The Michigan Association of Public Broadcasters delivered its Public Media Impact Award to Eastern Michigan University President James Smith and his wife Connie Ruhl-Smith.
The award is given to a donor and professional who contributes to public broadcasting in Michigan. The Smiths, who received the award during an Aug. 12, 2025, event, were honored for the contributions to WEMU-FM, the public broadcasting station that operates from King Hall on the Eastern Michigan University campus.
The Smiths were nominated by Molly Motherwell, the general manager and executive director of WEMU-FM.
“From the beginning, they have invested their time, their money and their pride in WEMU and achieved outstanding results that are more than worthy of the Public Media Impact Award,” Motherwell said in a written statement from the university.
WEMU, 89.1, is a National Public Radio-affiliated station licensed by the Eastern Michigan University Board of Regents. The station specializes in jazz, blues and local news. EMU is one of the station's 11 sponsors.
A spokesperson for the broadcasting association said the donor award was established in 1985 and was previously titled the Pioneer Award. The name was changed in 2015. Five other recipients in Washtenaw County have received the honor.
This year's award ceremony was held at the 2025 Michigan Association of Broadcasters' Summer Leadership Conference and Evening of Excellence in Traverse City, Michigan. Gov. Gretchen Whitmer served as the keynote speaker for the event.
The ceremony also recognized several other honorees:
- Julie Brinks, recipient of the 2025 Michigan Association of Broadcasters' Lifetime Achievement Award
- Blake Harms, recipient of the Michigan Association of Broadcasters' Foundation Young Professional Award
- Bill Hart, co-recipient of the Public Media Impact Award
- Hall of Fame inductees Jeff Gilbert, Tom Mogush and Chris Warren
