Al Neuharth, an alumnus of the University of South Dakota annually presents “The Al Neuharth Award for Excellence in the Media” to an outstanding national journalist. Neuharth presents this award to a media professional who exhibits the qualities that the statue embodies. Artist Dale Lamphere says “the sculpture stands as an embodiment of the press. The base represents the massive amount of diverse information. From this stream of information and events, the journalist offers an enlightened and independent synthesis of fact. The free flowing drapery in the sculpture depicts diversity at one end, which culminates at a specific point – just as the journalist takes the free flow of information, distills it and presents it to the public. The torch extending from the upraised arm is the distillation of information shinning back on the face and offering illumination to the viewer.”

Al Neuharth presenting Tom Curley, president and publisher of USA Today with the 2002 rAllen H. Neuharth Award for Excellence in Journalism

Neuharth founded USA Today in 1982, the most widely read newspaper in the country. Neuharth retired from Gannett on March 31, 1989, at the age of 65.

Neuharth also founded and has served as chairman of the Freedom Forum since 1991.The Freedom Forum describes itself as "a nonpartisan foundation dedicated to free press, free speech and free spirit for all people."