If each of the seventeen Cronkite SUSI 2019 participants decides to write a book chronicling the history lived at ASU in Phoenix, pages will be missing. That is to say, the challenge of writing just a few lines in this blog is great! In the first two days we have already been surprised with an impeccable reception and excellent reflections on fake news and disinformation… and of course with heat!
The cacti, characteristic of the local vegetation–after all, we are in the Sonoran desert region–stole the show on the way from the airport to Taylor Place, where we are staying. From there to the Cronkite School, where we will do most of the program activities, it’s just a few steps. The infrastructure and the intensity with which the institution lives and breathes journalism is impressive. Large and well equipped laboratories, professionals and students bringing news to life, renowned researchers looking for answers to important dilemmas of the field.
The accents within the group reveal the wide representation of different countries, enriching discussions about contemporary issues that challenge journalism, journalists and educators. The cultural experience and baggage of each participant highlights different contexts, but there are also intersections that indicate the instability and uncertainties in a field faced with many transformations under way.
There will be four intense weeks of study at Cronkite School plus two weeks of educational travel that will allow us to expand our knowledge, resolve doubts (and raise others, why not?), rethink teaching practices, and design new goals. The coolest of all is that we will do this in a cozy, innovative and qualified environment. Despite having been here such a short time, we are already very bonded–the second day of activities ended with a lively happy hour! As of now, we are feeling warm in body and soul!
