Eric Schlosser named as Whitman’s 2012 Commencement speaker

Walla Walla, Wash.— Whitman College President George Bridges today announced the 2012 Commencement speaker: award-winning American journalist Eric Schlosser, author of The New York Times best-seller Fast Food Nation. He will deliver the Commencement address to the Class of 2012 Sunday, May 20.

Schlosser previously visited Whitman in 2005 to discuss his investigation into the meat-packing industry. In accepting the return invitation, Schlosser stated “It’s an honor to be giving the Commencement speech at Whitman this year. During my previous visits to the campus, I found the students really impressive and their commitment to sustainability encouraging.  I think Whitman is a real gem.”

A Princeton graduate with a degree in American history, Schlosser completed his graduate studies at Oxford University before becoming a correspondent for Atlantic Monthly, where he won the National Magazine Award for reporting for his two-part series “Reefer Madness” and “Marijuana and Law.” Acclaimed for his investigative reporting skills, his work has also appeared in The New York Times, The New Yorker, Rolling Stone, Vanity Fair and The Nation.

His 2002 book Fast Food Nation is an in-depth critique of the fast food industry, and remains widely regarded as influencing a major cultural shift regarding fast food consumption and the way many Americans think about what they eat.

Schlosser will offer a reading, discussion and book-signing immediately following the Baccalaureate ceremony, which takes place Saturday, May 19 in Cordiner Hall. Books will be available for purchase on site.

Contact:
Gillian Frew
Interim Media Relations Officer
(509) 527-4917
frewga@whitman.edu