By Jillian Deiley and Kathleen Kraemer
Staff Writer and Editor-in-Chief

On Thursday Oct. 27 nineteen members from the College Radio Day committee attended an official visit to the White House, in Washington DC.

The university’s represented on the trip included William Paterson University in New Jersey, Montclair State University in New Jersey, St. Xavier University in Pennsylvania, University of Texas at Arlington, University of Colorado Boulder, Texas Tech University, East Stroudsburg University in Pennsylvania, Neumann University in Pennsylvania, Grand Valley State University in Michigan and Boston College.

ESU was represented by WESS station manager Jillian Deiley.

“The overall experience was one I’ll probably never have again. It’s one thing to go to the White House and take a tour, but to receive an official invitation as press is something I, nor anyone in my family, will probably ever experience again,” said Deiley.

Members met with White House Domestic Policy Council, Cecilia Munoz, for a briefing on college spending and affordability.

They then met with White House Senior Advisor, Brian Deese, for a briefing on Climate Change.

Finally, they met with John Ernst, the White House press release secretary for the Obama administration for a 30-minute gaggle, an off the record chat about the insides of his job, followed by a thirty-minute briefing on White House public relations and press.

Although members did not get to meet the President they did run into several members of the white house press staff, including members from FOX, CNN, and CBS news outlets, as well as the Obama family dog, a poodle mix named Bo.

“The most riveting person we met was a camera guy from CBS,” said Deiley. “He had worked from the Carter Administration to the Obama Administraion.”

“He spoke to us with much more realism about politics, government and his experiences compared to the governmental officials we met.”

The College Radio Board was invited to support young journalist in the field of broadcasting and nine of the attending members were students from the aforementioned universities.

After each briefing the floor was opened for questions as an opportunity for the students to exercise their journalistic abilities in a professional setting.

Through this experience the College Radio Day board hopes to encourage all young journalist to continue to work and grow at their craft.

At the end of the visit, the College Radio Day Board was presented with an official letter of recognition from President, Barack Obama, recognizing College Radio Day as a holiday, held on Nov. 4 this year, and the importance of college radio in the media world.

At ESU on Nov. 4 90.3 WESS will be hosting a College Radio Day Celebration at the Shawnee Quad starting at noon

Email Jillian at:
jdeiley@live.esu.edu

Email Kathleen at:
kkraemer2@live.esu.edu