Ann Curry speaks at Wheaton College...but which one?

The Names Blog ^ | May 24, 2010 04:34 PM | Posted by Mark Shanahan

[curth]

Where am I? The crowd at Saturday's Wheaton College commencement may have wondered that while listening to Ann Curry's speech to grads. The "Today" show anchor gave a shout-out to a few distinguished Wheaton alums, but there was one problem: They were alums of the other Wheaton College. Curry, a graduate of the University of Oregon, cited evangelist Billy Graham, horror director Wes Craven, and 9/11 hero Todd Beamer, who was a passenger on United Airlines flight 93. While it's true all three attended Wheaton, it was the Christian liberal arts college in Illinois, not the school in Norton where Curry was speaking. "She gave a great speech," said Wheaton spokesman Michael Graca. "She went out of her way to meet with students before her speech and to get information about the college." The transcript and video of Curry's 16-minute talk is posted on the college's web site, but the reference to Graham, Craven, and Beamer has been edited.

"We didn't want to broadcast misinformation," explained Graca, who told us Curry is aware of her mistake. In case you're wondering, Wheaton College in Massachusetts does have its own distinguished alums, including "60 Minutes" correspondent Leslie Stahl, former New Jersey governor Christine Todd Whitman, and Oscar-nominated actress Catherine Keener.

In an open letter to the Wheaton community today, Curry said: "I am mortified by my mistake, and can only hope the purity of my motive, to find a way to connect with the graduates and to encourage them to a life of service, will allow you to forgive me."

Here's the full text of Curry's letter:

Wheaton's 2010 graduation ceremony this past Saturday was the most delightful I have ever experienced, as the warmth the students showed for their faculty and for each other was so overwhelming it

[Dinah Lord]

Bwa-ha-ha-ha bump.

[BookmanTheJanitor]

Finally, somebody who Wolf Blitzer can beat in jeopardy...maybe (snicker)

[anniegetyourgun]

Do jounalists do any research anymore?

[nuconvert]

Great job on the research. Lol. And she’s a reporter? Lol

[curth]

From the network that wants you to believe that someone as accomplished as Sarah Palin is stupid. Amazing, isn’t it?

[sueuprising]

I think what really bothers me is that someone who is a highly paid news anchor hasn’t the common sense to know what questions to ask and what minimal research it was necessary to pursue. It just supports my theory that all of these tv news people are just actors who fit the type necessary to sell advertising time during their “news” program. To be invited to speak at a college would require that one would do some kind of inquiry on the place. The mistake that this woman made is not only ridiculous , but really very stupid. When will these colleges stop inviting celebrities?

[Lockbar]

Well, at least she didn’t say she has visited 57 states.

[GovernmentShrinker]

TV news anchors are literally talking heads. Their job is to read whatever’s put on their teleprompters. I can’t fathom why anybody would invite one to be a college commencement speaker.

[Sam Clements]

Wheaton College in Illionois is prestigious. Wheaton College in Massachusetts is NOT prestigious. Curry probably jumped to the conclusion that she was being offered a prestigious gig. Her ego got the best of her. I do think that this error does illuminate her lack of research skills.

[stainlessbanner]

Did she talk about Winston Churchill....not that one, the novelist?

[sueuprising]

“TV news anchors are literally talking heads”
Great book to read, if you have not already done so, regarding this topic is Neil Postman’s “Amusing Ourselves to Death”.

[Cricket24]

Do you think for one second that a university would have scrubbed their website if this had been a woman from Fox News? These people make me sick to my stomach. Ann Curry made one hell of a mistake and it shows that she just isn’t quite as “SMART” as we are led believe she is. The university scrubbed this from view so she wouldn’t look stupid. NOT so that there was disinformation out there! What complete idiots. Ann Curry...you goofed and in your position, that is not acceptable!