DENTON (UNT), Texas -- Bob Mong, editor emeritus of the Dallas Morning News who held many roles at the newspaper during 36 years, will receive the C.E. "Pop" Shuford Hall of Honor Award from the University of North Texas' Frank W. and Sue Mayborn School of Journalism.

The Shuford Hall of Honor Award recognizes individuals for professional and educational lifetime achievement and distinguished contributions to the journalism profession. The award is named for the faculty member who started the journalism program in 1945 at what was then North Texas State Teachers College. Open to those who have made impacts in the journalism profession, the Shuford Hall of Honor Award is the most prestigious award given by the Mayborn School and has been presented annually since 1982.

Mong will be honored at the annual Celebrate Mayborn awards ceremony April 30 (Thursday). Past Shuford Hall of Honor recipients include WFAA-TV anchor John McCaa, longtime PBS host and Pulitzer Prize winner Bill Moyers and Fort Worth Star-Telegram editor Jack Tinsley.

Mong was named the Morning News' editor-in-chief in 2001 and retired this past Feb. 15. Under his leadership, the Morning News became a major financial sponsor of the Mayborn Literary Nonfiction Conference, which has been hosted each July since 2005 by the Mayborn School's Frank W. Mayborn Graduate Institute of Journalism. The conference attracts approximately 300 participants each year who are interested in narrative nonfiction. Mong has also been a guest lecturer at the Mayborn School and hired many UNT alumni.

He began his career with the Morning News in 1979 as the assistant city editor, then served as deputy managing editor, managing editor, executive vice president and president/general manager before becoming editor-in-chief. During Mong's tenure in leadership positions, the newspaper's reporting staff received nine Pulitzer Prizes and were selected as finalists 16 times.

Mong was chairman of the Dallas Morning News Charities, which has raised more than $25 million since 1986 to provide for the homeless and the hungry in the North Texas region. In 2004, Mong received the Volunteers of America's Empathy Award, which honors news organizations and journalists for outstanding community service and excellence in reporting about social issues.

Several other awards will be presented to journalists and others at Celebrate Mayborn, which will also announce student scholarship winners. The awards and award winners include:

Alumni Appreciation Award -- Given to graduates or former students in the journalism program in recognition of long-term service to the program. Recipient:

Scott Parks, managing editor of the Denton Record-Chronicle

Distinguished Professional Achievement -- Recognizes individuals who are well known nationally or regionally in their professions and have had major influence on others in the profession. Recipients:

Rick Gershon, director of photography for MediaStorm

Stan and Barbara Levenson, chief executive officers for The Levenson Group, an

entertainment marketing agency based in Dallas

Mayborn Medallion Award -- Recognizes those who have engaged in partnership, collaboration or other efforts on behalf of the Mayborn School as a business entity. Recipients:

Nick Ricco, president of Ricco Family Partners, LTD, and his wife, Anna, who created an ethics scholarship awards competition that is open to all UNT students

Career Service Recognition -- Recognizes individuals who are successful in their professions and have given their valuable time to the Mayborn School by speaking to classes and/or student organizations. Recipients:

Alfredo Carbajal, managing editor of Al Dia

Anita Foster, chief communications officer for the North Texas Region of the American Red Cross

Theresa Gage, vice president of the Western Region for Undertone, a digital advertising company

Rising Star Award -- Given to graduates and former students of the journalism program who have been working in the field at least five years after graduating or leaving the program. Recipients:

Nedal Ahmed, copywriter at BBDO advertising agency in New York City.

Stephanie Chan, account executive at SHIFT Communications in New York

Jon Prior, reporter for POLITICO Pro

Super Alum Awards -- Recognizes graduates and former students of the journalism program who have provided service, such as being guest speakers to classes, advising student organizations, consistently posting jobs and internships on the Mayborn School's website and mentoring current students.

Recipients:

Tyler Curry, co-creator and senior editor of HIV Equal Online, an international online publication, and BAPZ Magazine, an HIV awareness print magazine based in Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe

Kim Phillips, vice president of the Denton Chamber of Commerce and director of the Denton Convention & Visitors Bureau