Nancy Armour

The Diederich College of Communication is proud to welcome Marquette University alumna Nancy Armour as the 2019 Pete and Bonnie Axthelm Memorial lecturer. Ms. Armour, columnist for USA Today Sports, will present this year’s lecture on March 19 in the Alumni Memorial Union from 4 – 5:30 p.m.

In 2004, Armour joined USA Today, Sports as the national columnist and covered major sporting events, such as the Super Bowl, Olympics and World Cup. She also provides opinions on other major sporting events and news developments, such as the USA Gymnastics sex abuse scandal. Prior to joining USA Today, Armour worked as an Associated Press correspondent for twenty years.

At this year's lecture, Armour will discuss how sports journalism is changing with the rise of digital platforms. In addition to telling a compelling story of the action on the field, sports journalists must also manage an online presence, which presents unique challenges: the potential for blowback is high, and journalists need strategies to respond. Armour, who started her career as a sports journalist reporting for the Marquette Tribune while a student, will share how she develops and manages this new terrain of sports journalism.

In this the 25th year of the Axthelm Lecture, we will also take time to remember the past quarter century of Axthelm Lectures and scholarship award winners who together have helped us honor the legacy of Bonnie and Pete Axthelm.

About the Axthelm Memorial Program

The Pete and Bonnie Axthelm Memorial Program was established in 1994 at Marquette University (Milwaukee, Wisconsin) to acknowledge and recognize the life of Pete Axthelm and his sister Bonnie. Every year this program awards a scholarship to an outstanding Marquette journalism student with an expressed interest in sports journalism.

Pete Axthelm was one of America's foremost sports journalists. Although a Yale alum, he created ties to Marquette University while working on his critically acclaimed book, "The City Game," which covers the glory and tragedy of New York basketball. While writing and researching his book, Axthelm sought the expertise of such Marquette notables as Al McGuire, Pat Smith, and Dean Meminger.

During his distinguished career as a sportswriter and columnist for the New York Herald Tribune, Sports Illustrated and Newsweek, Pete established a reputation as a gifted journalist. His knowledge of sports combined with his journalistic skills led him to sports commentator positions for NBC and ESPN.

Bonnie Axthelm was among the highest ranking women at 3M Europe during her lifetime. She began her notable career as a secretary at Media Networks Incorporated, eventually rising through the company to hold the top position of Executive Director of Corporate Marketing and Public Affairs. Bonnie’s name was added to the memorial scholarship in after her death in 1998.

Past Axthelm Scholarship Recipients
Past Axthelm Lecture Speakers
Selected Works by Pete Axthelm