Right at home

Humility seems to be just as important as any other attribute a reporter learns in school. I work in an office with Pulitzer-Prize winners who take the small or most mediocre assignment with the utmost respect. Reporters value their writing as much as their reporting. The quality of people and the quirky environment in Austin -- the city's motto is “Keep Austin Weird” -- has me feeling right at home, knowing that being yourself professionally and personally will land you respect and acceptance. Being an intern at a newspaper that makes it a point to do something different and interesting can be challenging. But what many of us learn is that the hunger keeps you yearning to do a good job whether, in my case, it's a story on renaming a quaint road in a sleepy town, chasing the National Guard during training or interviewing a gubernatorial candidate. I couldn't imagine waking up and doing any other kind of job. You never know what to expect, except to turn your work in on deadline and get it right the first time!

-- Francisco Vara-Orta, St. Mary’s University, Austin (Texas) American-Statesman

(Francisco Vara-Orta has been named a participant in the two-year METPRO Program. He will begin work at the Los Angeles Times in October.)