Students interview former press secretary

by Meghan Rimol
Presidency and the Press

Students at Franklin Pierce University’s Presidency and the Press workshop had the opportunity to interview former press secretary Marlin Fitzwater as a part of the conference this week.

Students were placed into small groups and given time to speak with Fitzwater, asking him questions about both his past experiences and his current opinions regarding today’s media.

Each group had the option of filming their interview to turn into a broadcast piece, which they could place online to use as a clip for applications either for college or for future jobs.

Through this experience, students learned a variety of skills, including how to ask interesting questions, how to conduct a group interview, and how to film and edit video.

Marlin Fitzwater was the press secretary under Presidents Reagan and Bush, Sr., making him the longest serving press secretary in United States history. Fitzwater continues to donate his time and support to Franklin Pierce’s Fitzwater Center for Communication, for which he is the namesake.