Bob Schieffer ’59 was presented in February with a Texas Medal of the Arts Award for lifetime contributions to journalism.

Awarded by the Texas Cultural Trust Council, the honor is given to a dozen Texans every two years, and spotlights creative excellence, exemplary talents and outstanding contributions in business, industry, education and the arts.

“When Walter Cronkite got this award, I presented it to him,” Schieffer told the Austin media. “So that makes it really meaningful to me, because Walter was my hero. Walter was who I wanted to be when I grew up.”

Schieffer is the third TCU alumnus to be recognized by the council. In 2009, Betty Buckley ’68 was given a Texas Medal of the Arts Award for her career in musical theatre.

In 2007, the council awarded novelist Sandra Brown ’69, whose career includes 60 The New York Times best sellers.