Dan Balz, Washington Post Chief Correspondent, Will Be A 2017 Fellow At Institute Of Politics At Harvard Kennedy School

CAMBRIDGE, Mass., Aug. 9, 2017 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The Institute of Politics (IOP) at Harvard Kennedy School is pleased to announce that Washington Post Chief Correspondent Dan Balz will be a 2017 Fellow. Exploring the roots of the current upheaval in American politics, the effects it has on political parties and the media, and exploring possible solutions will be the topics of discussions with students during the fall 2017 academic semester.

"Dan Balz has been an astute observer and chronicler of national politics for decades," said IOP Acting Director Bill Delahunt. "His historical perspective, coupled with ongoing reporting, editing and analysis will provide our students with the opportunity to delve into what the future of politics may look like."

As a reporter or editor, Balz has covered every presidential campaign and midterm election since 1978. In all, he has covered 21 national political conventions, beginning with the tumultuous 1968 Democratic convention in Chicago. He joined the Washington Post in 1978.

"Everything I know about the IOP Fellows program is that the opportunity for interaction with students is the best part of the program," said Balz. "I hope to learn as much or more from them as they take away from our weekly study group discussions."

The Fellows program is central to the IOP's dual commitment to encourage student interest in public life and to increase interaction between the academic and political communities. Over the course of an academic semester, Fellows interact with students, develop and lead study groups and participate in the intellectual life of the Harvard community.

"There is so much recognition that we're in a very unusual time politically and a challenging time for those of us in the media. There has been a long period of disruption because of the way people get their information. On top of that, we have a very charged political environment. The question on the table is 'What do we do about it?'" said Balz.

Read Balz' biography at http://bit.ly/2017FallFellows.

The Institute of Politics (IOP) at Harvard Kennedy School was established in 1966 as a memorial to President Kennedy. The IOP's mission is to unite and engage students, particularly undergraduates, with academics, politicians, activists, and policymakers on a non-partisan basis to inspire them to consider careers in politics and public service.  The Institute strives to promote greater understanding and cooperation between the academic world and the world of politics and public affairs. More information is available online at http://www.iop.harvard.edu.  

SOURCE The Institute of Politics at Harvard Kennedy School

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