Radio host Sarah McConnell to speak at Sweet Briar Oct. 24

Posted on October 09, 2019 by Janika Carey


Sarah McConnell Sarah McConnell


Sweet Briar College will host a conversation with Sarah McConnell, executive producer and radio host of “With Good Reason,” at 5:30 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 24, in Josey Dining Room. The event is part of the College’s “At the Invitation of the President” series and is free and open to the public.

“Sarah McConnell’s long history at ‘With Good Reason’ makes her a walking, talking encyclopedia of knowledge,” said Carrie Brown, a novelist and director of Sweet Briar’s Center for Creativity, Design and the Arts. “She’ll have much to offer us both in terms of her career in radio journalism and about the world in general, and how we trade cultural currency and share knowledge and stories. I’m really looking forward to her visit.”

“With Good Reason” is produced by Virginia Humanities for the Virginia Higher Education Broadcasting Consortium and airs each week on more than 100 public radio stations across America. McConnell came to the show after 20 years as the news director and morning news host of the award-winning news and talk station WINA in Charlottesville. She has served on the Virginia Associated Press Broadcasters Board, the Virginia Press Association’s Freedom of Information Committee, the board of Offender Aid and Restoration and was one of the founders of the nonprofit Computers4Kids.

Each week on “With Good Reason,” McConnell examines a wide range of topics with leading scholars. Featured guests have included Nobel Prize-winning author Toni Morrison discussing race in America, Bruce Greyson sharing his study of near-death experiences, Mike Seeger exploring American folk music, Aniko Bodroghkozy tuning in on ’60s television, Bryan Caplan on the “myth of the rational voter,” and Nikki Giovanni reading from her poetry. The show has won five Gabriel Awards for Best Documentary or Public Affairs Programs and is also the recipient of top honors from the Public Radio News Directors, Radio and Television Digital News Association and the Virginia Association of Broadcasters.

“At the Invitation of the President” is a series of events that celebrate savvy women who are artists, authors, performers, philanthropists, industry thought leaders and social change-makers. The series aims to inspire current Sweet Briar students — the next generation of women leaders — by offering unique opportunities to hear from and network with women who are established leaders in their fields. Events in the series are supported by gifts to Sweet Briar College and are free and open to the public.

For more information, email Dawn Gatewood at dgatewood@sbc.edu.