FPU, local students travel to inauguration

Students from Franklin Pierce University, and Conval and Conant high schools will attend this year’s inauguration.

Thanks to a grant from the New Hampshire Charitable Foundation, FPU will lead a student media team from the New Hampshire Student Media Association made up of eight collegiate journalists and 16 high school students to Washington, D.C., to cover the Presidential Inauguration in January.

“The Fitzwater Center and Franklin Pierce have always leveraged our geography in the Granite State, home to the first-in-the-nation primary, to provide immersive experiences that challenge student perspectives, engage their intellects and help them find their voices in the public discourse that is so essential to the health of our democracy,” said Kristen Nevious, director of the Marlin Fitzwater Center for Communication. “We are very grateful to the NHCF for helping us build this foundation on which student journalism can thrive in New Hampshire.”

The trip will be lead by Nevious and faculty member Heather Tullio. There will also be four high school advisers on the trip. High school students represent Conant, ConVal, Keene, Kingswood, Souhegan, and Pinkerton high schools.

Currently, all student journalists and advisers are applying for press credentials through the Presidential Inauguration Committee. After that, the Secret Service credentialing process will begin.

A majority of the students will cover the event from the National Mall, where they will interview guests and attendees. Nevious has also arranged for a Capitol tour with US Senator Jeanne Shaheen’s office.

Nicholas Handy can be reached at 924-7172 ext. 235 or nhandy@ledgertranscript.com.