Alumni

Distinguished Alumnus Charles Bierbauer to speak Feb. 27

Penn State Distinguished Alumnus Charles Bierbauer is scheduled to speak 4 p.m. Friday (Feb. 27) in 102 Thomas Building, University Park, as part of the opening ceremony of the 2009 Penn State Model United Nations Conference. The speech -- which is sponsored by the Penn State International Affairs and Debate Association, the College of Communications, the College of the Liberal Arts and the Schreyer Honors College -- is free and open to the public.

Bierbauer holds three Penn State degrees -- bachelor's degrees in Russian and journalism and a master's degree in journalism -- and formerly served as the CNN chief White House correspondent during the administrations of Ronald Reagan and George H.W. Bush, and later as Moscow Bureau Chief for the Associated Press. Bierbauer serves as dean of the College of Mass Communications and Information Studies at the University of South Carolina.

Bierbauer’s early career includes experience in both television and print media throughout Pennsylvania. In 1981, after serving as bureau chief for ABC at several overseas posts including Moscow and Bonn, he began working at CNN as the organization's Pentagon correspondent. Later, he became a senior White House correspondent, covering the administrations of Ronald Reagan and George H.W. Bush. Bierbauer also served as CNN’s correspondent at the U.S. Supreme Court.  Following his time at CNN, he worked with the Discovery Channel to produce a documentary about the Attacks of Sept. 11, 2001.

In 1997, Bierbauer received an Emmy Award for his coverage of the 1996 Olympic Park Bombing in Atlanta, Ga. He is also a 1991 recipient of Penn State’s Distinguished Alumni Award.

Penn State's International Affairs and Debate Association, a student organization also known as Model United Nations, encourages fruitful debate on current political and socioeconomic issues, and holds and attends events that simulate activity of the United Nations. The organization's annual conference, held this year Feb. 27-March 1, offers an opportunity for students from Penn State and other schools to participate in debate competition.

For questions, please e-mail PennStateUNConference@psu.edu.

Charles Bierbauer Credit: Penn StateCreative Commons

Last Updated November 18, 2010