Oral History Interview with White, Debbie Harmison

Debbie Harmison White began working at ODU in 1979 as Assistant Sports Information Director and retired in June 2016 as Senior Associate Athletic Director for External Relations. She was the first full-time woman sportswriter in the state of Virginia, serving on the staff of The Daily Press in Newport News, Va., from 1974-1977, and in the late 1970s she was one of only three women SID’s in an NCAA Division I institution. Ms. White served as the press moderator at the NCAA Women’s Basketball Final Four for 19 years, served on 1981 and 1982 United States Olympic Sports Festival media staffs, represented the United States on the media coordination team at the 1984 Winter Olympics in Sarajevo, Yugoslavia, and received a Lifetime Achievement Award from the College Sports Information Directors of America organization. She was born in West Virginia. In the interview, White discusses her career in journalism and as an administrator in the athletics department at ODU. The interview took place in Perry Library on the campus of Old Dominion University in Norfolk, Virginia. Interview transcribed by Megan Smith and Greg Magier.

Debbie Harmison White began working at ODU in 1979 as Assistant Sports Information Director and retired in June 2016 as Senior Associate Athletic Director for External Relations. She was the first full-time woman sportswriter in the state of Virginia, serving on the staff of The Daily Press in Newport News, Va., from 1974-1977, and in the late 1970s she was one of only three women SID’s in an NCAA Division I institution. Ms. White served as the press moderator at the NCAA Women’s Basketball Final Four for 19 years, served on 1981 and 1982 United States Olympic Sports Festival media staffs, represented the United States on the media coordination team at the 1984 Winter Olympics in Sarajevo, Yugoslavia, and received a Lifetime Achievement Award from the College Sports Information Directors of America organization. She was born in West Virginia. In the interview, White discusses her career in journalism and as an administrator in the athletics department at ODU. The interview took place in Perry Library on the campus of Old Dominion University in Norfolk, Virginia.