Just learned the very sad news that my high school journalism advisor Tom Rolnicki died December 20th. After inspiring and challenging me and many of my classmates to strive to be the best, Tom went on to become the executive director of the National Scholastic Press Association and co-authored “Scolastic Journalism“. I was honored that he brought me in a couple times to speak at their annual conventions. Tom was truly an inspiration in many careers and will be missed.
Remembering a Mentor, Tom Rolnicki
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Hi Brian. I’m a graphic designer in Washington, DC, and in a nice touch of irony, I visited the Newseum on Dec 28 (my birthday) and it was when I returned home from that visit that I learned of Tom’s passing. Tom had been a friend and neighbor of mine in Minneapolis, during my college years and first years of working. I treasured him as a creative person, and will long remember many moments of “firsts” at his parties, and in his company.
Had I not received a magazine from the university we both graduated from seven years apart, I would not have known that Tom had passed away. I went to high school in central Wisconsin when he advised the yearbook and paper there. He saw things I did not see in myself yet and I started writing for both and became editor of the paper just before he left. I never became a working journalist but I was a better writer than most of my colleagues and have used his edit marks to fix writing of others without thinking about it. It is funnily ironic that Glenn said firsts.