Former Ohio governor talks politics, the media at OHIO SPJ meeting
Photographer: Erin FranczakFormer Ohio Gov. Ted Strickland takes questions from the audience at a recent meeting of 51ĀŅĀ×ās chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists.
51ĀŅĀ×ās chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists (SPJ) welcomed former Ohio Gov. Ted Strickland to its Oct. 10 meeting where he spoke on politics today, the future of journalism and his return to Athens.
The former governor and longtime U.S. congressman shared with the students his history with the 51ĀŅĀ× and Athens communities. He noted that his first visit to the University came as the result of his former deputy chief of staff for policy, Janetta King, who was appointed to the 51ĀŅĀ× Board of Trustees.
āI have a fondness for 51ĀŅĀ×,ā Strickland said. āI have spent a lot of time in Athens, on campus, as a result of the multiple campaigns Iāve run.ā
Strickland credited Athens ā both its student population and permanent residents ā with some of his political success, noting that it was Athens County that gave him his first win in his campaign for the U.S. House of Representatives.
Taking a step back from politics after his unsuccessful 2016 bid for the U.S. Senate, Strickland finds himself back at 51ĀŅĀ×, thanks, again and in part, to King who is serving her final year on the Universityās Board of Trustees. According to Strickland, it was King who approached College of Arts and Sciences Dean Robert Frank about Strickland engaging with 51ĀŅĀ× students.
This semester Strickland has been working primarily with students and faculty in the College of Arts and Sciencesā Wealth and Poverty theme () while also visiting other 51ĀŅĀ× classrooms. He shared with the audience some of the experiences he has had living among Bobcats at the Universityās Bromley Hall, including a 3:30 a.m. fire alarm.
Strickland also discussed his future in politics.
āI really think politics pervades every part of life, and if you are alive and you are engaged in society, you are involved with politics,ā Strickland said about his future endeavors. āI will always be involved in politics.ā
On the topic of journalism, Strickland noted that many people struggle to find the truth amid all the media outlets. He said that many people have busy lives and do not have time to research political news to decipher the facts.
āI think a lot of people are confused and they just simply do not know whatās factual and what isnāt,ā Strickland said. āFake news is a reality.ā
āI think itās important for students to take unique opportunities that the school provides like this one,ā Lindsey Curnutte, a senior studying political science and journalism, said of Stricklandās visit to SPJ and the Athens Campus. āItās not every day that youāll get to spend an hour or so listening to the former governor of Ohio. Iām glad I got the chance to hear from Gov. Strickland while he was here at OU for a few weeks.ā