Dennis Kauff
In the 1970s one of the strongest presences at MSN was Journalist Dennis Kauff. Born in the East, Dennis came to MSU with a reporter’s curiosity and fire for broadcasting. As a disc jockey, reporter and ultimately MSN News Director, he won the respect and friendship of all who knew him, moving quickly into the professional world as a reporter at WILS.
We all knew Dennis had what it took to compete in the big-time and it wasn’t long before we were listening on the sky-wave to hear his morning news broadcasts on WSB radio in Atlanta. His trademark impatience, dry humor and ballistic focus on his goals helped him make the jump to television in Atlanta with a move to Boston’s venerable WBZ soon thereafter. He won numerous awards for his work and began to settle down with wife and family in the Boston area.
Dennis was at the top of his game when he was killed by a drunk driver one night in 1983. He was mourned by the great and near great, eulogized by a Massachusetts governor and continues to inspire journalists with two major awards named in his memory.
The Dennis Kauff Memorial Fellowship
Boston University provides a partial- to full-tuition scholarship in Dennis’ memory, for a senior or graduate student pursuing a career in broadcast journalism. Candidates are judged on academic achievement, school and community service, evidence of individuality and creativity, and some financial need.
The Dennis Kauff Journalism Award
Is given by Boston University in recognition of a lifetime of achievement in broadcasting. Honorees include a who’s who of broadcast journalists including Leslie Stahl, Peter Arnett and Tom Brokaw.
