Journalists explain the tools of their trade

A handful of the next generation's potential Pulitzer Prize-winners met with two University graduates who are now working for two of the nation's largest daily newspapers. The seminar, held last night in the Ben Franklin Room of Houston Hall by Career Planning and Placement Services, was designed for students interested in pursuing a career in journalism. JoAnna Daemmrich, a reporter for the Baltimore Sun, and Michael Bamberger, a sports reporter for the Philadelphia Inquirer, offered helpful advice on how students should pursue jobs and what they should expect in interviews. Daemmrich and Bamberger both said that they started their careers at small weekly publications. Daemmrich's first job was with a newspaper in Northeast Philadelphia, while Bamberger began writing for the Vineyard Gazette in Martha's Vineyard. Both Daemmrich and Bamberger agreed that it is rare for a student to come right out of college and land a job with a major daily publication. Bamberger, a 1982 College graduate, said that most newspapers look for reporters who can cover a wide range of stories. This point was reaffirmed by Daemmrich, a 1986 College graduate, who described the diverse topics she covered in the previous week. Daemmrich said that she wrote stories about a deli in the Washington, D.C., area that names sandwiches after famous people, a troubled neighborhood in Annapolis, Md., and a speech by Jesse Jackson at a Baptist church the day after he protested Major League Baseball's attitudes towards blacks outside the Baltimore Oriole's home opener. According to Daemmrich, reading the stories of other writers is a beneficial way to improve writing skills. "I would find a writer and follow them," she said. "I would read their articles and I guess try to emulate them." Bamberger described the process of applying for a position at a newspaper to the students, warning that rejection is inevitable. However, persistence pays off, according to Bamberger. He stressed that sending a resume and application is not enough and that following up with telephone calls is vital. Students said they gained a new understanding of what it takes to be a successful journalist. "I learned a lot more about the self-drive needed to succeed in the field," said graduate student Josh Brockman.