2008 Honorary Degree
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Enjoying a career that has included nearly every realm of journalism and featured a four-year stint as a United States ambassador, Curiel has returned to the print media as a member of the editorial board of The New York Times.
Born and raised in Hammond, Ind., Curiel came to West Lafayette and graduated from Purdue in 1976 with a degree in radio-television-film. During her time at Purdue, Curiel was a sports editor for the Exponent and an announcer for WBAA, the university's radio station.
Curiel's first job in professional journalism was at United Press International, where she rose to become chief of the Caribbean Division. After working at ABC News, The Washington Post, The New York Times and ABC News "Nightline," Curiel joined the White House Executive Office as a speechwriter to President Bill Clinton in 1993. In 1995, she was promoted to special assistant and senior presidential speechwriter to President Clinton.
From 1997 to 2001, Curiel served as United States ambassador to Belize. She then joined the editorial board of The New York Times, where she writes opinion pieces for the editorial section of the publication.
While she served as ambassador to Belize, Curiel was known to be very hands-on. She swam with Smithsonian scientists to survey the country's barrier reef, climbed Mayan ruins with archaeologists, and joined both U.S. and regional forces in the jungle for military exercises.
She has been nominated for an Emmy for her work as a producer and writer for Ted Koppel's "Nightline." Latina Magazine named Curiel as one of 50 Latina women who made history. Her name appears often on rosters of distinguished Hispanic Americans.
She received an honorary doctor of laws degree from Calumet College of St. Joseph in Indiana in 1998 and Purdue's College of Liberal Arts Outstanding Alumna Award in 2005. She currently serves on the advisory board of the Neiman Foundation for Journalism at Harvard University.
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