What was your major at Trinity?
Political Science

While you were at Trinity did you participate in any extracurricular activities?  How did they help prepare you for your career?
Student government was the prime activity – I learned something about building consensus, following through on projects, being attentive to a lot of different considerations and got a sense about how the institution as a whole was managed.

What was your first job after graduation?
A paid congressional campaign aide.

Briefly describe your career path.
I spent a decade in the political world, serving on two campaigns and working in Washington for two different members of Congress, then earned a graduate degree in journalism and began a new career at 32 as a reporter.

Briefly describe your current position.
I am a congressional correspondent for twice-a-day publication and write about taxes and trade for a Washington-based audience.

What are the major trends affecting your career field?
The evolution of so-called “new media” and the proliferation of web-based news and information sources. The opportunities seem to be on-line but the essence of good journalism seems stable for now.

What is a typical day like?
Hah! I cover Congress! Seriously, though. I arrive about 9:30. Sometimes, there are press conferences or meetings going on that actually make news and my job is to report that. Other days, there is nothing obvious in the works, so I get on the phone and talk to staffers to see what they are hearing on various topics or bills I am following and try to get a story that way. Other times, merely taking a walk through the Capitiol can yield a story. I may run into a top aide to a congressional leader and spot a gaggle of reporters talking to Sen. Lott or House Whip Delay and find a newsworthy nugget there.

I need to file my story for the PM edition by 1:30. That means I need to write quickly. Today, for example, I had to crank out a complicated story with separate elements in about a half hour.

Often the pressure is turned up because there are many things going on. That might mean I will write my story, contribute to another piece and bang out a short item called a brief.

After deadline, I take a quick breather and get poking around for a story for the next day’s AM edition. Again, sometimes news falls into my lap. Other times, I have to look for it. Often I will get wind of a story in the morning and develop and write in the afternoon for the next day.

When Congress is in session and particularly in the final push to get things done before a recess or final adjournment, I can work long hours. Many times, it appeared my day was winding down when I heard about a closed-door meeting with top leaders. I’d go down and stake out that meeting with other reporters. Sometimes members of Congress or their aides would emerge with an announcement about a strategy or new policy initiative or resolution of some impasse. In those cases, I’d end up staying here until 8:00 or 9:00 PM. Needless to stay, it is a bit disappointing to have hung out only to get no news.

When Congress is not in session. It is impossible to come up with two stories a day. On those days, I can plan to go home as early as 4:30 or 5:00.

What do you like most about your job? Least?
I love having a front row seat for the big policy and political battles of our time. I love being in a profession that serves our democracy and is meaningful in daily life. I love the excitement of having no two days that are alike. On the downside, I work too hard for the pay I receive. I see too many people working 9-5 and goofing off for two hours at “lunch” who make twice as much.  I am eager to write for a broader audience. My stories are aimed at “insiders.’

How important is networking?
Very. I can be a competent reporter by doing the minimum amount necessary. I can be great reporter when I build relationships with insiders who help me break news. Without a broad network of acquaintances, sources and friends, a reporter is little more than a stenographer and press release editor.

How did Trinity help you prepare for your career?
A journalist is a practitioner of the liberal arts tradition. I have written about how a snafu in the U.S. duty schedule cost a Florida orange juice company lots of money, Medicare reform, water purity standards and the centennial of Senator Dirksen. I am interested in everything and capable of learning about anything and Trinity helped in this regard. It is also helped me express myself more effectively and creatively.

Are there summer jobs or internships available for students interested in gaining experience in your field?
A lot of newspapers actually give interns a chance to get published. A colleague said she got a page one story in the Dallas Morning News when she was an intern.

Do you have any last words of advice for Trinity students interested in pursing this career field?
Journalism has been called the “last refuge of the vaguely talented” and what journalists do is called “the first draft history.” Both adages are sort of true. I simply think it is fun and exhilarating. When I received my graduate degree, my mentor told me the doctors graduating that same day would do immensely important life giving work, business school grads would create wealth for millions of people, education majors would pass along knowledge to posterity, but journalists were essential because they would make sense of what everyone else does for society in general. I think that is an excellent notion to bear in mind. So much for philosophical concerns.

On a practical level, I would recommend being willing to work for little pay on some obscure weekly newspaper in the middle of nowhere when you start off. Write your heart out on any subject that interests you and be smart about freelance opportunities. You can sell the same piece over and over by modifying it slightly for different publications. Keep advancing to the next level. You need not stay at a low level position for more than a year or two when you start off. No one needs ten years to figure out how to cover a local school board meeting. Network, be resourceful, work the phone, follow up on hunches. Listen carefully to what people say. Twice this week, seemingly minor remarks people threw out casually in conversations turned out to be stories worth writing. Turn your attention to the Internet for job opportunities but remember that truthful, balanced journalism and solid language skills should not be obscured by a lot of electronic clutter. Finally, marry some one with money or learn to live frugally!