Ben Solomon, a 2010 DePauw University graduate and winner of a Pulitzer Prize, will be returning to campus to speak on Tuesday, Oct. 11 at 4:15 p.m. in Watson Forum.
Solomon, a video journalist for the New York Times, will be coming to DePauw with the Pulitzer Center on Crisis Reporting, which is not affiliated with the Pulitzer committee.
The Pulitzer Center on Crisis Reporting works to educate people on world-wide crises by having journalists speak about their work. Solomon’s visit is focused on The New York Times magazine feature titled, "Fractured Lands.”
“I’m most looking forward to seeing Ben again,” said Jonathan Nichols-Pethick, director of media fellows and director of the Pulliam Center for Contemporary Media. “He’s a pretty delightful guy.”
Solomon and other journalists at the New York Times won their Pulitzer Prize in 2015 for reporting on the Ebola virus in Sierra Leone, Liberia and Guinea. Recently Solomon created a video titled “The Fight For Falluja,” which chronicles the battles that occurred as Iraqi forces took back Falluja from ISIS. The video was filmed using a 360 degree video camera, which allows viewers to be immersed into a story.
Solomon will be attending certain classes during his time back at DePauw and will be working closely with students. “That’s kind of his main focus is to work one-on-one with students, and even help with projects or so on,” said Marilyn Culler, assistant director of the Media Fellows program. “Whatever he can do to help them, mentor them, he just continues to be awesome at that.”
In addition, many people are looking forward to hearing Solomon speak. “Students that I’ve talked to are excited, [that Solomon is returning],” Culler said. “I’ve had several professors say they were excited to be having him in their classes.”
Both Nichols-Pethick and Culler believe that Solomon will be able to positively influence current DePauw students. “This work is hard, this is not easy work, and it takes some strength to do it,” Nichols-Pethick said. “People have that strength in them they just have to find it.”