People of Park

Tara Lynch and David Muir had both set their sights set on broadcast news while they were still in high school, and both were on the air in anchor seats on ICTV during their first semester at Ithaca College. Muir now occupies the anchor seat at ABC World News Tonight and regularly Skypes into the Park School's first-year class, S’Park, where Lynch first asked him a question. Muir later invited Lynch to visit him on the set of ABC World News Tonight over winter break. 

From being the youngest anchor at ICTV (he started in his first year!) to the youngest news anchor on network television, David Muir has always been a trailblazer. Currently the anchor of ABC World News Tonight, Muir helped the network newscast top the ratings in fall 2017 for the first time in more than 20 years. Muir has won multiple Emmy Awards for his work.

He has also remained heavily involved with the college. Every semester he Skypes with journalism majors in S’Park courses. He also established a scholarship fund for Park students who want to study abroad. In 2011, he delivered the Commencement address, and in 2015, Muir received an honorary doctor of letters degree and the Jessica Savitch Award of Distinction for Excellence in Journalism from the college.

When he spoke as part of the Jessica Savitch Distinguished Journalism Lecture Series, he said, “I remember sitting in the front row of the auditorium during my time as a journalism major, listening to speakers from the various networks. I would hang on their every word in hopes that I would one day join their ranks.”

Now he’s inspiring the next generation of journalists: “I have wanted to be a journalist since I was in kindergarten,” said a current student. “When David Muir landed on World News Tonight, I absolutely loved all of his work as a journalist. I chose Ithaca College because of him. I came all the way from California because I hope to be the next David Muir.”