The Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication at Arizona State University is hosting special programs every day for students and the general public during the inaugural semester of the school’s new downtown Phoenix home.
A highlight of the fall calendar is “Must See Monday: Your Connection to the Pros,” an evening speaker series featuring media leaders locally and nationally. The program was created by Cronkite Career Services Director Michael Wong. Monday speakers include:
Len Downie, executive editor of The Washington Post
Former CNN anchor Aaron Brown
Arizona Diamondbacks President and Cronkite alumnus Derrick Hall
12News evening anchors Mark Curtis and Lin Sue Cooney
Arizona Republic Executive Editor Nicole Carroll
ESPN commentator Pedro Gomez
East Valley Tribune Publisher Julie Moreno
Jeanine L’Ecuyer, director of communications for Gov. Janet Napolitano
The Must See Monday series begins Sept. 8 with 12 News anchors Lin Sue Cooney and Mark Curtis. All of the Monday night sessions will take place at 7 p.m. in the First Amendment Forum, the multi-tiered gathering space in the school’s new six-story, state-of-the-art home on the downtown Phoenix campus.
Beginning Aug. 27, Wednesday nights will be devoted to “Cronkite Night at the Movies,” a film series organized by Cronkite Student Life Director Leah Miller featuring journalism-themed movie classics such as “All the President’s Men,” “Broadcast News,” and “Good Night and Good Luck.” Each movie, to be viewed on the giant 16-by-9-foot high-definition screen in the First Amendment Forum, will begin at 7 p.m. and will be followed by a discussion led by a Cronkite faculty member.
Both the movie and speaker series are free and open to the public. The events will be advertised on the school’s Times Square-style electronic news ticker that faces North Central Avenue and Taylor Mall.
“We want everyone who lives and works in the downtown community to join us in the First Amendment Forum for events that we hope will be both educational and entertaining,” said Cronkite Dean Christopher Callahan. “We want to be a destination for both the ASU community and our surrounding neighbors.”
The school also will sponsor student-only programming, including “Thursday Night Live,” which will feature music and entertainment in the Forum, and Phoenix Fridays, which will consist of guided tours to walking-distance attractions such as the Phoenix Art Museum, Chase Field and the First Friday art exhibits on Roosevelt Avenue.
On the weekends, the First Amendment Forum will be open to all ASU students and guests to watch college football on Saturdays and NFL games on Sundays. Six games will be shown simultaneously on the HD screens in the Forum.
For a full schedule, go to: cronkite.asu.edu/about/events.php.