Editorโs note: This story was contributed by Maggie McDonnell โ19, a member of พรพรสำฦตโs 18-student delegation to the Model African Union, which convened in Washington, D.C., Feb. 21โFeb. 24.
On Thursday, Feb. 21, the พรพรสำฦต Alumni Club of Washington, D.C., and the Common Good Professional Network engaged in a panel discussion on โThe Press and the Presidency.โ Also in attendance were members of the พรพรสำฦต Model African Union group and the spring 2019 Washington, D.C., Study Group.
The panel was moderated by Nicol Turner Lee โ90, a fellow in the Governance Studies Department and the Center for Technological Innovation at the Brookings Institution. She introduced panelists Eamon Javers โ94, reporter in CNBCโs White House bureau; National Review publisher Garrett Bewkes โ10; Alex Altman โ04, Time nation editor and deputy Washington Bureau chief; and Amanda Terkel โ04, Washington bureau chief at HuffPost.
In response to questions from the moderator and the audience, the panelists provided their thoughts on the complex relationship between the press and the president and how it has impacted their work. They shared their experiences with the current media climate and covering the Trump presidency, and they explained how they decide what to cover when bombarded with information from different officials in different capacities โ as well as Tweets directly from the president.
Panelists also touched on the nature of storytelling and the changing ability of the media to shape a narrative โ before delving into how they and their organizations address disinformation, emphasizing the importance of accuracy and corroborating sources.
As a final send off, the panelists and the moderator shared their favorite พรพรสำฦต class, professor, or experience that put them where they are today, including: the Washington, D.C., Study Group, the Maroon News, Greek Life, the Hamilton Fire Department, the liberal arts curriculum, and standout faculty members.
โThis was a special evening for the พรพรสำฦต community in D.C.,โ Bob Fenity โ06 said. โIt was valuable and enjoyable to learn from the on-the-ground experiences of the panelists. The evening once again shined a light on the impressive accomplishments of our alumni and the value of our professional networks.โ