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California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo

Laura Diaz is an award-winning Southern California news anchor at Fox 11 KTTV and KCOP. For more than two decades, Ms. Diaz has anchored, reported, and produced for several flagship Los Angeles news stations. She is the first Mexican- American journalist to hold a lead anchor position at a Southern California English-language television station. Ms. Diaz is a Southern California native and is the daughter of Mexican- American immigrants.  

After graduating from California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo, Ms. Diaz accepted her first job in television at KSBY in San Luis Obispo followed by a reporting job at KFSN in Fresno. She then returned to Southern California as a reporter for KABC-TV at ABC 7 in Orange County and CBS 2.

Ms. Diaz has won numerous awards including 14 Emmy Awards, three Imagen Awards, and two Golden Mikes. In 2003, she received the L.A. Press Club's highest honor, the "Joseph M. Quinn Award" for journalistic excellence and distinction.  

In addition to her achievements in broadcast journalism, Ms. Diaz is also a member of the advisory board of trustees for The Joyful Foundation. The Joyful Foundation works to organize neighborhood watches around the country to keep child predators off the streets. She is also a member of the Diversity Committee for the Pasadena Playhouse, a historic performing arts venue in Pasadena, California.  

In recognition of her impactful role as an award-winning and visionary journalist, the Board of Trustees of the California State University and California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo are proud to confer upon Laura Diaz the honorary degree of Doctor of Humane Letters.