New York Times editors to teleconference with students

Malorie Diaz/Contrinuting Writer

A live teleconference with two editors from the New York Times at the Biscayne Bay Campus will engage students on Feb. 23 and 29 to discuss civic involvement and global awareness.

According to Graduate Assistant of the Office of Global Learning Initiatives Eric Feldman, the topic on Feb. 23 will be the ‘Civic Engagement,’ which will cover the importance of involvement in the community. Dean Boquet, New York Times managing editor for news, will lead the conference.

On Feb. 29, the topic will be ‘Global Awareness,’ and how it is urgent for students to know what is going on around the world. The conferences will be from 1p.m. to 2 p.m. in Wolfe University Center room 223 for both events.

Joe Kahn, NY Times foreign editor, will host the event, where he will discuss the importance of global awareness among students.

Feldman said the editors were chosen by the New York Times to lead the teleconferences and the Times invited FIU to be one of the participants because of their strong academic partnership with the news outlet.

The partnership is known as the New York Times Readership Program and its purpose is to provide an abundance of resources for students both inside and outside the classroom. These include funding, lectures, student essay contests, and access to the New York Times on campus.

Since classes from various departments and disciplines will be invited, a large turnout is expected.  According to Feldman, FIU Global Learning has partnered with the FIU Honors College and The Student Government Association for the teleconferences. In addition, the School of Journalism and Mass Communications was invited to ensure that a large variety of students gain as much out of it as possible.

During this time students will be able to have questions answered by submitting them in real time via chat or telephone.  Participation from their own computers or telephones is an option, but there will also be a designated room for both dates available.

The organization will provide free pizza to attendees for their participation, and students are also encouraged to network amongst each other and confer the issues from their own perspectives.

“The primary goal of the Global Learning Initiative is for our students to develop a sense of global awareness, a global perspective, and an attitude of global engagement,” said Feldman.

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