NPR correspondent Don Gonyea to speak at KRCU fundraiser

National Public Radio political correspondent Don Gonyea will speak at a fundraising breakfast for KRCU Public Radio on Wednesday, Oct. 4, on the campus of Southeast Missouri State University.

Gonyea is visiting Cape Girardeau to help kick off the KRCU Fall Membership Drive.

The breakfast will begin at 7:30 a.m., and Gonyea will give remarks at 8 a.m. in the Dempster Hall Atrium at 814 N. Henderson Ave. The event is free, but attendees must RSVP by Thursday, Sept. 28, online at www.krcu.org/breakfast.

Gonyea said he will talk about what he's working on and what the world looks like in terms of politics at that particular moment. He said he will likely talk about the United Auto Workers strike, its potential political impact, and how different presidential candidates from both parties are looking and talking about it.

"I'll just try to capture for the audience what this moment feels like for a reporter who's on the ground covering candidates," Gonyea said. "But also, my stock and trade is talking to a lot of voters, one-on-one, all over the place, from their living rooms to union halls and picket lines, to community events to on-the-street random encounters that I seek out."

Dan Woods, general manager of KRCU, said this is the first year since the pandemic began that the station has been able to have an NPR reporter or host come visit in person. He said it's a "powerful" opportunity for listeners to meet "a voice they've been listening to for years."

Woods said Gonyea will be available for attendees to ask questions after his talk. He said one of the benefits of Gonyea's visit is the opportunity for the university's journalism and mass media students to interact with such a seasoned political correspondent.

"I like to hear what they're wrestling with as new and prospective journalists," Gonyea said. "I'm always happy to share conversation about how you handle a particularly channeling assignment, how one makes their way through a career in journalism and what are the different skills that come in handy."

Woods said having a reporter such as Gonyea visit Cape Girardeau is a privilege KRCU listeners don't want to miss.

"The thing about these reporters is they've got a million stories, all this behind-the-scenes stuff that you don't get from the finished polished report on the radio," Woods said. "You hear them on the radio all the time and you develop sort of a relationship that way, but to actually get to ask a question about what they've seen and experienced in their years is a rare opportunity."

There is no admission cost to attend the breakfast event, however, Woods said they are accepting donations and have set a fundraising goal of $3,000.

"Typically, that first morning of the fund drive we would be on the air during 'Morning Edition', but since we will be off-site at the breakfast, we would like to try and raise the amount of money we would if we were on air," Woods said.

Gonyea said he enjoys visiting local NPR affiliates because he gets a chance to step back and meet people, "especially NPR fans who support their local station."

"I think the interaction is really great and the nice thing is I'm away from deadline, away from Washington, away from the day-to-day routine and pressures of the job," Gonyea said. "It's a good way to connect. Plus, I'm a Midwesterner and any chance to get to another corner of the Midwest — it's a beautiful part of the country and I always enjoy doing that, too."

Gonyea's home base is Detroit, and he has been a correspondent with NPR since 1986. He has been NPR's national political correspondent since 2010, and has been covering politics full time for NPR since the 2000 presidential campaign. Gonyea also serves as a fill-in host on NPR news magazines "Morning Edition", "All Things Considered" and "Weekend Edition".