Marilyn Webb

Distinguished Professor and Co-Chair of Journalism

General Interests
Webb was nominated for a Pulitzer Prize for her 1997 book The Good Death: The New American Search to Reshape the End of Life, which traces the lives of 15 terminally ill patients, using their experiences to explore social, legal, and moral issues surrounding death in America. Over the course of her research, she interviewed 300 health care professionals, including the infamous "suicide doctor" Jack Kevorkian.

Most recently, Webb served as editor of the outreach publications that accompanied the PBS series "The Secret Life of Brain," which detailed the brain's capacity for change from birth to the last stages of life. In addition to editing the guide, which serves as an aid to educators, Webb wrote profiles of people featured in the series such as an 8-year-old boy with dyslexia and an eighth grader in Iowa diagnosed with schizophrenia.

Years at Knox: 2001 to present

Education
M.S., 1981, Journalism, Columbia University.
M.A., 1967, Psychology, University of Chicago.
B.A., 1964, Brandeis University.

Teaching Interests
Newswriting, reporting, feature writing, in-depth reporting

Recent Accomplishments
Publications
"The Media and End of Life Issues." Decisions Near the End of Life, Rutgers University Press (2008).

The Good Death: The New American Search to Reshape the End of Life. Bantam Books, 1997.

Presentations
Journalism Program at Knox College, ACM Conference on the Millenial Generation, MacAlester College, St. Paul, Minnesota.

Campus & Community Involvement
Co-director, Journalism Department.

Invited participant, Howard University's Neiman Foundation seminar for editors of literary journalist.
Contributing writer and editor, New York Magazine.
Contributing writer and editor, Ladies Home Journal.
Contributing writer and editor, McCall's Magazine.
Contributing writer and editor, Women's Day.
Contributing writer and editor, Woman's World.
Contributing writer and editor, US Magazine.
Contributing writer and editor, Harper's Bazaar.
Contributing writer and editor, Cosmopolitan.
Contributing writer and editor, Redbook.
Contributing writer and editor, Glamour.
Editor-in-chief, Psychology Today.
Leader, redesign of Psychology Today that included a redefinition of its editorial vision.
Teacher, Columbia University, lectured extensively on death and dying.
Keynote Speaker, New York University Law School, The New School, New York City.
Panelist, "Second Opini0n: The End of Life." Aired on 200 PBS Stations nation-wide.

What Students Say
"I feel so lucky to have had the opportunity to study under such a renowned journalist as Marilyn Webb. She brings a high level of expertise and knowledge to her classes, and she is obviously a gifted writer and reporter, but she is also one of the most understanding and caring people I have encountered at Knox. Her classes have challenged me to grow as a writer and to get out of my comfort zone, but she is so supportive through each step."
-Andrea Thomson, English literature major

Contact
309-341-7831
mwebb@knox.edu