Alex M. Smith

What do you do? Rowman and Littlefield just published my first book, “SEC Football’s Greatest Games.” How did you get your job? A Rowman rep from Lyons Press reached out to me in late 2016. At the time, I was working with Cox Media Group (Atlanta Journal-Constitution, SEC Country, etc.) and my stories about SEC … Continued

Nancy Bishop

What do you do? I’m the editor and publisher of a Chicago arts and culture website founded in 2016 by a group of writers. As part of our “meet the staff” series, this profile/interview with me was recently posted. How did you get your job? A group of writers was working for another website (gapersblock.com) … Continued

Russ Mitchell

What do you do? I am the lead anchor/managing editor for WKYC-TV in Cleveland, Ohio. What is the best professional lesson you learned at the J-School? Tenacity, teamwork. Have a thick skin and don’t accept “No” for an answer. What advice do you have for current students? Work hard, be a master of everything. What … Continued

Abigail Geiger

What do you do? I work as an associate producer and writer at Pew Research Center in Washington, D.C., where I use the skills I learned at the journalism school every day. I worked in newspapers after college, and I have wanted to work at Pew since college. I was lucky to get this position … Continued

Kathleen Strand

What do you do? I am the head of external relations for McKinsey and Company. What is the best professional lesson you learned at the J-School? I learned how to talk to people from all walks of life during my time at the Columbia Missourian and the importance of telling their stories, not just reporting … Continued

Natalie Dupin

What do you do? I am a the public relations coordinator for the CNN New York Bureau. My job focuses primarily on the CNN Original Series. How did you get your job? I started applying like a madwoman to jobs in January. I flew out to New York once a month and lined up interviews … Continued

John Somerville

What do you do? I am retired. How did you get your job? Perseverance. After being decommissioned from the Navy in WWII, I went to Denver, where I was determined to become an editorial cartoonist on The Denver Post. (Their editorial cartoonist was in his seventies, doing seven cartoons a week plus an oil painting … Continued

Jim McCarty

What do you do? I am editor of the Rural Missouri magazine, the largest paid-circulation monthly in Missouri with a circulation of 550,000. I have served in that position longer than any other editor in the 69-year history of the publication. I also serve as the vice president of communications and printing for the Association … Continued

Martin Nicholson

What do you do? I am the vice-president of EGA Inc., a consulting firm in Skyland, North Carolina. In that capacity, I have handled all marketing, sales and financials since 2004. How did you get your job? I had been working in the produce industry for two major international publications, serving that industry from 1977-2003. … Continued

Christine Ledbetter

What do you do? I am the senior arts editor at the Washington Post. How did you get your job? I came to the Washington Post after news and features stints in papers such as the Boca Raton News, Dayton Daily News, Detroit Free Press, Chicago Sun-Times and Minneapolis Star-Tribune. What is the best professional … Continued