Students follow road to the White House
RINDGE, N.H. — Over the course of this week, the Marlin Fitzwater Center for Communication at Franklin Pierce University is partnering with the Boston Herald to lead high school and collegiate journalists and teachers on an exploration of the intersection between “The Presidency and the Press.”
“The Fitzwater Center is thrilled to have this opportunity to connect talented young people from across New England with political, civic and media leaders to explore the critically important role of the media in our democracy,” said Kristen Nevious, director.
Returning to the Fitzwater Center to participate in the program are Peter Maer, veteran CBS White House correspondent, and Alexander Heffner, host of PBS’ “The Open Mind.”
And, the students will literally follow the road to the White House through the Granite State to meet with the state’s political leadership in Concord and the state’s media leadership in Manchester.
“We immerse these students in the business of journalism,” Nevious added. “The program’s days are filled with briefings and interviews, and Editor-inChief Joe Sciacca and other Herald staff will work with the students on deadline to produce content for publication across platforms.”
The Fitzwater Center has long leveraged its location in the home of the first-in-the-nation primary to provide student media extraordinary opportunities to engage in our democracy. Since 2006, it has guided credentialed student news teams through the presidential election cycle, from the first house parties and diner stops to the Iowa Caucuses and the New Hampshire Primary. After covering both national political conventions, the team heads to Dixville Notch to report on the first-in-the-nation vote. The cycle ends with an assignment to cover the presidential inauguration.
“The Fitzwater Center was privileged to partner with the Boston Herald to cover the 2016 Presidential Election cycle,” Nevious said. “The staff is genuinely invested in preparing the next generation of journalists to ensure the integrity of our national discourse.”