Radcliffe Day honors Judy Woodruff, Gwen Ifill
Rain and cool temperatures didn’t dissuade a crowd of hundreds from gathering under a white tent just off Brattle Street on Friday for the annual post-Commencement celebration, luncheon, and reunion known as Radcliffe Day. The event honors an individual who has had “a transformative impact on society.” Past honorees include Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Federal Reserve chair Janet Yellen, Massachusetts Chief Justice Margaret Marshall, and actress Jane Alexander. But this year was different, with recognition for two people — journalists whose work literally changed the face of the industry in the United States. Judy Woodruff and the late Gwen Ifill were awarded the Radcliffe Medal for their commitment to groundbreaking journalism and for shattering the broadcast news industry’s glass ceiling. In 2013, the pair became the first women to lead a network newscast when they took the helm of “PBS NewsHour” as both co-anchors and co-managing editors of the broadcast. “In covering news...