Helen Dewar

Helen Dewar (August 7, 1936 – November 4, 2006) was an American journalist and reporter for more than 40-years. She worked for The Washington Post, rising through the ranks to cover the United States Senate for a quarter of a century (1979–2004). Dewar worked for the Northern Virginia Sun from 1958–1961 covering education.

Dewar was the First female winner of the Everett McKinley Dirksen Award for Distinguished Reporting of Congress.

Background and education Helen Dewer, was born in Stockton, California, on August 7, 1936, to Herbert Duncan and Gertrude (Howland) Dewar. Her father, born in Belgium, was an attorney and a walnut farmer. Dewar graduated from the Katherine Branson School and then attended Stanford University, graduating in 1957 with a degree in political science. She worked as a reporter and editor, at the college newspaper, the Stanford Daily. After graduation, she spent time as a public affairs intern, at the CORO Foundation, in San Francisco.

Career Dewer went to work at The Washington Post in 1958, on the advice of her mentors at the CORO Foundation. She left after a week, unhappy with the duties she was assigned to, as part of the Women's Section. She joined the staff at the Northern Virginia Sun in Arlington, Virginia, where she covered education for two years.

Awards and recognition 1984 Winner, Everett McKinley Dirksen Award for Distinguished Reporting, by the National Press Foundation, for Distinguished Reporting of Congress 1987 Winner, Eugene Meyer Award, by The Washington Post, in recognition of her distinguished career and contribution to the newspaper 2006 Inducted into the Virginia Communications Hall of Fame In 2018 the Virginia Capitol Foundation announced that Dewar's name would be on the Virginia Women's Monument's glass Wall of Honor.