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EX-EDITOR CITES LYTEL AS INFLUENCE
[Dugout Note: This little memoir was written in tribute to Villanova University English professor (and student newspaper moderator) June Lytel, and presented to her at the 75th Anniversary dinner for the paper in the fall of 2000. The dinner coincided with Lytel's retirement from the University. The tone is humorous, the admiration is sincere. -- JHD]
Malvern, PA - September 1, 2000 -- "June Lytel made me what I am today," said Jim DeLorenzo, a former news editor at The Villanovan. "A stressed-out, overweight, balding hack toiling in public relations."
A 1984 Villanova University graduate with a bachelor's degree in English, DeLorenzo, 38, was a staff writer at the University's student weekly publication for four years. An assistant news editor under editor-in-chief Gerry Arth in 1982, he was news editor during the 1982-83 term of Len LaBarth along with Mary Claire Leahy.
"I wanted to be just like June when I was a student, except for her gender and her nails," DeLorenzo said. "She inspired me to become a better writer, a patient but critical editor, and re-enforced my love of writing and journalism."
"June guided me through my favorite year in college when I worked alongside the talented LaBarth and Dean Balsamini," said DeLorenzo. "I have watched Len and Dean enviously and proudly from afar as their journalism careers have prospered."
DeLorenzo recalled that Lytel often indulged his childish sense of humor, whether it be his Raymond Burr and Gary Cooper impressions during the Thursday paste-up sessions, or his contributions to "Who Knows, Who Cares" during his senior year.
"I am proud that I was allowed to write for The Villanovan in the first place, and even prouder that I was able to contribute a bylined article to every section of the paper at one time or another, and had at least one byline in every edition of the paper during my final two years as a student," said DeLorenzo. "My happiest memory is of June giving Len and me the green-light to put out a rare 'extra' edition of the paper in late December 1983, when the University's trustees brought back the football program. I had been the unofficial football beat writer for three years at that point, and it was a culmination of a topic that was close to my heart. The decision came during final exams, and after the formal ending of our roles as editors, so it ruffled a few feathers, but I still have the whole issue framed on my office wall.
"I was also happy to have had June as a teacher, taking three different classes with her," DeLorenzo said. "Although I can admit now that taking her 'Women in Literature' course was a blatant suck-up move on my part."
DeLorenzo's newspaper career after working at The Villanovan was brief. He was a sports correspondent at The Trentonian (NJ) from 1983 through 1984, and then worked at his alma mater for the next 11 years.
"You might say I embraced the dark side of the force and went into public relations," said DeLorenzo. "I am proud of the time I spent at Villanova, first as assistant sports information director and then my five years as director, and happy that I was able to work with my successors at The Villanovan on a number of stories during those years. I was also able to practice what June taught me, teaching students on my staff how to write, and editing a few hundred publications along the way."
He left Villanova in May 1995, and spent two years as publicist for Jimmy Connors, John McEnroe, Bjorn Borg and the men's over-35 professional tennis Champions Tour. In 1997, DeLorenzo became the public relations director for a start-up Internet company, US Interactive, and guided their press and marketing efforts through their initial public offering in August 1999. DeLorenzo recently started his own public relations agency, JHD Enterprises, which works with Internet and technology companies.
"I'm not an Internet millionaire, but do have an edge in all my efforts from what June taught me. I still know how to think like a reporter, ask the right questions, and report the facts succinctly," DeLorenzo said. "I was lucky to have such a dynamic mentor."
--- 30 ---
---JHD---
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