Pete Williams, former NBC News Justice Correspondent, will return to John Carroll’s campus as the Journalist-in-Residence for the College of Arts and Sciences from Monday, April 7 through Friday, April 11, 2025. This will be Williams’ fifth visit to John Carroll following his visit last Spring.
Williams had a distinguished career, serving in the Department of Defense for Dick Cheney and long serving as a national correspondent for NBC News. Focusing on the Supreme Court and the Department of Defense in his reporting, he earned three Emmys for his work at NBC.
In the Journalist in Residence role, Williams dedicates a week each semester to engaging with students in classroom settings, meeting with student organizations such as The Carroll News, JCU’s student newspaper, connecting with faculty and staff, and serving as a speaker at events on campus. Williams was inspired to work with John Carroll by the late Tim Russert ’72, longtime host of NBC’s Meet the Press and namesake of the university’s Tim Russert Department of Communication. During this year's visit, Williams and other special guest speakers will host three events that are free and open to the public.
Events Exploring the Evolution of Political Journalism
On Monday, April 7, at 7:00 p.m., faculty, staff, students and community members will have the opportunity to join a session titled,“How Has Political Journalism Changed Since Russert?” Pete Williams, Chuck Todd, Former Moderator of Meet the Press and Chief Political Analyst for NBC News, Joe Toohey ’10, Anchor, Fox 8 News Cleveland, and former “Meet the Press” Fellows will lead a thought-provoking panel on the evolution of political journalism since the iconic Tim Russert era. The discussion will be held in Donahue Auditorium, located within the Dolan Center for Science & Technology at JCU.
On Wednesday, April 9, at 6:30 p.m., Williams will moderate a panel discussion on Environmental Politics, featuring Alexandria Nichols, Director of Parks and Recreation for the City of Cleveland, Jesús Sanchez, Director of the Great Lakes Environmental Justice Program and Restore America’s Estuaries, and Philip Stoddard, Professor Emeritus of Biology at Florida International University and former Mayor of South Miami. The panelists will explore practical political actions individuals can take to address the climate crisis. This event is part of the Envisioning a Livable Future conference series organized by John Carroll University, in collaboration with the Hank Center for the Catholic Intellectual Heritage at Loyola University Chicago. The discussion will take place live in Donahue Auditorium located within the Dolan Center for Science & Technology at JCU and will also be accessible remotely via Zoom. To learn more, or to register for a Zoom link, please visit our website.
On Thursday, April 10, at 7:00 p.m., Christopher J. (C.J.) Peters, the C. Blake McDowell, Jr. Professor of Law at the University of Akron, will join Williams for a session titled, “Presidential Powers, Civil Liberties, and Guns: The Supreme Court & the Trump Agenda,” where they will explore critical Supreme Court cases, presidential power, and civil liberties under recent administrations. The discussion will be held in the Jardine Room, located within the Lombardo Student Center at JCU.
Enhancing Student Learning Through Classroom and Campus Interactions
Williams' residency at JCU will also feature interactions with students across journalism, media law, digital media, and political science classes, providing valuable insights into media ethics, law, and contemporary issues facing journalists and society today.
“We’re always honored to have Pete Williams on campus. He mentors our students and enriches our community,” said Dr. Brent Brossmann, Associate Professor and Chair of the Tim Russert Department of Communication at JCU. “Pete’s extensive experience offers a unique, first-hand perspective on the challenges and responsibilities journalists face today.”
All public events are free of charge and members of the Greater Cleveland community are encouraged to attend. For more information, visit https://www.jcu.edu/cas/journalist-residence.