By Christina Smith
While on the “Road to Rescue,” CNN anchor Anderson Cooper filmed his “Anderson Cooper 360°” show live from outside Hofstra Hall Thursday, March 19 at 10 p.m. The show featured three University students and focused on how to help University students manage their careers and expenses after graduation.
According to CNN’s website, the “Road to Rescue” theme was a week-long series dedicated to exposing how Americans in five different U.S. cities, Los Angeles, New Orleans, Detroit, New York and Tampa, have been affected by the economic crisis. The filming from the University was Cooper’s New York stop on the trail.
Cooper was already on campus following his 3 p.m. speech as a part of the Define ’09 event series. According to Melissa Connolly, vice president of University Relations, Cooper’s decision to film from Hempstead was a “fortunate series of events.”
“Mr. Cooper and his representatives were very clear that his commitments to CNN came before any speaking engagement,” Connolly said. She also said that after the University relations staff read that CNN was sending him on the road the Friday before, they called concerned that the event would be rescheduled.
“Instead [of rescheduling] they began to ask us if it would be possible to do a Road to Rescue show from campus,” Connolly said. “[We] worked hard to convince them that we would be a good partner, knowing how much the students would be excited at being at a live broadcast again.” She also said that the filming was not confirmed until a day or two before the broadcast.
On the show, Cooper featured Frans Johansson, author of best-selling business book “The Medici Effect,” and Donna Rosato, a senior writer at “MONEY” magazine. Johansson and Rosato provided three University students with crucial advice about their upcoming graduation, career and finances.
Sean Nabi, a University senior who is a political science and economics major, asked the experts what he should do after graduation, considering his dream was to go into investment banking. Johansson said that if his dream was to go into investment banking, then he should follow other folks in the industry to the smaller firms and boutiques they are moving to.
“The things [you find in investment banking] can be found in other places,” Johansson said. “If you go into these things and do it with a vengeance, sooner or later you’ll get into investment banking.”
University student Melissa Calderone asked Rosato what she should do after graduation, continue on to graduate school or go into the work force.
“You don’t want to add to your debt,” Rosato told her. “Go out there and get job experience.”
Another student featured on the show said that she knows she wants to work in health care reform, but she does not want to “corner herself.” She asked the experts how she should go about diversifying her options with career choices.
Johansson advised her to keep looking for ways to diversify her interests. “Combine your hobbies with your profession,” he said. “That opportunity exists for all of us.”
“Focus on what skills are transferable,” Rosato told her. “Writing well, communicating well and being able to speak in front of crowd are all skills that will work in any industry.”
The crowd surrounding the taping was large, and Cooper described it as an “enthusiastic group of young people.” Cristina Romano, a freshman who is a broadcast journalism and political science major, said that the crowd was indeed “excited” to see Cooper.
“[He’s] very personable,” Romano said. “Seeing how normal and down to earth he is… it really makes you like him even more.”
