Sean is an award-winning journalist who has been a columnist for more than five years for the paper he read while growing up, The Buffalo News, and has just accepted a position as journalist-in-residence at Le Moyne College. Sean’s appointment will strengthen the College’s journalism programs and advance the College’s mission of fostering leadership and engagement in local, regional, and global communities.
Prior to joining The Buffalo News, Sean wrote for The Post-Standard in Syracuse for over a quarter-century. He was the recipient of a number of prestigious honors in journalism, including the Ernie Pyle Award, given annually to an American writer who best captured the hopes and dreams of everyday Americans. Sean is also honored with a place on the Syracuse Press Club Wall of Distinction.
As we discussed the mission of Central Current with Sean over the past several months, a dominant theme emerged: our community is filled with stories that need to be told – stories of people doing extraordinary things, often in the face of long odds, many times with passion and vision that astounds, almost always with a selfless dedication that puts the bigger picture over personal ambition. Sean’s writing demonstrates profound inter-personal intelligence, hitting readers on an emotional level while also revealing what is essential and true.
Sean is one of those rare individuals, a clear-eyed optimist who exudes enthusiasm about Syracuse, his adopted hometown. Sean has used the Gaelic term “seanchaí” to describe his good friend, the late Neil Driscoll. It is an apt description of Sean. A seanchaí is a traditional Gaelic storyteller and historian who passes information from one generation to the next about folklore, myth, history, and legend. Sean’s writing represents the best in storytelling and in journalism – meticulously researched and accurate, his writing unlocks the potential of our community through lessons and stories about the people and communities that shape who we are. We and Le Moyne College are extraordinarily fortunate to have the opportunity to work with Sean, and we look forward to a long and rich relationship.
In addition to the Ernie Pyle award, Sean has received a number of honors and awards including the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence Voices in Action Media award and the Sigma Delta Chi national award for distinguished column writing. In 2018, Sean received an honorary Doctor of Humane Letters degree from Le Moyne College. In 2016, he received an honorary doctorate from The State University of New York at the Onondaga Community College commencement.
Based on Sean’s suggestion in 2003, The Tolkien Society established March 25 as Tolkien Reading Day to honor J.R.R. Tolkien and to advance the reading of his works. Sean has been part of organizing a Tolkien Reading Day in Syracuse, its global birthplace, every year since 2008. Sean speaks with gratitude of a family with deep ties to the community. His wife Nora, now retired, was a teacher in the Syracuse schools for many years. Sean and Nora have three grown children: Sarah and Liam, both of Syracuse, and Seamus, who works in New York City.
About Central Current, Inc.
Central Current, Inc. is a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization dedicated to bringing independent online news to Central New York. We plan to launch our digital news publication this coming fall. The publication will provide thoroughly researched news and analysis about people, issues, and events that impact life in Central New York and will be guided by sound journalistic values. More information can be found at centralcurrent.org – a website launched this past spring to share information about the organization and the underlying rationale for independent, not-for-profit news.
Over the next few months, we will assemble a team of journalists, finalize our plans for coverage, continue our work on fund development, and develop a website and social media channels for the publication. Sean’s agreement to join our team is an exciting step in our progress. Your thoughts are valued. Please take the time to fill out our community survey or share your ideas with us in an email addressed to info@centralcurrent.org.
