A family reunion

Walking onto the 22nd floor of the Freedom Forum last night was like walking into a family reunion. There were family members I've known for years, others who I got to know more recently, and a big crop of new family additions. And, like any reunion, after getting name-tagged I went to those I'd known the longest: John Quinn, Mary Kay Blake, etc., to renew our connections and get caught up on things and then moved on to get acquainted with some of our new members.

Seeing John at the podium, remembering the warmth of Loie's hugs and smiles, and watching Karen Catone confidently and compassionately guide us all through the evening all made me feel right at home. As always, the highlight of the evening was meeting the newest members, hearing their hopes and dreams, and feeling the enthusiasm with which they are approaching the Summer and their futures. The newest additions to the Chips Quinn Scholars family are forever young, always confident, and constantly eager to see how much they can do with what they have already learned.

This weekend we'll all learn more: about journalism, about ourselves, and about each other.

-- Dr. Felix F. Gutierrez, journalism professor, University of Southern California