PHL journalist Sheila Coronel named academic dean at Columbia J-school

Multi-awarded Filipina journalist Sheila Coronel will assume the position of Dean of Academic Affairs at the Columbia Journalism School in New York beginning July 1, 2014, Dean Steve Coll announced Wednesday, Manila time.

Before beginning her teaching career at Columbia in 2006, Coronel had co-founded and led the Philippine Center for Investigative Journalism for many years. She received the Ramon Magsaysay Award in 2003.

Columbia is arguably the leading journalism school in the world. Coronel received the university's Presidential Teaching Award in 2011 as one of Columbia's best teachers.

“Sheila is a superb journalist, teacher, and leader,” said Coll. “Her deep commitment to investigative reporting, data science and global journalism makes her ideally positioned to advance the school’s most important priorities.”

Before ascending to dean, Coronel had been serving as the Toni Stabile Professor of Professional Practice in Investigative Journalism & Director at the Toni Stabile Center for Investigative Journalism since 2006. She will continue to serve in those roles even with her new position.

Coronel succeeds Bill Grueskin, who was Dean of Academic Affairs since 2008. She will continue her teaching and her Directorship at the Stabile Center.

Coll said Coronel “has earned the great respect of her faculty colleagues and has done much to improve the school since she arrived here.”

“She has also established herself as a media leader through her service to groups working to advance investigative journalism worldwide and to protect reporters under pressure. I look forward to learning from her and supporting her new leadership role at Columbia,” he added.

An alumna of the University of the Philippines Diliman (Political Science) and holder of a Master's Degree in Political Sociology from the London School of Economics, Coronel began her career in investigative journalism in 1982 at the Philippine Panorama.

Her investigative career in the Philippines spanned five presidents.

She reported on human rights abuses during the Marcos regime, covered the multiple coup attempts of Corazon Aquino's presidency, and dug into Joseph Estrada's wealth and lavish lifestyle.

She co-founded the Philippine Center for Investigative Journalism in 1989. Under her leadership, the PCIJ became the premier institution for investigative reporting in Asia.

Coronel has written for The Manila Times, The Manila Chronicle, The New York Times, and the UK newspaper The Guardian. She has also been editor and author of over a dozen books. — Vida Cruz/KBK, GMA News