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Sam Donaldson Ushers in
2004-2005 Academic Year
Veteran Journalist Delivers Stoffer
Lecture at Opening Convocation
Posted Thursday,
August 26, 2004
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Sam Donaldson speaks to a crowd of 2.500 August 26 on Albion's
Quadrangle. |
Veteran journalist Sam
Donaldson kicked off the 2004-2005 academic year tonight [Thursday,
August 26, 2004] with a rousing speech before a crowd of 2,500 assembled
on Albion's Quadrangle, imploring students to "Never give up!"
One
of the most recognizable faces on
television for the last four decades, Donaldson made his remarks at
the third annual William K. Stoffer Lecture at the College's Opening
Convocation.
The 37-year ABC News fixture peppered his hour-long speech with dozens
of humorous anecdotes from his years covering every major news event
since the Cuban Missile Crisis. Donaldson, who served two appointments as chief White House
correspondent for ABC--covering Presidents Carter, Reagan and Clinton--said
journalists have a duty to keep bias out of their reporting. He said the
public--and politicians--often accuse journalists of bias when in
reality it is simply that they don't agree with what is being reported.
Donaldson's speech, “The View from Washington,” received a standing
ovation.
Earlier in the day, Donaldson sat onstage at Herrick Theatre with Royal
Ward, Albion College's vice president for academic affairs and dean of
the faculty, for a more intimate question-and-answer session attended by
Ford Institute and journalism students.
This year's Stoffer Lecture was co-sponsored by the Gerald R. Ford Institute for Public Policy
and Service and the office of Albion College President Peter Mitchell.
The lecture is made possible by the generosity of 1974 Albion College
graduate William K. Stoffer, a College trustee and CEO of Albion Machine
and Tool Co., who has provided a $1.5 million endowment to bring to the
campus and community nationally and internationally known speakers and
performers in recognition of another year of record alumni giving. As of
June 30, 2004, Albion ranked first among all Michigan colleges and
universities and is numbered among the top schools in the nation in terms
of its alumni giving rate.
Each year one of the College’s six Institutes will be the co-sponsor of
the Stoffer Lecture. Previous Stoffer Lecturers have included actor James
Earl Jones in 2002 and Duke University men’s basketball coach Mike Krzyzewski last year.
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Onstage at the Herrick
Theatre, Donaldson answers questions posed by audience members
during an afternoon session moderated by Royal Ward.
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Albion College President Peter Mitchell meet Donaldson in the
Herrick Theatre Green Room as Ford Institute Director Tom
Padgett looks on. |
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Donaldson, delivering the Stoffer Lecture at the 2004-2005
Opening Convocation, addresses the crowd from the steps of
Stanley Kresge Gymnasium.
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