SPC hosts its President’s Lecture Series featuring CNN’s Victor Blackwell

The President’s Lecture Series at St. Philip’s College began in 2002 and has since welcomed nearly 40 distinguished guest speakers from all backgrounds. Speakers include the original 1961 Mississippi Freedom Riders Hezekiah Watkins, and Patricia Baskerville Dilworth, LeVar Burton from Reading Rainbow, and former San Antonio Mayor Julian Castro.

St. Philip’s College (SPC) reintroduced its President’s Lecture Series on Feb. 4, 2025, after a six-year pause, featuring CNN journalist Victor Blackwell. Held at the college’s Watson Fine Arts Center, the free event welcomed students, faculty, staff, and the San Antonio community to engage with the host of First of All with Victor Blackwell and co-anchor of CNN This Morning Weekend.

Victor shared his personal journey, describing how his passion for journalism began at the age of nine in his hometown of Baltimore, Maryland. He described how Paul Revere’s story inspired him in the fourth grade: “He was a man who spread a message, who people listened to, and he made a difference.” Watching local news anchor Al Sanders on the evening news also fueled his aspirations, and by 15, he had landed his first job at a radio station.

A proud graduate of Howard University, a Historically Black college and University (HBCU), he earned his bachelor’s degree in Broadcast Journalism and was named one of the university’s Top 150 Distinguished Alumni in 2016. Reflecting on his career, he stressed the importance of authenticity and resilience by encouraging SPC students to remember to ask themselves, “Am I betraying myself in this situation?”

Victor provided further insight into his approach to journalism by emphasizing the need for accuracy and fairness, sharing a powerful message: “Facts are negotiable. History is editable. But it’s essential to tell a fair, balanced story.” He discussed how his weekend show aims to elevate the voices of people of color, expanding the representation of marginalized communities in national media.