We are ending our session with Doug Bandow, Senior Fellow at the Cato Institute. His topic this morning is “Defending the American Republic in an Unruly World: Rethinking Conservative Foreign Policy” here are a few notable quotes:
“Terrorism strikes me as the most serious threat we face today…The problem is our current structure does not help fight terrorism… We have a cold war setup.”
“The reason a lot of these countries want nuclear technology isn’t to attack. They just see that the best way to move from a bombed country to a bombing country is to have your own nukes.”
“Most of these countries don’t want military power to match us in combat. They just want to deter us from intervening.”
“We don’t need to be the arbiter of what goes on in the world.”
Right now we are hearing from Walter Pincus of the Washington Post. He came to the paper in 1966 after serving in the Army Counterintelligence Corps and doing a stint at the Washington Star. He currently does national reporting on the intelligence community. Below are a few of his memorable quotes.
On newspapers:
“The internet has swallowed up all the advertising, but it hasn’t swallowed up the audience.”
“Newspapers today don’t let people become experts. You can’t just send someone to the White House or the Pentagon and have them report. They need to know what is important to the readers; they need to be an expert.”
Editing versus reporting:
“The reason I stayed a reporter and never became an editor…British newspapers let you write if you’re an editor. With American newspapers, if you’re an editor you’re a bureaucrat. You don’t know what’s really going on unless you’re writing.”
After much anticipation and preparation the GSJC is finally underway! Our opening dinner in the infamous Pope room at Bucca di Beppo has become a yearly tradition; one that was broken this year as the room was double booked! No worries though we were seated in another room - the food was great and company better. I am looking forward to the National Security Seminar tomorrow at the Heritage Foundation.
Right now the CN staff and students are enjoying delicious Buca di Beppo and each others’ company. Tomorrow we start bright and early for the National Security Seminar. Expect updates from students beginning tomorrow.
PS I totally figured out how to post from my Blackberry. So be prepared for update overkill.
It’s only a few hours until the 2009 Geo-Strategic Journalism Course begins! Will and I will be heading down to DC in shortly (Josh is already there). The trip begins with dinner this evening, followed by a briefing.
We are all pretty excited… I’m just not sure why my suitcase is so ridiculously heavy. After all, the trip is less than two weeks!
As a follow up to yesterday’s video, I’ve posted Keith Gordon’s story on Merkhat Sharipzhan. Keith Gordon was a GJSC2008 student and is currently an editor for the Carolina Review at UNC. After the last year’s session at Radio Free Europe, Keith conducted a private interview with Merkhat which led to the writing of this article. Check it out after the jump. Continue reading this entry »
Below you can see a clip featuring Merkhat Sharipzhan of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty. The student asking the question is Mike Warren. Formerly associate editor of the Vanderbilt Torch, he is now a CN intern at National Review.
This session is a great example of what this year’s GSJC students will be experiencing.
Welcome to the Collegiate Network’s Prague Blog. Here you’ll be able to follow the CN staff and GSJC students during their stay in the Czech Republic.
This year’s twelve students are:
- CJ Ciaramella, University of Oregon
- Sean Clerget, Wabash College
- Jane Coaston, University of Michigan
- Kristin Coyner, College of William and Mary
- Casey Hynes, Mount St. Mary’s University
- Kyle Klavetter, University of Tulsa
- Alex Mayer, College of William and Mary
- Katherine Miller, Vanderbilt University
- Michael Reer, Boston College
- Sarah Schubert, Bucknell University
- John Stevenson, Bucknell University
- Elise Viebeck, Claremont McKenna College
The National Security Seminar kicks off the trip in just six days, until then expect updates from the staff as they finish the final stages of planning and prepare to meet the students in DC.
Each June, the CN invites 12 of its top student journalists to the Geo-Strategic Journalism Course, in Washington, D.C., and Prague, Czech Republic. By providing high-level access to leading correspondents, policymakers, and government officials in the U.S. and Europe, the course achieves two goals: It offers invaluable foreign reporting experience, and it instills in students an appreciation for America’s national security challenges. Students interact with dissidents from the Communist era, the U.S. ambassador, ex-pat journalists, Czech foreign ministry officials, and more.
National Security Seminar
Students participate in a day-long National Security Seminar in Washington, D.C. with policy professionals, foreign correspondents, Congressional aides, and U.S. government officials.
Prague Security Studies Institute
During phase two, the Collegiate Network partners with the Prague Security Studies Institute, an organization that focuses on the education and development of new generations of security-minded university students and policy practitioners in the Czech Republic. While in Prague, students are offered time to rove the city, reporting and seeking stories.
Writing Requirement / Publication Opportunities
The final phase requires course participants to compose at least three articles on aspects of the course they found interesting and relevant to the Czech Republic. Course participants spend nearly two weeks reporting overseas, and the CN ensures that all aspects of the course are conducive to inspiring story ideas. The trip includes several day trips outside of Prague so that students may better understand the Czech people and polity. The CN staff assists students in getting their work published in prominent national venues.
Disclaimer
The posts which appear on this blog represent the views of their authors alone and are not necessarily representative of the views of the Collegiate Network, its various members, or its supporters.
