University of Mary Washington - Index

University of Mary Washington - summer08 - Index

FROM MARY WASHINGTON TO THE WHITE HOUSE
When the White House makes the news, two Mary Washington
alumni work behind the scenes to broadcast those stories to the
world.
Daniela Kelley Sicuranza ’00 of the Fox News Channel and
Shawna Shepherd ’00 of CNN share more
than an alma mater. The two women also
share a profession, as producers for the White
House press corps, an elite group of journalists
who cover the president’s every move – from
Middle East peace summits to T-ball games on
the White House lawn.
“We have to cover everything, no matter
how big or small,” Shepherd said. “After all,
President Bush was visiting an elementary
school in Sarasota, Fla., when the World Trade
Center was hit on Sept. 11, 2001. You never
know when something is going to happen.”
Both Shepherd and Sicuranza have
exhausting schedules, reporting for work at the
White House or traveling around the world
with President Bush. They spend their time
assisting with research, live shots, packaged
stories, and more. “Every day brings a new
experience and new challenge,” Sicuranza said.
Her work appears on the nightly news show
Special Report with Brit Hume, as well as in the
form of live shots for daytime programming or
as pool footage for all the networks. Shepherd
produces pieces for CNN, CNN Headline
News, CNN International, and CNN.com.
Both temporarily departed from White
House coverage to follow the presidential
primaries, and they expect more changes to
their schedules before the November election.
Shepherd briefly served as a producer covering
the Rudy Giuliani and Mike Huckabee campaigns early in the
primary season, traveling along with the candidates and their
staff. Sicuranza accompanied the political unit covering the New
Hampshire and South Carolina primaries. All the buzz about the
As members of the White House press
corps, Shawna Shepherd ’00 (left) and
Daniela Sicuranza ’00 help put news
involving the president in the public eye.
Shepherd works for CNN, and Sicuranza
works for the Fox News Channel.
election has made it more difficult for White House coverage to
make it on the air, she said.
Even though they have friends in common, Sicuranza and
Shepherd did not know each other well while they were students at
Mary Washington. While Shepherd was busy
with her self-created public affairs journalism
major and duties as news editor of The Bullet,
Sicuranza was balancing her international
relations major with activities that included
planning events as the Class Council publicity
chair. Over the years, their friendship has
grown, and they always make time to catch up
when they’re on trips together or working at
the White House.
During their college years, both women
held the same internship, though at different
times, in CNN’s public relations office. After
graduation, Shepherd returned to assist with
the busy election year, and Sicuranza followed
a CNN co-worker to Fox. The women later
became part of their networks’ White House
units, Shepherd in late 2005 and Sicuranza
in 2006.
“I’ll never forget being on one of my first
White House trips and seeing Daniela’s
familiar face,” Shepherd said. “I am proud of
the fact that two Mary Washington grads are
part of the White House press corps.”
While Sicuranza has found television to be
“unglamorous,” with long hours and a lack of
routine, the travel opportunities and ability
to witness news firsthand are two reasons she
likes her job. “If you really enjoy what you do,
it makes a world of difference,” she said.
Shepherd added, “Because you never know
what’s going to come up, the best part of the job is the challenge
and excitement of having to be ready for anything.”
The drawback: having to be ready for anything at 6 a.m.
PROFESSORS RECEIVE MORE THAN $100,000 IN GRANTS
– Teresa Joerger Mannix ’01
Together, Janet Asper, assistant professor of chemistry, and Robert Barr, assistant professor of political science, have been awarded
$110,000 in research grants this year.
Asper, who received a $50,000 grant from the American Chemical
Society Petroleum Research Fund (ACS PRF), seeks to provide a
more environmentally friendly way to prepare compounds that could
be used as pharmaceutical drugs. Barr, who was awarded $60,000 by
the Smith Richardson Foundation, aims to improve the understanding
of populism in Latin America – a political phenomenon often
believed to be harmful to democracy and American interests – and
to help decision-makers in the United States develop appropriate
responses.
An expert in molecular recognition and organic synthesis, Asper
earned a bachelor’s degree in biochemistry and zoology from Ohio
University and a doctorate in chemistry from the University of
Pittsburgh.
An expert in Latin-American politics, Barr received his bachelor’s
and master’s degrees from the University of Virginia and his doctorate
from the University of Texas at Austin.
Janet Asper Robert Barr
UNIVERSITY OF MARY WASHINGTON MAGAZINE��������������� � 51