ABC reporter to speak at Clark College graduation

Byron Pitts, who overcame a childhood marked by illiteracy and poverty to become an award-winning television journalist and author, will share his story with the Clark College class of 2014.

Pitts will be the keynote speaker at Clark College’s 7 p.m. June 19 commencement exercises at Sleep Country Amphitheater, 17200 N.E. Delfel Road.

Pitts was originally scheduled to speak at Clark’s 2013 commencement ceremony but had to decline to cover the illness of South African leader Nelson Mandela.

Raised in poverty, Pitts suffered from a debilitating stutter and functional illiteracy and didn’t learn to read and write until he was a teenager.

He entered a field, broadcast journalism, that requires strong written and oral communication skills.

Today, Pitts is chief national correspondent for “ABC Evening News.”

Pitts is known for exceptional storytelling. As an embedded reporter covering the war in Iraq, he was recognized for his work under fire.

He was CBS’ lead correspondent at ground zero immediately following the Sept. 11 attacks.

Pitts has also covered the war in Afghanistan, the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, the military buildup in Kuwait and the refugee crisis in Kosovo.

He is also the author of a memoir, “Step Out on Nothing: How Family and Faith Helped Me Conquer Life’s Challenges.”

“Byron Pitts has a powerful story of overcoming seemingly insurmountable odds to get to where he is today,” Clark College President Robert Knight said. “It was through education that his life was turned around. I believe he will make a strong connection with our students.”

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