How I Met Ted Koppel

Today I met Ted Koppel from ABC Nightly News. This man is a very famous news anchor who has worked for ABC Nightline and won several awards (including a Peabody Award) for his superb journalism. This is the story of how I just so happen to run in to him.

I was going to National Government class and it was raining really hard outside. I wrapped up all my notebooks in a plastic bag and ran to my class. In the lobby of the building where my class is, I wipe the rain off my face and I here someone say "Hey!" It was my International Relations professor and he invites me to an event with a news anchor as the main speaker. Unfortunately, the event was going on at the same time as my National Government class. I decided to go to class and was fortunate enough to be released early. I started to exit down a staircase that would force me to go around the building for re-entrance and I paused for a second. I verbally asked myself " Do I want tot go to the library or the event? The event? Ya, let's go to the thing". I make my way downstairs and slide into the lecture hall into a seat next to a very elderly man. I plug in my iPod and look up to see Ted Koppel sitting in the front of the room engaging in a room discussion led by my International Relations professor. He discussed the media and how its changed since he first started. When the event was over, he was talking to my professor and some others who were trying to push everyone out the room. I quickly walked up to him and asked to take a picture with him. He was very nice and  a stranger to take our photo.  A woman trying to push everyone out the room became annoyed with me and made a blanket statement that "we don't have time for individual pictures", but I don't care. I got to meet a man that has been reliably reporting historical moments for the majority of his life. A history reporter meets a history maker-- that's a priceless memory that I'll never forget.

Rice University Vision Program

Rice is my 3rd fly out Program and one of the most impressive. They are very clean, organized, and  foster a strong bonded community. Everyone here is genuinely nice and the food is good. The campus is beautiful and full of cool pieces of art. I'm so happy I came to visit because the pictures can never do this place justice! There's so many different places varying in architectural style and textures; it's a photographers dream. The most important--the people--have been amazing from the start to the very last minute. As soon as I got of the plane, there were Rice representatives waiting with other prospective students. I immediately connected with the guy who was into film and cinematography. I get to campus and walk through an entrance that looks like it was taken from a castle. There's t-shirts and food awaiting me at check in as well as my host and my prospee roommate. My host is so sweet and she made me a welcome bag with Rice paraphernalia and candy. My roommate and I wandered around campus climbing art pieces with friends we made along the way.

My welcome gift :)

Monday morning my roommate and I went to classes. I went to Second Year Chinese II and Intro to International Relations. Chinese class was fun, challenging, and understandable. Intro to International Relations was having a test so some interested prospeees and I got to sit down with the professor in a more relaxed setting and discuss international relations. It was very interesting and really emphasized that feeling of community. Later on, all participants were invited to a dinner with faculty and staff members. Every table was arranged by academic interest and professors that taught in those fields. The food was delicious and the people I sat with were amazing and friendly.



I love visiting these universities just to get the feel for the general environment and the people and the flow of life in their respective areas. Meeting all these amazing people really gives me hope for the future and restores my faith in my generation.