Missouri School of Journalism: Profiles in Success: Becky Williams McElduff '96


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Name: Becky Williams McElduff
Degree and Year: BJ '96 (Magazine)
Company: National Association of Insurance Commissioners
Company Web Site: http://www.naic.org/
Title: Assistant Counsel
City and State: Kansas City, Mo.

Describe the NAIC. What the company does, what's interesting or special.
The NAIC is the country's oldest association of state officials. Each state has an insurance commissioner. The NAIC is their organization. NAIC staff assists the membership in coordinating the regulation of insurance and provides several innovative electronic resources to help the state regulators do their jobs. The organization employs more than 300 people and has three offices.

How did you get your job?
I applied online after seeing an ad.

Describe an average work day.
No two days are ever the same, which I thoroughly enjoy! I am one of about seven attorneys in the legal division. I graduated from MU Law School after earning my BJ. Being the "low man on the totem pole" in the legal division, I assist in all kinds of projects, from drafting educational materials to reviewing vendor contracts.

What is the best professional lesson you learned from Mizzou's J-School?
The importance of precision in all methods of communication.

What advantages did attending the J-School give you, that other job applicants didn't have?
In law school and professionally, I have tried to produce concise and understandable writing. Law is one of the more jargon-riddled fields, so one does have to make an effort to resist that.

Do you have any advice for current J-School students?
Be open to using your degree in non-traditional ways. I run into people with journalism degrees often; 99 percent are not "journalists."

Describe the current state of your professional life.
I started a new job in a new field last year, so I am focusing on establishing a good working relationship with my colleagues and a reputation for quality and efficiency. Time off is at a premium.

What is something about you that might surprise people?
If I told you, then it wouldn't be a surprise.

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	Revised: 18 April 2007. Copyright © 2008 The Curators of the University of Missouri \| Contact the J-School