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California State University, Fresno​

Born and raised in Hawaii, Janis "Jan" Yanehiro graduated from California State University, Fresno in 1970, with a degree in journalism.

For more than 14 years, Jan hosted "Evening Magazine," a pioneering nightly program on KPIX TV in San Francisco. As the founding cohost, she traveled in search of extraordinary people and places, in Japan, Russia, China, Australia, Europe, Mexico and throughout California and the U.S.

Ms. Yanehiro received several Emmys and other awards for her work on "Evening Magazine" and was inducted into the Academy of Television and Radio Hall of Fame in New York City. She received the Eleanor Roosevelt Humanitarian Award and is a 2003 Silver Circle lnductee of the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences. She has been named a Woman of Distinction by the Girl Scouts of America and an Outstanding Alumna of California State University, Fresno.

Ms. Yanehiro served as the cohost of "Appraise lt!" for five years and has also narrated numerous documentaries on the experiences of Japanese Americans during World War II, including the documentary "Forced Out."

Ms. Yanehiro is the President of Jan Yanehiro, lnc and maintains an active interest in the community serving as a board member for a variety of organizations. She is the author of three books including “This is Not The Life I Ordered: 50 Ways To Keep Your Head Above Water When Life Keeps Dragging You Down,” published in 2007.

Ms. Yanehiro is among the first native-born Asian American female journalists in the United States. She has been the director of multimedia communications at the Academy of Art University in San Francisco since 2008 and continues to host charity events, work in video productions and travel the world giving lectures.

She has made a personal commitment to California State University, Fresno that includes being recognized as a Top Dog for the College of Arts and Humanities, and she previously served as a member of the National Board of Visitors.

In recognition of her decades of achievement in broadcast journalism and her humanitarian work, the Board of Trustees of the California State University and California State University, Fresno are proud to confer upon Ms. Janis Yanehiro the honorary degree of Doctor of Humane Letters.