CQS, Second Full Day

What's On My Mind Today:  Yesterday...was AMAZING.  I had the opportunity to meet John Seigenthaler, founder of the First Amendment Center, located at the Diversity Institute in Nashville, Tennessee. 



John Quinn, co-founder of Chips Quinn Scholars program and John Seigenthaler, founder of the First Amendment Center, embrace after Seigenthaler's emotional speech at the Diversity Institute in Nashville, TN.



Seigenthaler's candor while discussing his "blindness" to race while growing up and his transition to "seeing", his time with working with John F. Kennedy and Robert Kennedy, his time with the Freedom Riders and his journalism career...awe inspiring.

I sat listening to him and almost cried and did cry during the special showing of the PBS special that aired earlier this week on the Freedom Riders. 

Karen Catone, director of the Chips Quinn Scholars program commented that through all of her education and schooling, she never learned about the Freedom Riders.  I agreed and this is something ALL Americans should know about.  Its a story of the beginnings of unifying this country.



Karen Catone, director of Chips Quinn Scholars program.



We also had a fun-filled and truly education time with Ken Paulson, president of the First Amendment Center.  As journalist the First Amendment is the foundation of our past, present and future.



In an interactive session, Paulson challenged the Chipsters knowledge and took extra time to field questions on convergence in media and what we journalists should know to succeed.   



Ken Paulson, president of the First Amendment Center explains the First Amendment  and its importance to Summer 2011 Chipsters.



Everyday, I realize the true investment the people of the Chips Quinn Scholars program, Freedom Forum and the First Amendment Center at the Diversity Institute have made for me and the other Chipsters to become successful journalists and it's an humbling experiene.  

Today, we begin our multimedia training...I am so ready.