Barbara Walters to Donate Archives to Alma Mater Sarah Lawrence College
Barbara Walters, who just retired from her five decades of work as a broadcast journalist, has said on May 23 that she is donating her archives of papers, recordings, photos and tapes to her alma mater, Sarah Lawrence College, The Journal News reported.
Walters, who co-hosted ABC's infotainment talk show program ' The View' since 1997 until her retirement earlier this month, made the announcement in a surprise appearance at the suburban New York college's 86th commencement exercises Friday.
She also took the opportunity to give the graduates some pieces of advice.
'When I attended Sarah Lawrence, there was a wonderful professor, Joseph Campbell. And what he told us and what he hoped we would remember was 'to follow our bliss,' ' she said. 'I have to tell you that when I left Sarah Lawrence, I had no idea what my 'bliss' was. So if you are like me and you have no idea what your 'bliss' is, get a job. I promise you that bliss will come.'
Walters acknowledged her alma mater for teaching her a sense of journalistic fearlessness. She then recalled the interview she had with Russian President Vladimir Putin several years ago, in which she asked the ex-KGB operative, if he had ever killed anyone before.
'He said, 'No, that was not my department,' ' Walters told the graduates. 'So later, several people said, 'Where did you get the nerve to ask a question like that?' And I said, 'It's easy. I went to a college where I was not afraid to ask questions.' And this is that college. That is my contribution to world peace. So I thank Sarah Lawrence for it. I have been asking questions ever since my graduation and this is one more chance today, to wish all of you a wonderful, fulfilling life and to say thank you to this college I love.'
Karen Lawrence, Sarah Lawrence College president, said in a statement that the educational institution is happy with Walters' donation, Associated Press reported.
'We are thrilled by this new gift from our extraordinary alumna so that her legacy can be shared with students, scholars and beyond,' Lawrence said.
Though the May 16 episode of 'The View' was Walter's last TV appearance, she remains as an executive producer of the show.
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