Revered former faculty member Joe Angotti died on January 25, 2026.
He was 87.
In 2005, Joe and his wife, Karen, co-founded Rainbow Riders Therapeutic Riding Center in Monmouth, IL where the Angotti’s had moved into a house built on Karen’s father’s former 12 acres, Bowman Meadow Farm.
Rainbow Riders is a nonprofit organization dedicated to providing safe, professional, and affordable therapeutic horseback riding and un-mounted horsemanship opportunities that contribute positively to the physical, cognitive, emotional, and social well-being of children and adults with special needs in the community. Our team of experienced instructors and volunteers work together to create a supportive environment for our riders, where they can build confidence, develop new skills, and make meaningful connections with the horses and other riders.
When Joe and Karen were raising their three sons Drew, Mark and Joe, in various cities over the years, the Angottis made sure they spent time in Monmouth during the summers, where they also learned to ride horses.
Here’s what Joe’s Medill community members had to say about one of the school’s most beloved faculty member:
Sheinelle Jones (BSJ00)
My name is Sheinelle Jones, and I have the honor of saying that I was one of the countless students Professor Angotti touched with his wisdom and kindness. In his class at Northwestern University, he made us all better writers and storytellers. I’m *constantly*…. to this day, sharing my favorite memories from his class. In fact, just last week, I was sharing a memory from his class with my colleagues from The TODAY Show. In that moment, there were two of his former students on set – as I was with another Medill alum- Joe Fryer. We both cherished our days in Professor Angotti’s class. To his family, I’m sending you so much love. Please know he touched so many of us in countless ways – and his legacy lives on in all of us. ❤️
Joe Fryer (BSJ00)
“Professor Angotti joined Medill just in time for my senior year, and I’m so grateful our Northwestern lives overlapped. It’s not just because he literally brought Tom Brokaw into our classroom. It’s not just because he coordinated having our class featured prominently in a Dateline special. It’s because he cared deeply about all of us, freely sharing his volumes of broadcasting experience and knowledge, before giving us that final push out of the university nest as we embarked on our careers. His leadership and mentorship helped make the Northwestern News Network the envy of schools nationwide. Thank you, Professor Angotti, for making our profession better – one student, one class at a time.”
Mike Lowe (BSJ01, MSJ02)
Joe Angotti, who mined his legendary career at NBC News for countless lessons to teach young journalists, perhaps saved his most practical lecture for last. Every year, he would gather the seniors in the Louis Hall TV studio, and he would draw a graph of intersecting lines on the board. One pointing up. The other, pointing down. Underneath the graph he would write the words “suffer fools gladly.” His point was that in our careers, we would encounter people who “may not be the brightest bulbs.” He told us not to dim our lights to their levels. To respect others, and not engage in needless arguments. Then pointed to the graph: “you’ll see those same people when you’re on your way up, and they are on their way down.” Aside from the solid career advice, he taught me invaluable lessons about reporting including the memorable nugget “report long, write short.” I was fortunate to call him a professor, mentor, and friend.
Ben Harper (BSJ03, MSJ03) and Dani Carlson Harper (BSJ06)
Professor Angotti was the definition of gravitas. His lived experience was legendary—you wanted to be around him to absorb whatever advice or anecdotes he might share. And being on the receiving end of his slightly bemused grin when he’d come to clear up something we *might* have done at NNN to cause a phone call from the administration felt like you’d earned a bit of his respect, too.
Larry Stuelpnagel – Medill Clinical Associate Professor Emeritus
Joe was an enthusiastic advisor. He strongly supported what was then called the broadcast program. Yes, he had a twinkle in his eye and heart.
Jack Doppelt – Medill Professor Emeritus
I recall vividly a heart wrenching exchange Joe and I had in 2002 when he was leading the Medill global program in Paris. It brought us closer together than I had anticipated, and provided a connection we savored after that. A few years later, Joe left Medill and moved to Monmouth, about 200 miles west of Chicago. We kept in touch a bit, enough for me to discover that he and his wife Karen opened Rainbow Riders, a therapeutic and recreational riding program for children with special needs. Back then, I promised to visit them on their farm. Here’s a story I kept as my bookmark to remind me to visit. I never got there. My loss.
David Nelson – Medill Professor Emeritus
For the record: I bought and brought the bocce balls [Yes, there was bocce playing happening at Medill.
Joe bought and brought the sausages and chianti. Early games were on the 3rd floor outside of the then faculty lounge in what we used to call MTC. [Now MFC]. I do not remember Joe losing a single game. Perhaps the chianti worked.
Loren Ghiglione – Professor Emeritus and former Dean
I loved the few bocce games I played. My Italian name didn’t help me. I lost every time. I’m sorry to hear about Joe’s death. What he did after he left Medill tells you a lot about the quality of man. Helping kids, nothing better.