Jonathan Alter to be second speaker
in college’s new Distinguished Speaker Series

The State University of New York at New Paltz will host Jonathan Alter, award-winning columnist, television analyst and author as the spring speaker in the college’s new Distinguished Speaker Series.

Alter will speak on campus on April 29, 2009, in McKenna Theatre. The focus of his talk will be “The American Presidency in War and Peace” as it relates to the new administration’s first 100 days in office. Ticket prices will be announced.

For nearly two decades, the Newsweek senior editor has written a widely acclaimed column that examines politics, media, and social and global issues. For more than a decade, he has worked as a contributing correspondent to NBC News. His 2006 book, “The Defining Moment: FDR’s Hundred Days and the Triumph of Hope,” was a national best-seller.

The 2008 campaign marks the seventh election Alter has covered for Newsweek. He frequently interviews American presidents and other world leaders, regularly breaks news and has authored more than 50 Newsweek cover stories on everything from shrinking confidence in the American news media, to Bill Clinton’s first interview after leaving the presidency, to Barack Obama’s first magazine cover before he arrived in the U.S. Senate, to Alter’s personal story of living with cancer. Beyond politics and media, he has written extensively over the years about terrorism, anti-Semitism, at-risk children, national service and a wide variety of other issues.

Alter follows this fall’s inaugural Distinguished Speaker Series event, “An Evening with Dave Barry,” which begins at 8 p.m. on Wednesday, Nov. 12, in the Athletic and Wellness Center gymnasium. Barry is a celebrated humor columnist and best-selling, Pulitzer Prize winning author.

Tickets are available for Dave Barry online at www.newpaltz.edu/speakerseries. Box office opens on Monday, Oct. 6, for in-person (McKenna Theatre) and phone sales Monday-Friday from 11:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. Box office: (845) 257-3880. Bleacher seating general admission ticket cost is $10; reserved floor seating ticket cost is $25; and reserved floor seating ticket cost for faculty, staff, students and seniors is $20. Premium seat tickets, which include the post-event dessert reception with Barry, are sold out.

Every year for the Distinguished Speaker Series, the college will host two well-known speakers on campus, with one speaker during the fall semester and a second during the spring semester. The stated goal is to connect community members, alumni, friends, faculty, staff, students and their families with well-known authors, policy makers and leaders, scientists, media experts, business people and other luminaries on campus.

This series is made possible in part by a generous donation from Peter and Helena
Bienstock of the Shawangunk Valley Conservancy.

The college welcomes corporate sponsorships for the Distinguished Speaker Series. To find out about sponsorship and corporate recognition opportunities, please contact Donna Goodman, corporate and foundation relations officer at, goodmand@newpaltz.edu.

Arrangements for the appearance of Dave Barry and Jonathan Alter are made through Greater Talent Network, Inc., NY, NY.