Jun 05, 2014 07:27 AM EDT By Staff Reporter, UniversityHerald Reporter

Robin Roberts, the award-winning anchor of "Good Morning America," has been chosen as the recipient of the Walter Cronkite Award for Excellence in Journalism for 2014. Roberts, a native of the Mississippi Gulf Coast, will be honored with the 31^st annual award at a luncheon ceremony Oct. 6.

"I'm truly humbled to join the list of remarkable journalists who have received the Walter Cronkite Award," Roberts said in a statement. "I'm honored to be selected and look forward to spending time with the students at Arizona State University. I know we're all in great hands with this next generation of journalists."

Roberts's association with "Good Morning America" began as a co-host in 2005. Over a period, the program topped the morning show ratings and received three consecutive Emmy Awards for Outstanding Morning Program. During her tenure, Roberts conducted interviews with prominent personalities including President Barack Obama, Academy award-winning actor Sidney Poitier and basketball legend Kareem Abdul-Jabbar.

Prior to ABC News, Roberts served as an anchor for "SportsCenter" and contributed to "NFL Primetime" on ESPN from 1990-2005.

Roberts has also been given awards that recognized her spirit and courage while battling a rare bone marrow disorder called myelodysplastic syndrome in 2012 and breast cancer in 2007. She is the recipient of  the Susan G. Komen Foundation honor, the Congressional Families Cancer Prevention Program, ESPN's Arthur Ashe Courage Award and the prestigious Peabody Award for "Robin's Journey" in 2013.

Roberts is a 1983 graduate of communications degree from Southeastern Louisiana University.

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