The Harry T. Wilks Lecture Series: Byron Pitts

Description

A NEWS VETERAN with over 20 years of experience earning him several prestigious awards, including a national Emmy Award for his coverage of the Chicago train wreck of 1999, a National Association of Black Journalists Award, and second national Emmy Award for individual reporting of the September 11th terror attacks. He is also the recipient of four Associated Press Awards and six regional Emmy Awards. Pitts’ many achievements are all the more extraordinary when he tells of the many obstacles he faced as a child. Raised by a single mother in a working class neighborhood in Baltimore, Pitts was illiterate until the age of twelve and had a persistent stutter. Capitalizing on his desire to play football, his mother mandated he receive B’s or above in school in order to play. With that focus, Pitts learned to read and went on to attend Ohio Wesleyan University. He graduated in 1982 with a BA in Journalism and Speech Communication. This event is free and open to the public, but tickets are required. For tickets, call Jackie Webb at 513.785.3020 or reserve online at MiamiOH.edu/Regionals/wilks-lecture