New Program Helps Students Discover Downtown

A new Arizona State University program will expose students to a wide range of cultural, sports and entertainment options near the Downtown Phoenix Campus and introduce them to downtown personalities and leaders. “Discover Phoenix” will feature speakers such as Phoenix Mayor Phil Gordon and Phoenix Suns President and CEO Rick Welts. And students will visit major attractions such as the Herberger Theater, the Arizona Science Center and the Phoenix Symphony. The program is designed to get students on the downtown campus to engage with the thriving community that surrounds them, said Christopher Callahan, the new vice provost of the Downtown Phoenix Campus and dean of the Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication. “Discover Phoenix,” follows on the heels of the newly released SmartPHX app, designed by Cronkite students to help students and visitors locate downtown dining, shopping, sports and entertainment offerings. The app, which is downloadable to any smartphone, uses GPS functionality to help people locate nearby options and tells them which venues are open and where to find nearby parking and public transportation. The Downtown Phoenix Campus is home to approximately 9,000 students pursuing academic programs in the Cronkite School, the College of Nursing and Health Innovation, the College of Public Programs, the Mary Lou Fulton Teachers College and the School of Letters and Sciences. The new 10-week series kicks off Sept. 6 with a talk by Graham Rossini of the Arizona Diamondbacks’ Special Projects and Fan Experience team. Subsequent events and speakers will take place each Tuesday from 7-8 p.m. through Nov. 22. All events are open free of charge to ASU students. The full schedule: Tuesday, Sept. 6 “Covering Your Bases with the Arizona Diamondbacks” Graham Rossini Senior director, Special Projects and Fan Experience, Arizona Diamondbacks First Amendment Forum
 Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication
 555 N. Central Ave. Tuesday, Sept. 13 “Whetting Your Palate: Dining Downtown” Howard Seftel Restaurant critic, The Arizona Republic Cronkite Theater, 202 Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication
 555 N. Central Ave. Tuesday, Sept. 20 “Downtown Drama: Theater Life in Phoenix” Dick Bowers President, Herberger Theater Herberger Theater Center
 222 E. Monroe Tuesday, Sept. 27 “A City Within the City” Jeff Moloznik Development manager, RED Development CityScape 1 E. Washington St. Tuesday, Oct. 4 “Arizona’s Political Landscape” Phil Gordon Phoenix Mayor First Amendment Forum
 Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication
 555 N. Central Ave. Tuesday, Oct. 11 “Expand Your Horizons: Exploring Arizona’s Highways” Robert Stieve Editor, Arizona Highways Magazine First Amendment Forum
 Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication
 555 N. Central Ave. Tuesday, Nov. 1 “Shooting the Breeze with the Phoenix Suns” Rick Welts President and CEO, Phoenix Suns First Amendment Forum
 Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication
 555 N. Central Ave. Tuesday, Nov. 8 “Broaden Your Mind: Arizona Science Center” Chevy Humphrey President and CEO, Arizona Science Center Arizona Science Center 600 E. Washington St. Tuesday, Nov. 15 “The Painted Desert: Art in the Valley” Kathleen Blake Education director, Phoenix Art Museum First Amendment Forum
 Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication
 555 N. Central Ave. Tuesday, Nov. 22 “A Symphony of Sound: The Phoenix Symphony” Andrew Kipe General manager, The Phoenix Symphony The Phoenix Symphony 75 North Second St. Follow this list and the Downtown Phoenix Campus on Foursquare by going to https://foursquare.com/asudpc/list/discover-phoenix-event-series.