Spring semester marks the arrival of seasoned journalists Guy Raz and Thomas B. Edsall as the 2015 J.B. and Maurice C. Shapiro Fellows in Media and Public Affairs.
Raz, the host of TED Radio Hour and former host weekend host of NPR News' signature afternoon newsmagazine All Things Considered, teaches the course “Making NPR Style Radio,” a practical workshop in which students will learn how to create radio reports, write for broadcast and deliver daily news and features in a compelling and thoughtful manner.
“I hope that at the end of the semester every student will have the skills, tools and confidence to write, produce and pitch a solid story to a public radio station,” said Raz. “I think that SMPA is the kind of space and environment where students not only absorb their studies but actually go out and practice the things they’ve learned.”
Edsall, who writes a weekly online opinion column on American politics for The New York Times, teaches “Covering American Politics” in which students will examine how the media cover—and how they should cover—important issues in American Politics. Students in his class will get the benefit of his twenty-five year career covering national politics at The Washington Post, and two years as political editor of The Huffington Post.
“I hope my GW students will take away from my class a better understanding of American politics, how to write about the subject, and a recognition of how important political competition is,” said Edsall. “GW is a premier school at the heart of Washington with proximity to exceptional political resources, an ideal place to practice journalism.”
About the J.B. and Maurice C. Shapiro Fellows in Media and Public Affairs
Established in 1997 as part of the J.B. and Maurice C. Shapiro Charitable Trust, Shapiro Fellows in Media and Public Affairs are active, respected professionals in a field related to media and public affairs who are invited to campus for an academic semester to teach and participate in school activities.