BaltimOregon to Maine

Chambers Lawn at Davidson College.

Spent the evening reminiscing about the good ole days at Davidson College and why I went to journalism school. We have our first house guest here (the spare bedroom is finally getting some use). Minneapolis native Laura Puckett, who graduated Davidson two years after me, is crashing here for the night en route to Eugene to check out the English and journalism grad schools at the University of Oregon. She came seeking advice on this peculiar way of making one’s way in the world as a writer.

Would I do j-school again if I had to do it over? Or should I have gone for a PhD. (but no, I lack the necessary singularity of mind)? Now I wish I’d studied radio at Columbia. Landing an NPR job now seems like a pipe dream. But NPR’s commitment to multi-media innovation and the listen-supported model seems the most sustainable to me.

Davidson should start an alumni network of journalists and non-fiction writers. Our path is the synthesis of a liberal arts education. We write to make connections among disparate fields and remain engaged as life-long learners. This path chose us. But will we prevail?