including multiple Super Bowls, Final Fours, NBA All-Star Games and six national championship football games. He directed, shot and edited LSU’s debut coach’s show, The Skip Bertman Show, and was the first call for ESPN, NFL Network and the SEC Network.

A 20-year member of the Society of Camera Operators, Boccaccio was also prolific outside of sports. He was director of photography for the Emmy Award-winning American Roots Music documentary series, featuring legends Ricky Skaggs, Earl Scruggs and B.B. King. He provided ongoing coverage of Hurricane Katrina’s recovery efforts for ABC World News. He worked routinely for CBS, NBC, HBO, CNN, TBS, TNT, Bravo, History Channel, Discovery Channel, TLC and Fox News. He covered U.S. presidents and international dignitaries, and has told compelling stories to national audiences with images described by one producer as “archival quality,” setting the standard for future network coverage.

Connie Ledoux Book, Ph.D.

Connie Ledoux Book, Ph.D., is a passionate advocate for higher education and its power to transform students’ lives. She spent 16 years as an Elon faculty member and administrative leader, helping to build the university’s reputation for excellence in engaged teaching and learning. In 2015, she accepted a groundbreaking role as the first female provost and chief academic officer at The Citadel. Following her accomplishments there, she returned to Elon as president in 2018, bringing a deep appreciation for the university’s unique history and its rapid rise to national prominence.

Under President Book’s leadership, Elon launched the 10-year Boldly Elon strategic plan to advance the university’s national leadership in experiential education, mentoring and student success. Elon has been reclassified as a doctoral/professional institution, ranked as a top-100 national university and named the nation’s “Best Run” university. President Book has welcomed numerous new full-time faculty members to Elon and has commenced innovative academic programs in engineering and nursing and several new facilities that enrich the learning environment. In spring 2023, President Book announced the successful completion of the Elon LEADS comprehensive campaign, the largest effort in the university’s history, raising more than $260 million in support of Elon’s distinctive mission.

Kurt Davis

Kurt Davis is an established journalist and corporate executive with 40-plus years in the broadcast industry. As executive vice president of CBS Affiliate Relations, Davis is in charge of daily operations and the relationship between CBS and hundreds of CBS affiliates across the nation. Davis previously served as vice president, news services, for CBS News, where he was responsible for overseeing CBS Newspath, the CBS News satellite newsgathering organization, which provides video to over 200 affiliates and broadcasters worldwide. Prior to joining CBS News and ViacomCBS, Davis spent 10 years as executive news director at CBS affiliate KENS-TV in San Antonio, Texas.

Davis previously served as manager of coverage and content at WSB-TV in Atlanta, Georgia; news director at WDSU-TV in New Orleans, Louisiana; managing editor at KDFW-TV in Dallas, Texas; news director at WSET-TV in Lynchburg, Virginia; assistant news director at KATV-TV, in Little Rock, Arkansas; and was a weekend and senior producer at WBRZ-TV in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.

Davis graduated in 1983 with a bachelor’s degree in journalism from LSU. In 2020, he was inducted into the LSU Alumni Association’s Hall of Distinction. He currently serves on the Manship School of Mass Communication’s Board of Visitors, as well as the Emma Bowen Foundation Board of Directors.

Louis Day, Ph.D.

Louis Day, Ph.D., an expert in media law and ethics, holds the position of alumni professor emeritus at the LSU Manship School of Mass Communication. For 35 years, Day taught and conducted research in the areas of media law and media ethics. He is the author of one of the leading textbooks in media ethics, “Ethics in Media Communications: Cases and Controversies,” which draws from the historical foundations of professional ethics and media law. 

Day has held various positions at the Manship School, including acting director of the school, associate dean for graduate studies and research, and international programs coordinator. Day developed the Manship School’s course in media ethics and social responsibility and has taught various courses, including media law, electronic news gathering, television news, broadcast newswriting and reporting, public opinion and press theory. Day was the Scripps Howard Foundation’s National Teacher of the Year in 2005.

Day’s professional background includes experience as a television and radio news reporter, writer and editor, and two years in public information with the U.S. military. Day earned bachelor’s and master’s degrees in journalism from the University of Georgia and a Ph.D. in mass communication from Ohio University.