Kylie McGovern, Editor

On Thursday, April 13, La Salle University’s Communication and Political Science departments will host Tom Curley, a notable alumnus. Curley is one of the founders of USA Today, former president of the Associated Press, and former Editor-in-Chief of the Collegian. While at La Salle, Curly studied political science. 

This event will consist of a panel of political science professors and Curley will discuss media freedom and the first amendment. This panel will be followed up by a question and answer with Curley regarding both advice about careers in the media and the importance of balance in news coverage. Collegian editors will be moderating the question and answer session. 

Having a long and fruitful career, Curley has been interviewed and written about by large outlets like the New York Times as well as smaller more local papers like the Collegian. The Times reported that Curley enjoyed photography and hiking in his free time and how Curley did not want to spend his career thinking “about woulda, coulda, shoulda…[he] wanted to participate fully in the digital change in the media.” In November 2020, in the heat of the pandemic and online communication, the Collegian looked to Curley about the importance of free speech, social movements and speaking out. In that article, Curley advised student journalists that “there’s a way to get the story out, and in many ways, it is a good time to get the stories out and make some changes.” 

The event this Thursday is aimed at discussing these changes. The political science panel will begin at 11:15 in the communication center and the question and answer session is to follow at 12:30.