Dr. Sanjay Gupta

Dr. Sanjay Gupta, CNN’s chief medical correspondent who has been heavily involved in the network’s coverage of the coronavirus pandemic, will come to KU this spring to receive the university’s top journalism award.

Gupta has been selected to receive the 2022 William Allen White Foundation National Citation, and is scheduled to come to the University of Kansas on April 21 to receive the award.

“The William Allen White Foundation Board of Trustees continues their tradition of selecting a journalist who is making an impact on the profession,” Ann Brill, dean of the School of Journalism, said in a release. “In Dr. Gupta’s case, that impact extends to the entire world.”

In addition to his reporting on COVID and its impacts, Gupta has investigated multiple health trends and phenomena, including why life expectancy is declining in the United States, an examination of the use of medical marijuana, as well as reporting on life-saving efforts in ravaged areas of the world, including Afghanistan and Haiti.

Gupta joined CNN in 2001, and a few month later became a key member of the network’s coverage of the 9/11 terrorist attacks. He continues to be a practicing neurosurgeon, serving as the associate chief of neurosurgery at Grady Memorial Hospital in Atlanta, and is an associate professor of neurosurgery at Emory University Hospital.

Gupta was selected for the national citation by a vote of the William Allen White Foundation Board of Trustees. The award, named after the Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist from Emporia, has been recognizing outstanding journalists since 1950. Among past winners are Martin Baron, Sally Buzbee, Cokie Roberts, Leonard Pitts Jr., Paul Steiger, Gerald Seib, Candy Crowley, Seymour Hersh, John Carroll, Walter Cronkite, Arthur Sulzberger Jr., Helen Thomas, Charles Kuralt, Bernard Shaw, Bob Woodward, Molly Ivins, Gordon Parks, Bob Dotson and Frank Deford.

Gupta will be on the KU campus on April 21 as part of William Allen White Day. Traditionally, winners interact with classes at the journalism school and give an address that is open to the public.