By ANUSHKA MEHROTRA
Investigative journalist Carl Bernstein — best known for his breaking coverage of the Watergate scandal — will speak at Cornell next Wednesday as part of the Hillel speaker series.
Bernstein and fellow journalist Bob Woodward helped The Washington Post receive a Pulitzer Prize in 1973 for their coverage of the Watergate scandal — where burglars affiliated with the administration of former President Richard Nixon broke into the Democratic National Committee’s headquarters.
Bernstein also has written five books and previously served as the Washington Bureau Chief of ABC News, according to his website. In addition to The Washington Post, Bernstein has written stories for USA Today, The Rolling Stone and Time.
Samantha Weisman ’15, president of Cornell Hillel, said she is “happy” the organization is bringing Bernstein to Cornell because of his unique professional experiences.
“He is very unique from speakers we’ve brought so far,” Weisman said. “We had an ice cream genius Jerry Greenfield, sports anchor Linda Cohn, famous actor Josh Malina, a sex therapist Dr. Ruth and now an award-winning journalist.”
Weisman said she hopes Bernstein’s speech will highlight the diversity of Hillel’s programming.
“I think he will not only bring a different perspective to campus, but also continue to show Cornell that Hillel is versatile and has events that cater to all students and interests.”
Rachel Minton ’15, vice president of Hillel and chair of the speaker series committee, said Bernstein’s speech will appeal to students both in and outside Hillel.
“His presence as brought by the Hillel speaker series will show how diverse and widespread the organization is,” Minton said. “We’re reaching a population that is so much greater than the Jewish community at Cornell.”
Minton said that many Cornell students — especially those whose do not study government — may be unfamiliar with Bernstein’s work.
“I think [Bernstein’s speech] will be great for our community because it will bring relevant and really important historical information to students in our community who may not know about him otherwise,” she said.
She said that she thinks the country would be a “very different” place without Bernstein’s contributions to the field of journalism.
“I would say that he is certainly one of the most notable journalists of all time, especially in the United States,” she said. “I think he changed the way that we look at our government and our politicians.”
Bernstein will speak in the Philip Lewis Auditorium in Goldwin Smith Hall at 5:30 p.m. on April 23.