Joe Lockhart, Ed Henry, and Bob Herbert Join SMPA as 2010-11 Fellows

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MEDIA CONTACTS: Emily Cain, 202-994-3087; [email protected]
Samara Sit, 202-994-5349; [email protected]

JOE LOCKHART, ED HENRY AND BOB HERBERT JOIN GW SCHOOL OF MEDIA AND PUBLIC AFFAIRS AS PROFESSIONAL FELLOWS

Media and Politics Experts To Study Upcoming Mid-Term Elections With Students

WASHINGTON - Media and politics experts Joe Lockhart, Ed Henry and Bob Herbert have been appointed fellows of the School of Media and Public Affairs (SMPA) at the George Washington University for the 2010- 2011 academic year. With a potentially pivotal mid-term election approaching this fall, Mr. Lockhart, White House Press Secretary under President Bill Clinton and a managing director of The Glover Park Group; Mr. Henry, CNN White House correspondent; and Mr. Herbert, a New York Times columnist, will examine the races with students.

"The School of Media and Public Affairs is excited to enhance our classroom discussions and public events with three nationally-recognized experts in media and politics," said SMPA Director Frank Sesno. "Access to experienced, first-hand accounts of commentary, campaigns and campaign reporting will give our students an inside view on how our political process and the media actually intersect as they use this fall's election as a real-time case study. Their varied experiences not only embody the trifecta of public affairs and communications but also get at the heart of what we teach- reporting, opinion journalism and political communication."

The three fellows will bring a wealth of journalism and political experience to share with SMPA students. During the school year, students and the fellows will reflect on the mid-term races and explore the role of digital and social media in modern American politics. The fellows also will deliver lectures, host seminars for students and faculty and speak at other larger public and private events. The semester will kick-off with a discussion at GW with Mr. Lockhart on Sept. 1 and a lecture from Mr. Henry at SMPA Majors Night on Sept. 7.

"We live in a communications environment that reinvents itself now every few years," said Mr. Lockhart. "I'm excited to share my experiences in politics, government and the global business world with the students and faculty at the School of Media and Public Affairs. I'm even more excited about learning from today's students and media practitioners about how they communicate and what compelling messages and channels of information are most effective."

Joe Lockhart is a founding partner and managing director of The Glover Park Group, a strategic communications firm in Washington, D.C. In addition to his stint as White House Press Secretary during the Clinton administration, Mr. Lockhart also is a veteran of national political campaigns. He served as senior advisor to Sen. John Kerry during his 2004 presidential campaign, national press secretary for the 1996 Clinton-Gore campaign, deputy press secretary for the 1988 Dukakis-Bentsen campaign and assistant press secretary for the 1984 Mondale-Ferraro campaign. He also has worked for ABC News, CNN and SKY Television News, the first European 24-hour television broadcast news service.

"I'm really thrilled to have the opportunity to work with such a distinguished institution as George Washington University," said Mr. Henry. "From time to time in recent years, I've had several chances to deliver lectures and appear on panels at GW that have exposed me to the high caliber of its students and faculty. But now I think having a more formal role will make the experience all the more rewarding for the students and for me because I have always walked away from an interaction at GW with more knowledge myself. I can't wait to start sharing my experiences covering the White House beat- from the briefing room to sit-down interviews with President Obama in Beijing and Moscow- and journeys through dozens of other countries and American cities in between."

Ed Henry is CNN's senior White House correspondent and has covered the White House since 2006, interviewing President Obama twice during his tenure. Previously, he covered Capitol Hill for CNN and reported from the campaign trail during the 2004 election cycle. Mr. Henry joined CNN in 2004 after eight years as senior editor and columnist for Roll Call, where he also served as an analyst for local radio and various television networks. He began his career as an investigative reporter working with the late columnist Jack Anderson. He has been awarded the White House Correspondents' Association's Merriman Smith Award for excellence in presidential coverage under deadline pressure and the prestigious Everett Dirksen Award for Distinguished Reporting of Congress from the National Press Foundation.

"The United States is struggling with some of its most severe problems in decades, domestically and internationally," said Mr. Herbert. "There has never been a greater need for an American press corps that is smart, energetic, ethical and wise. It will be a great privilege to join with students and faculty at George Washington in the important task of exploring the role and responsibilities of the press in this tumultuous period of our history. I can't wait."

Bob Herbert, currently an op-ed columnist for the New York Times, specializes in politics, urban affairs and social trends. He also has worked as national correspondent for NBC News and as a reporter and editor for The Daily News and The Star-Ledger. Mr. Herbert has won numerous awards, including the Meyer Berger Award for covering New York City and the American Society of Newspaper Editors award for distinguished newspaper writing. He was chairman of the Pulitzer Prize jury for spot news reporting in 1993.

Former George W. Bush White House Press Secretary Dana Perino also will be teaching at the university this fall.

The School of Media and Public Affairs (SMPA) is dedicated to the rigorous study of journalism and political communication with a focus on understanding the impact media have on how societies inform and govern, connect and communicate. As media undergo transformational change, SMPA's goal is to advance both theoretical insight and innovative practice. SMPA conducts ground-breaking research, offers inspiring teaching, encourages hands-on work in the field and in our production facilities, and engages directly with thought-leaders in Washington, D.C. and around the world.

To learn more about GW's School of Media and Public Affairs, visit: http://smpa.gwu.edu.

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