Upcoming Events
Twenty Years Later: Journalists Reflect on Covering Hurricane Katrina
To mark the 20th anniversary of Hurricane Katrina, the Reilly Center for Media & Public Affairs invites you to a special panel discussion reflecting on one of the most tragic and tumultuous periods in modern American history. Featuring journalists who were on the ground in 2005—reporting from flooded neighborhoods, overwhelmed hospitals, and makeshift shelters—this conversation explores the personal and professional challenges they faced, the lessons they carried forward, and how Katrina reshaped local and national media.
The event builds on a recent project by LSU Manship School Professor Lisa Page, whose senior journalism students conducted in-depth interviews with reporters, editors, and photographers who covered the storm. Join us as several of those journalists return to Baton Rouge to share their memories, insights, and perspectives on how journalism has evolved—and what remains unchanged—in the decades since Katrina changed the Gulf South forever.
Panelists:
- John McCusker, Photojournalist, The Times-Picayune/The New Orleans Advocate
- Jarvis DeBerry, Opinions Editor, MSNBC; Former Editorial Writer, The Times-Picayune
- Kathy Anderson, Photographer; Former Photojournalist, The Times-Picayune
- John Pope, Reporter, The Times-Picayune/The New Orleans Advocate
To learn more, contact Reilly Center Program Coordinator Maria DeRoche at mderoc6@lsu.edu.
Pizza & Public Affairs with Rep. Jack McFarland
The Pizza & Public Affairs series invites students and faculty from across campus to enjoy free pizza and engage in meaningful conversations with guest speakers, whether a public official, civic leader, public affairs practitioner, or polarization expert. Speakers will share with students how they have achieved successful policy or program outcomes by building coalitions and communicating in a way that bridges division.
Pizza & Public Affairs is part of the Common Ground Project, a collaborative effort between the Reilly Center and the Public Affairs Research Council of Louisiana (PAR) to promote civic engagement, bipartisan dialogue, and trust in democratic institutions.
Faculty: We encourage you to share this announcement with your students and your network!