Award winning TV journalist Christof Putzel will speak at Pacific Union College’s Communication Honor Society Symposium on Friday, May 4, at 12 p.m. in Scales Chapel. Putzel will discuss his journey as a reporter, share some of the most intriguing stories from the front lines, and field questions during a Q & A segment. Admission is free.

The symposium will begin with an episode screening of Vanguard, a documentary series highlighting global and social issues. Vanguard is one of the top shows on Current TV—a  progressive television network co-founded by Al Gore and Joel Hyatt in 2005. Putzel, one of the show’s three correspondents, serves as a guide who takes viewers on a journey into some of the most dangerous parts of the world. Vanguard’s current season features Putzel investigating drug cartels in Mexico, the Occupy Wall Street movement in Zuccotti Park, and the famous “Smoking Baby” in Indonesia.

A third-generation news reporter, Putzel has been nominated for three Emmy Awards and won an Alfred I. duPont Award, a Livingston Award, a National Headliner Awards and two Webby Awards. His work has appeared on ABC’s Nightline, Good Morning America, CBC, and the Sundance Channel.

“We’re thrilled about the opportunity to hear from such a respected journalist,” said Michelle Rai, PUC communication department chair. “This symposium is not just for communication majors. It’s for anyone who wants to be inspired to make a difference in our world.”