Week 5

What a fantastic week! I completed a research assessment, submitted my final resume, and conducted two interviews.

The first interview I conducted was with Ms. Leslie Thompson, a freelance journalist based in Lewisville. She explained to me the wide variety of jobs within the field of journalism, as well as the steps necessary to take in order to ensure success within the field. Hearing about her experiences and what made her decide to pursue the field was both fascinating and incredibly beneficial. She also gave me incredible advice as to what to do now and in the future to ensure success in journalism. It was exciting to hear about her passion for writing and how she never stops improving her skills.

My second interview was with Mr. Tod Robberson, an editorial writer for The Dallas Morning News. Little did I know, however, that he also spent many years in the investigative side of journalism, covering stories all over Central America and the Middle East. On top of this, he has been mentioned in several books, has worked for the Washington Post, and won the Pulitzer Prize. The feeling of walking into The Dallas Morning News headquarters in downtown Dallas was breath-taking, but the words shared with this incredible man were more than I could have hoped for. He told me stories of his past experiences across the seas that left me dying to know more and showed me newspaper articles he was especially proud of. I felt very much on the inside loop when he explained his current project that he has been working on for a year, and I was awed when he showed me his front-page article of the Dallas Morning News covering the capture of Saddam Hussein. Mr. Robberson gave me an idea of what the field of investigative journalism can look like, the costs and rewards within this field, as well as advice for a successful future as a journalist.

Interviewing professionals is truly amazing. What better way to get a feel for what I hope to do with my future? It has been truly remarkable to hear from people living out their dreams in the field I desire to enter into.