Students Learn Real-World Storytelling from PBS Host Jane Whitney

Unearthing those stories, and bringing them to a wider audience, is key to Whitney's work as moderator of Common Ground with Jane Whitney, and it was central to her recent conversation in Wilde Auditorium. Invited by Sarah Miner, assistant professor of communication and faculty director of the University's student-run public relations agency, Crested Communications, Whitney spoke about the art of interviewing, fostering civil discourse, and conducting respectful dialogue.

The event was titled, "Bridging Divides: A Conversation on Civil Discourse and the Future of Dialogue." And a conversation is exactly what it was, as Whitney and the students discussed a broad range of topics including the role of social media in their lives and the growing prevalence of AI-generated content.

Whitney stressed the importance of being a well-rounded reader and consumer of news, noting that she reads publications across the political spectrum and tries to bring that balance to her show. "We're not just doing something in the echo chamber," she said. "We've got to bring in everybody. The show is carried in as many red markets as blue markets."

She also talked about the art of choosing guests for her program, telling the students she aims for a diversity of opinion among her panelists-asking them questions to elicit information, not fireworks. "Most things are not information anymore," she said. "We don't know as much as we used to know in this country because it's entertainment."

But there was also a practical side to the discussion. The students from Crested Communications are spending their semester working with Whitney and her production team on a show centered around congressional gridlock. They've also been putting together a "pitch book" of suggested guests for the show. The show's producers critiqued the suggestions, urging the students to think like producers and have confidence in their vision.

"You are the show," producer Lindsey Gruson told them. "You are the teachers, and the panelists are tools to teach the audience what you want them to learn."

Crested Communications, the student-run agency at the University of Hartford, aims to educate and prepare students for career success through experiential learning opportunities that are both academic and professional; By functioning as a communications group, the agency's mission is to empower students to think critically, solve problems, and develop necessary professional skills through real client work that position them to be desirable leaders in this field. Learn more at www.CrestedCommunications.com.