ESPN's Jay Harris will participate in a conversation moderated by fellow Old à£à£Ö±²¥Ðã University alum Mitch Brown at 6:30 p.m. Feb. 19 in Chandler Recital Hall at Old à£à£Ö±²¥Ðã University's Diehn Fine and Performing Arts Center.
Harris, who earned a bachelor's degree in speech communication in ODU's Communication & Theatre Arts Department in 1987, joined ESPN in February 2003. He's hosted many shows at the network and and can currently be seen hosting weekend and weekday morning editions of "SportsCenter," ESPN's flagship news and information program.
Prior to ESPN, Harris anchored the nightly news at WPGH-TV in Pittsburgh. The Norfolk native, who has more than 30 years of experience in television and radio news, Harris, a native of Norfolk, was honored with the Distinguished Alumni Award from the University in 2003. In 2004, he was the keynote speaker for Old à£à£Ö±²¥Ðã's 100th commencement ceremony, and is a member the ODU Board of Visitors.
Among his other honors, Harris was part of "SportsCenter's" Sports Emmy-winning efforts in 2004 and 2005, a recipient of a Silver World Medal from the New York Festival Awards, a Robert L. Vann Award from the Pittsburgh Black Media Federation, and an EXCEL Award from the Hampton Roads Black Media Professionals.
Brown is sports director at WACH FOX in Columbia, S.C. Since graduating with a bachelor's in communications in 2015, Brown has worked in roles ranging from news editor, to photographer, to an on-air role as a weekend sports anchor. A five-year TV news veteran, he helped relaunch the sports department at WTKR.
This event co-sponsored by the Department of Communication & Theatre Arts, Student Engagement and Enrollment Services, the ODU Alumni Association and the Office of Distance Learning. Free parking is available in the 49th Street garage.
