Mr. Robert Sherman on Reporting from the Front, Kindness, and Curiosity

In Episode 25 of The Late Start Show, Charlie Martin and Jack Nelson sit down with Mr. Robert Sherman, University School alumnus (Class of 2014), NewsNation international correspondent, and bestselling author of Lessons from the Front, for a wide-ranging conversation that starts in Northeast Ohio and spans the world. Calling in from Abu Dhabi amid major Ukraine, Russia, U.S. negotiations, Sherman reflects on the values that shaped him early, being a “go-getter,” building opportunities when no one hands them to you, and believing there’s “no weakness in kindness.” From his “lifer” years at US to launching USPN and learning by doing, he explains how curiosity, reps, and saying “yes” turned a love of broadcasting into a career built on real-world stories.

The conversation dives into the moments that transformed his perspective: reporting a heartbreaking early story in Alabama that taught him journalism can tangibly change lives, covering breaking news across the U.S., and then stepping onto the world stage when Russia invaded Ukraine, watching history unfold at the border as families fled for survival. Sherman also shares what it was like arriving in Israel the day after October 7, how conflict reporting reshaped his understanding of time and home, and why, despite everything, he’s more optimistic about humanity than ever. Along the way, he takes listeners inside unforgettable “pinch me” rooms, from Rome’s conclave and a viral question to Pope Leo XIV, to the bigger lesson he keeps returning to: the world isn’t black-and-white, and his “why” is a lifelong pursuit of listening, learning, and understanding.

Credits to Russ Nobles for the Intro and Outro songs, Mr. Wickboldt for being our advisor, and you for listening to our podcast and keeping up with the latest US news.