At the event — which included students from nine other schools — attendees heard from six members of the Biden administration, including Vice President Kamala Harris and White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre, about the importance of journalism. They also received a tour of the Eisenhower Executive Office Building and the James S. Brady Press Briefing Room.
The whirlwind trip had kicked off just one day earlier after Menard received an invitation from IC alum Rob Flaherty ’13, Deputy Assistant to the President and Director of Digital Strategy at The White House.
“I asked Connor and Andy, ‘Hey, are you free tomorrow? We might be able to go to The White House,’” Menard said. “Their jaws dropped to the floor, and in less than 24 hours, we were in a car driving down to Washington.”
The event wasn’t just celebratory, however. While at The White House, the students also got to connect with other young journalists as well as media professionals for a discussion and Q&A session on timely news topics such as climate change, student loan forgiveness, and the economy.
“It was great to meet other college and professional journalists,” Tell said. “It was truly a once-in-a-lifetime endeavor. I’m still shocked that it happened because it didn’t feel real. Getting to take part in this event is really a recognition of the reputation of our stations and the strong alumni relationships that the Park School maintains.”