Dozier picked for Emily Couric award

The 2009 Emily Couric leadership scholars are: (front) Lily Erb, Tandem; Allie Cooper, Monticello High; Effie Nicholaou, Western Albemarle; Emma Yackso, winner of the $15,000 scholarship, Charlottesville High; Christina Horton, Albemarle High; (back row) Megan Thomas, Murray High; Ladi Smith, $5,000 merit award winner, St. Anne's-Belfield; Kimberly Dozier; Devon Ryan, Miller School; Madeline Zimmer, Renaissance School, and Brea Thomas, Covenant School.
PHOTO BY MARY JOHNSON

Three years after CBS reporter and UVA alum Kimberly Dozier was seriously injured by a car bomb in Iraq, the journalist talked about her work and recovery to a crowd that included John Grisham and Congressman Tom Perriello at the May 18 Emily Couric Leadership Scholarship Awards luncheon.

"Please don't risk my life if we're not going to make air," Dozier recounted her cameraman, Paul Douglas, saying. The report on what it was like for U.S. troops in Baghdad was supposed to make the airwaves on Memorial Day 2006, but a car bomb killed Douglas and soundman James Brolan, and left Dozier with her legs looking like "hamburger," she said.

Dozier was presented the Women's Leadership Award, which has gone to former Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O'Connor, Caroline Kennedy, and Dozier's CBS News colleague Katie Couric.