10th Anniversary of Marlin Fitzwater Center for Communication Celebrated at Franklin Pierce University

Rindge, New Hampshire - Franklin Pierce University celebrated the 10th Anniversary of the Marlin Fitzwater Center for Communication, which has developed a vibrant body of programming in pursuit of its mission to educate leaders of conscience in public communication. Marlin Fitzwater, who served as press secretary to Presidents Ronald Reagan and George H.W. Bush, and who is also a trustee of the University and a member of the Fitzwater Center Advisory Board; author and journalist Tom Rosenstiel; and Presidential photographer David Valdez took part in special 10th Anniversary events September 9-11. The Fitzwater Center includes a radio broadcasting studio (WFPC-LP 105.3FM), a television station (FPTV-25), The Pierce Arrow campus newspaper, audio production facilities, an online journalism lab, writing and lecture rooms, and non-linear editing suites. The department of mass communication is also housed within the Fitzwater Center.

The 10th Anniversary keynote address was given on September 10 on the Rindge campus by Rosenstiel, recipient of the 2012 Leadership in Public Communication Fitzwater Medallion. A journalist for more than 30 years, he has also written six books, including, with Bill Kovach, The Elements of Journalism: What Newspeople Should Know and the Public Should Expect; and most recently Blur: How to Know What's True in the Age of Information Overload. Rosenstiel spoke about the future of journalism and the new technologies that impact the gathering and dissemination of news. “It is the greatest moment to be 18, 20, or 25 and to be thinking of journalism and mass communication,” Rosenstiel said, expounding on how his generation tried to learn how their elders did things, while today’s crop of journalists have opportunities to create something new. “The potential you have in your hands is so much richer,” he concluded.

David Valdez was introduced by Marlin Fitzwater at an event in his honor on September 11, and presented with a Visiting Fitzwater Fellow Medallion by James Birge, president of Franklin Pierce. Valdez, who is on the advisory board for the Fitzwater Center, has been a professional photographer for more than three decades; he served President George H.W. Bush as Director of the White House Photo Office and as his personal photographer, among many other accomplishments. Valdez gave a briefing about his years at the White House, giving the audience a rare opportunity to learn about the experiences of a professional photographer in the Oval Office. Students had additional opportunities to engage with Valdez in scheduled visits to various classes at the University.


Franklin Pierce University is a regionally accredited university grounded in the liberal arts, with a focus on personal attention and high-quality instruction. The University consists of the College at Rindge and the College of Graduate & Professional Studies with locations in Arizona and throughout New Hampshire. Degrees are offered through the doctoral level. The institutional mission embraces an education that matters: one that achieves academic success through the integration of liberal arts and professional programs. Our community of educators and learners creates an environment that fosters intellectual curiosity and encourages experiential and applied learning. A Franklin Pierce experience enables each student to discover and fulfill his or her own unique potential. We prepare students to become confident, knowledgeable individuals and leaders of conscience.

Franklin Pierce University, 40 University Dr., Rindge, NH 03461, (603) 899-4000, www.franklinpierce.edu