Karen Elliott House, former executive committee member of Dow Jones & Company and publisher of The Wall Street Journal, has been named the 1996-97 College of Communication Outstanding Alumnus.

House earned a bachelor's degree in journalism from The University of Texas at Austin. She was managing editor of the student newspaper, The Daily Texan, and is now a member of the College of Communication Advisory Council. House also received a University of Texas at Austin Distinguished Alumnus Award.

House began her journalism career at The Dallas Morning News before joining The Wall Street Journal in their Washington, D.C. bureau. After moving to New York she was named diplomatic correspondent, then assistant foreign editor and then foreign editor. During this time House received a Pulitzer Prize in international reporting for her coverage of the Middle East. Her other journalism awards include the Overseas Press Club’s Considine Award for best daily newspaper interpretation of foreign affairs (twice), the National Press Club’s Edwin M. Hood Award for Excellence in Diplomatic Reporting for a series on Saudi Arabia, and many more.

House would eventually become president of Dow Jones International Group where she was responsible for the business and editorial staffs of all Dow Jones overseas publications and services, international sales operations, overseas investments and public partnerships. She continues to have responsibility for oversight of CNBC Europe and CNBC Asia Pacific, a business television partnership of Dow Jones and NBC Universal.

House also serves as director of the Council on Foreign Relations, was former director of the Committee to protect Journalists, is a trustee of the Rand Corporation, and was a fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences.