Ready to come back

(Six alums spoke on Friday and Saturday: (front row from left) Sue Stock, retail reporter, The News & Observer, Raleigh, N.C.; Lina Hashem, former copy editor, The News Journal, Wilmington, Del.; Rhina Guidos, assistant city editor, The News Journal; (back row) Willie Allen, photographer, St. Petersburg Times; Kristen Go, assistant city editor, The Arizona Republic; Sholnn Freeman, business reporter, The Washington Post. Photo by Michelle Hedenskoog.)


I’m already wondering what I’m going to say when I come back to Chips Quinn orientation three, four or six years from now. I don’t know if I’ll be able to top the speeches of Reggie Stuart from Knight Ridder or Bob Dubill from USA TODAY. Aside from the accent coaching to the off-key warbling of “We’re not going to take it,” I might have to resort to a choreographed dance routine if I want to come close to their level of entertainment. Speakers such as these two news veterans give me hope that I will be able to survive the daily churn of the newsroom with my ideals and sense of humor intact. Even as my career just begins, I’m already looking forward to revisiting the Freedom Forum. I owe this group so much for the opportunity, and I will do everything to further their cause (now my cause) to be a great journalist and to promote diversity in the newsroom.

-- Andrew Tran, University of Texas, The Jackson (Tenn.) Sun