BYLINE AWARD
Michael Huang, Comm ’93
Canton, Conn.
How did a kid from the New Jersey suburbs whose only knowledge of Catholic priests came from the 1986 film “The Mission” end up at Marquette? Michael Huang will tell you this story and others, but he is quick to shift the conversation from any focus on him to his newsroom team, the kids he coaches, or the NYU students he teaches.
As the managing editor for sports at The Philadelphia Inquirer, Michael is working hard to diversify his staff in terms of youth, race, and gender. What truly motivates him is watching the personal and professional growth of his team of reporters and editors.
When he isn’t leading his team in the newsroom, Michael is in front of a classroom of students at NYU, teaching courses in sports reporting and sports and society. In the long term, Michael plans to transition to teaching full time. He tells his students that he isn’t smarter than them; he’s just been around longer, and his job is to teach them what he’s learned.
Michael recalls a transformative moment at Marquette that has massively influenced how he approaches teaching, managing, and coaching. At the end of his first semester, he was struggling in Theo 001 and was confident he had failed the final exam. “I did not grow up with a religious background. Fr. Lambeck knew this and understood why this was a disadvantage for me. Despite this, he saw how hard I tried to learn the material, so the effort and good work was enough for him. That is how I approach my employees, students and players,” Michael says. This experience taught Michael the concept of piety and understanding the epistemology of an individual and how it can affect his/her learning or performance.
Name someone (past or present) with whom you’d like to have dinner.
J.R.R. Tolkien and his manuscripts located in Marquette’s archives!
Share something interesting you’re currently involved with in your community/personally.
I served as the director for our local girls’ softball league for seven years. I reconstructed a withering program with not more than 15 girls and built a robust multi-town entity with more than 180 girls from first grade to eighth grade. Many of the young women have gone on to excellent academic careers as well as become accomplished athletes in either softball or other sports. I now serve as a consultant to the current director
Leave a congratulatory message for Michael!