Few have seen the history of our world unfold like Dan Rather. The renowned journalist has been a constant presence for many monumental events – the Kennedy assassination, Watergate, the Berlin Wall, Tiananmen Square and 9/11 – to name a few.
The former lead anchor of the CBS Evening News is coming to Kent State University to reflect on his experiences as a journalist, news anchor and multimedia producer.
Mr. Rather will appear the evening of Friday, May 4, as part of the Presidential Speaker Series. His presentation is in collaboration with Kent State’s College of Communication and Information and coincides with annual May 4 Commemoration events and the dedication of the May 4 site as a National Historic Landmark.
“Dan Rather has been a witness to events that profoundly affected our country, our campus and the world,” says Kent State President Beverly J. Warren. “His unique perspective on the tragic events of May 4, 1970, is of great interest to the university community. His visit directly supports our distinctive mission to prepare students to become engaged world citizens through interactions that spark a passion and purpose to better our society.”
The ripple effect of the May 4 shootings at Kent State played a part in Mr. Rather’s coverage of many key events throughout the early 1970s and the end of the Vietnam War. Mr. Rather was awarded the 2012 Edward R. Murrow Lifetime Achievement Award, the significance of which is of keen interest to the hundreds of students currently studying journalism in Kent State’s School of Journalism and Mass Communication.
With a career that began in radio and is currently shaping news coverage in social media and beyond, Mr. Rather has earned his place as one of the world’s best-known journalists. During his 44 years at CBS, including 24 years as anchor of the CBS Evening News, he interviewed every president since Dwight D. Eisenhower and personally covered numerous history-making events. He is the recipient of virtually every honor in broadcast journalism, including numerous Emmy Awards and several Peabody Awards.
Currently president and CEO of News and Guts, an independent multimedia production company, Mr. Rather remains an integral part of the national conversation through television appearances, innovative reports on Facebook Live, a much-followed Twitter feed and contributions to Mashable. Mr. Rather’s book of original essays What Unites Us: Reflections on Patriotism draws upon his decades of experience as a living witness to history, covering the biggest events and news stories of our time.
Presidential Speaker Series events are free and open to the public. However, a ticket is required for admission. Two tickets can be requested per email address.
The Kent State Presidential Speaker Series seeks to bring high-profile, world-renowned experts to Kent State for serious, thought-provoking discussions and conversations. Previous speakers include Nobel Peace Prize winner Elie Wiesel, astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson, journalists and human rights advocates Nicholas Kristof and Sheryl WuDunn, photographer Trey Ratcliff and filmmaker Ken Burns.
For more information about Kent State’s Presidential Speaker Series, visit www.kent.edu/president/speakerseries.