Pursuing the Truth: Accountability in a Connected World
Marty Baron ’76 MBA’76 H’14, Stephanie Ruhle ‘97 and Michael Smerconish ’84 have shaped the way audiences understand a rapidly changing world, seeking truth in a world where meaning can be muddled.
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Marty Baron ’76 ’76G ’14H, Stephanie Ruhle ’97 and Michael Smerconish ’84 took different paths through the landscape of journalism (Baron from an investigative lens, Ruhle from a background in global finance and Smerconish via law, politics and broadcast media) yet they have shaped public discourse with that same driving principle.
For Baron, the pursuit of truth took root long before his name became synonymous with some of the most consequential journalism of our time. As a student and editor of The Brown and White, Lehigh’s student-run newspaper, he sharpened the skills that would later define his career such as curiosity and an unwavering belief in the public’s right to know. That belief guided him through a 45-year career, leading newsrooms at The Miami Herald, The Boston Globe and The Washington Post, and earning 18 Pulitzer Prizes under his leadership.
Through his reporting, Baron helped shape history. From the contested 2000 presidential election in Florida to the explosive revelations of abuse in the Catholic Church, to overseeing coverage of Edward Snowden’s NSA leaks, Baron made sure his newsrooms pursued what was real, even when it was difficult.
When he returned to Lehigh as Commencement speaker in 2014, his message to graduates was simple but profound. Let your values guide you and speak the truth, even when the world pushes back.
As host of Smerconish on CNN and The Michael Smerconish Program on SiriusXM, Michael Smerconish ’84 brings his audience the facts and varied perspectives they need to make informed decisions.
Stephanie Ruhle ’97 appears across all NBC News and MSNBC platforms, including “TODAY” and NBCNews.com. She’s known for anchoring “MSNBC Live with Stephanie Ruhle.”
Marty Baron ’76, ’76G, ’14H attended Lehigh’s screening of the Oscar-nominated film Spotlight which chronicled the moments surrounding the Boston Globe’s Pulitzer Prize-winning investigation into the Catholic Church’s cover-up of clergy sex abuse, which Baron oversaw.
At the 2024-25 Compelling Perspectives event series, Baron spoke about the free press as an integral part of democracy, the importance of investigative journalism and challenges facing journalists today.
That same sense of clarity and conviction defines Ruhle, whose path to journalism began on Wall Street. After earning a degree in international business from Lehigh, she built a successful career at Credit Suisse and Deutsche Bank, rising to managing director. After years in the boardroom, she made a career shift and stepped into the studio.
From Bloomberg Television to MSNow, Ruhle has brought financial fluency to the frontlines of American storytelling. Like Baron, she remembered where it all started. She returned to Lehigh in 2016 to deliver a powerful Commencement address, calling on students to lead with courage, empathy and authenticity. She’s also stayed connected to campus through panels, events and mentorship, committed to shaping the next generation of thoughtful, fearless communicators.
Trained as a lawyer and once a political insider, Smerconish pivoted to journalism with a rare and real approach—nonpartisan honesty. As host of Smerconish on CNN and The Michael Smerconish Program on SiriusXM, he has built a space for thoughtful discourse in a time of division, where facts carry more weight than clickbait and opposing views are not vilified, but explored. Smerconish often says his role isn’t to tell his audience what to think, but to make them think.
Baron, Ruhle and Smerconish understand that journalism involves telling the right stories, even when they are uncomfortable. They are part of a legacy of Lehigh alumni using their platforms to pursue truth and hold power accountable. Their impact is a testament to what happens when values meet vision.
At Lehigh, we don’t just talk about truth. We prepare leaders to seek it and share it.
