I was both honored and extremely nervous when I was invited to share my career journey with students at McCulloch Intermediate School and Highland Park Middle School on their weekly news broadcast.
Until recently, I didn’t have a very exciting career journey to share. Before I became managing editor of Park Cities People in January 2024, I spent 14 years caring for my children at home. Being the mother of three young children is an extremely challenging job, but it doesn’t make for gripping interview material.
Plus, although I ask lots of questions, the only other time I’ve been interviewed in the past 20 years was for my job at People Newspapers. (Fortunately for me, that went well.)
I sent broadcast journalism advisor James Jenkins the dates of six Tuesdays when I would be available for an interview on Raider Career Review. It did nothing to ease my nerves when he chose the earliest I’d offered, Sept. 23.
In the weeks before my big screen debut, I watched videos of some past Raider Career Review segments.
The interviewees are an impressive, and varied, bunch. They include TCU head football coach Sonny Dykes, FOX 4 anchor Heather Hays, and WFAA meteorologist Pete Delkus, along with doctors, lawyers, athletes, entrepreneurs, and representatives of virtually any profession I could imagine.
Jenkins told me recently that his students have completed about 80 interviews in the four years since Raider Career Review began. He welcomes the participation of all those who would like to share their experiences.
Jenkins said he tries to show students that “there are an array of careers out there. There’s not just four or five, and you can do these, and they are fantastic.”
A week before my morning in the studio, I was sent a list of questions from Ellie and Mateo, the students who would interview me. They included thoughtful queries about how I manage deadlines, the differences between local and national journalism, and my favorite writing tips and tricks.
I tried to convey in my time onscreen that a successful career journey isn’t always a straight line. It doesn’t mean that you’ve failed if you decide to take a detour or turn around completely. It’s OK to decide that what you’re doing isn’t working, and it’s time to try something new.
I began my career at the Kansas City Star before leaving journalism to join the Peace Corps and go to law school. After graduation, I worked for a law firm before exiting the workforce when my daughter was born.
When I was a teenager, I never imagined that I would one day be managing editor of a community newspaper. I wanted to be either a doctor or a scientist.
But I can’t imagine that I would be happier than I am now in either of those professions.
It was wonderful to have a chance to reflect on my meandering journey. I’m grateful to Mr. Jenkins both for the insight Raider Career Review gives students, and for the opportunity to share my thoughts.
To view my interview, visit People Newspapers on LinkedIn, or watch me on Instagram, @hpms_raiders.