Mike Leonard, 2014-18 scholarship chair
Bloom Magazine
Mike Leonard is executive editor of Indiana’s Bloom Magazine. Previously, he was general interest columnist for Bloomington’s Herald-Times. In a career spanning nearly 35 years at the newspaper, he covered numerous beats, including arts and entertainment and also higher education.
Mike was 2002-04 president of the National Society of Newspaper Columnists and hosted its 2010 conference in Bloomington. He’s served on the executive board of the Council of National Journalism Organizations and enjoyed a fellowship in Japan sponsored by the International Center for Journalists. Among his many awards, he’s most proud of receiving the School Bell Award for outstanding education reporting from the Indiana State Teachers Association and his inclusion in the compendium, The Best of The Rest: Non-Syndicated Newspaper Columnists Select Their Best Work, edited by Sam G. Riley.
A native Hoosier, Mike has written for a variety of publications including Rolling Stone and CNN online. He has taught as an adjunct faculty member in the Indiana University School of Journalism and Department of Telecommunications. He is an honors graduate of Ball State University where he earned majors in English and journalism.
Bio adapted from Bloom Magazine. 12/11/13