Franklin College Announces World-Class Speakers for National Trauma Journalism Symposium

Franklin College is pleased to announce the growing list of nationally recognized speakers for the upcoming inaugural National Trauma Journalism Symposium on Oct. 20-21 on the Franklin College campus.

Keynote speakers are Linsey Davis, ABC World News Tonight weekend anchor/ABC News Live Prime anchor, and Dave Cullen, bestselling author of “Columbine” and “Parkland: Birth of a Movement.” Opening remarks will be presented by Frank Ochberg, M.D., a psychiatrist and pioneer in the treatment of traumatic stress. Special guest speaker is Nick Schifrin, PBS NewsHour foreign affairs and defense correspondent.

Davis believes the well-being of those in media needs to be a priority. “Earthquakes. Hurricanes. Tornadoes. Crashes. Crime and crises of all sorts. I have witnessed it all, and the observation of human distress can certainly inflict distress on the observer,” she said. “It has been said that ‘trauma is at the heart of news.’ With that basic understanding, it is critical to realize that as we often prioritize telling a story well, journalists must also reflect on the toll it takes on us. Self-care is often a catch phrase these days, but for those of us in media, it is necessary to not absorb and bury the grief we see up close with some regularity. At the end of the day, we cannot allow our curiosity and questions to overshadow our own well-being.”

Cullen says reporting on trauma differs from other work done by journalists. “I think the first big leap in covering trauma is ditching some of that objectivity they drilled into us in journalism school. Objectivity equals emotional distance, and who wants to consume survivor stories from a distance?” he said. “You have to experience their pain to convey it with the power it demands. That means letting it into you, and your own heart is going to bleed, so prepare for it: Set limits, find ways to release it, and most of all, find time for joy. The antidote to pain is joy.”

Schifrin feels this symposium is vital for journalists. “What do you ask the mother who has to watch the exhumation of her son’s body after it was tortured by Russian soldiers?” he said.  “How does the journalist who documents horror avoid being consumed by it? If there are answers to those questions, the Trust for Trauma Journalism can help find them—and an event like this symposium at Franklin College is vital for those of us who cover violence and tragedy and hope to improve our reporting.”

More information about the growing list of participants, programming, registration and overnight accommodations can be found here: http://ow.ly/BCSk50KyaU0. Virtual attendance is offered. Scholarships are available for students by contacting Ann Barton at [email protected] or (317) 738-8194.

Trust for Trauma Journalism (TTJ) serves trauma journalists and those who cover violence, conflict, combat and catastrophe, providing services and support before, during and after they go into harm’s way.

The symposium is a partnership between the Franklin College Pulliam School of Journalism and TTJ. The first of its kind in the nation, it is not only for practicing journalists, but for many others as well, including those teaching these important subjects in high school and university environments. Students studying journalism, psychology, social work, law enforcement, in addition to those preparing for health care professions, are encouraged to attend. Journalists both in front of and behind the camera would benefit from the symposium.

Founded in 1834, Franklin College is a residential liberal arts and sciences institution located 20 minutes south of Indianapolis. Franklin offers a wide array of undergraduate majors as well as master’s degree programs in Physician Assistant Studies and Athletic Training. The unique curriculum merges classroom instruction with immersive experiences, research opportunities and study away programs. Students participate in 21 NCAA Division III sports, esports, Greek life, musical and theatre productions and more than 40 student organizations. As the first college in Indiana to become coeducational with the admission of women, Franklin welcomes diversity of thought, belief and person into a community that values equity and inclusion. Franklin College maintains a voluntary association with the American Baptist Churches USA. For more information, visit www.FranklinCollege.edu. Find Franklin College on Facebook and follow @FranklinCollege on Twitter.