The Griffon News

This year’s Convocation on Critical Issues will be headlined by long time ABC News correspondent Sam Donaldson, Oct. 23 at 9:30 a.m. in the Looney Complex.

Sam Donaldson is a 40-year Veteran of ABC News, hosting such shows as “World News Tonight” and “Prime Time Live.” He also served two appointments as ABC’s White House news correspondent.

Donaldson will be sharing his views on leadership.

Dan Nicoson, Vice President of University Advancement, believes Donaldson is well versed in certain areas and cited things he will likely speak about at the convocation.

“Sam Donaldson is a veteran political correspondent and he has been a student of the history of the presidency,” Nicoson said. “He will offer interesting insights into leadership qualities of various presidents of the United States.”

Professor of English, Ann Thorne, expressed her interest in Western bringing in Donaldson to speak.

“He was a white house reporter for Carter, Reagan and Clinton so he’s done a lot and he really knows inside and out what goes on inside broadcast news,” Thorne said. “I was surprised, [about having a third journalist] but I think it shows how important media has gotten in America. I think media is saturating everything and journalists are the most important people in the way the shape and they way we think.”

The other two journalists were Daniel Schorr in 2001 and Bob Woodward in 2004.

Convocation speakers are chosen on certain areas of criteria. Dan Boulware, who the convocation is named after, has been a major player in organizing the convocation for many years and he shared some of the criteria in which speakers are selected.
“We try to select speakers who are well-known, so that they will readily attract an audience as well as those who can and do relate well to audiences and especially those on college campuses,” Boulware said.

He went on to explain that along with high profile speakers, they also look for speakers who are affordable and available.
Boulware also explained that it is hard to get a major politician due to their lack of availability as well as having an election upcoming.

Despite all the hype surrounding the speaker, the main goal of the convocation is to show students, faculty and the community the major issues that are presently affecting them. This will not only show these issues but they will be told from the perspective of a figure who deals with them on a large scale and presents them to the nation.

Boulware hopes that this convocation will once again have a positive outcome and long lasting effect on all who attend.
“I hope both the university as well as the community see the Convocation as a special uplifting event that enhances the reputation of Missouri Western State University as well as the learning experience,” Boulware said.

Future goals of the convocation will include, of course, a major politician or a former president. Boulware also stated an interesting idea that he thinks would be a good experience for the people who would potentially attend.

hese are just a few ideas Boulware hopes to be able to use in future convocations.