Two-time Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist and New York Times bestselling author Nicholas Kristof visited Wilkes University on Sunday, March 16 in part of the Rosenn Lecture Series. 

Kristof has been working as a writer for the New York Times since 1984. He has won two Putlizer prizes in journalism: one for his story about the Tiananmen Square massacre in 1989 and the other prize for his story on the genocide in Darfur in 2006.

Upon coming to Wilkes, Kristof returned to the United States after visiting Sudan. He recently published a story in the New York Times about how USAID cuts were affecting those in Sudan.

This topic was brought up in the morning Q&A session Kristof opened to Wilkes students, who were invited to join this session as well as a networking luncheon and Kristof’s lecture in the afternoon. 

Kristof discussed topics such as Sudan, Ukraine and approaches to journalism in the modern day. These topics brought many interesting stories that Kristof had, including various emotional encounters he has had with people he has met in countries he has reported in around the world. 

At the beginning of the lecture, Kristof was introduced by Judge Max Rosenn’s former law clerk, Jonah Zimiles. As an honor to the late Rosenn as well as the series, Zimiles wanted to dedicate this afternoon’s lecture to Rosenn and what he stood for: humanity and justice. 

During his lecture, Kristof talked about similar issues discussed in his Q&A but also took a deep dive into his career as a journalist and how becoming a journalist and actively writing in places where war is occuring and conflict is at its peak has humbled him as both an American citizen as well as a reporter. 

“What I’ve learned in my career and traveling around the world, is that I’m more than often wrong,” Kristof said.

After the lecture, guests were welcome to purchase his latest book, “Chasing Hope: A Reporter’s Life” and attend a book signing.