JCJC Honors Institute hosts CBS correspondent, Byron Pitts

ELLISVILLE – The Jones County Junior College Charles Pickering Honors Institute is inviting the public to a book signing and free presentation from author and CBS national correspondent, Byron Pitts.  The event will be held on Monday, January 25, 2010 at 10:30 a.m. in the Fine Arts Auditorium at JCJC.

The Baltimore native’s presentation is entitled, “A Conversation with Byron Pitts”.  He will be discussing his life story which is the basis of his book, Step Out on Nothing: How Faith and Family Helped me Conquer Life’s Challenges.  A book signing will follow.

The award winning journalist has overcome being a chronic stutterer and was functionally illiterate.  Honors College Dean, Dr. Mark Taylor said, “We are privileged to have guests like Byron Pitts visit our campus so our students and community can have an opportunity to learn from his experiences.”

Pitts was promoted to the chief national correspondent post one year ago and has been a national correspondent since 2006. He is known for his persistence in the Hurricane Katrina recovery efforts in New Orleans, as well as being an embedded reporter covering the Iraq War, the September 11th attacks, and the Florida Presidential recount. 

He received a national Emmy Award for his coverage of the Chicago train wreck in 1999 and a National Association of Black Journalists Award. Pitts is also the recipient of four Associated Press Awards and six regional Emmy Awards.

The Ohio Wesleyan University graduate earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in journalism and speech communication and lives with his wife in Upper Montclair, N.J.