Journalism is an elective class that many of our Ne-Ca-Hi students have enjoyed.  How many of those students have truly considered an actual career in journalism?  This question can be answered as we ask the former Class of 2018  Eye of the Hurricane Senior Editor, Maria Cade, how she has taken her journalism career to new heights. 

Maria, who happens to be my older sister, is currently a senior Media and Journalism major at the University of North Carolina – Chapel Hill.  Maria was drawn to UNC as it boasts one of the top journalism schools in the country. They frequently have guest speakers from major news organizations lecture in class and have famous alumni working in the news industry. I sat down with Maria to ask her a few questions about how she is transitioning to her position as a journalist.

1. How did your high school journalism class influence your college major decision?
   1. One of my favorite classes that I was able to take was Journalism with Mr. Abe. I have always enjoyed chatting with different people and learning about their stories, so I knew that I wanted to take Journalism at New Castle. Once I was in the class I was always looking to uncover new stories and feature different things going on in the community. Soon, I knew I wanted to take this curiosity and drive to a larger scale, which is why I chose to major in Journalism at UNC.
2. What are some typical courses that you would take in college if interested in a journalism career?
   1. Even though I am specializing in Broadcast Journalism, every MEJO (Media and Journalism) student at UNC has to take a basic journalism writing course. This course is the gateway to the major, and UNC requires that course as a foundation for all journalists. They value a solid foundation in writing no matter what specialization you choose. Another class is a storytelling class. This allows for students to create compelling narratives to share with their surrounding communities.
3. What type of journalism are you majoring in and why did you choose that?
   1. I’m specializing in Broadcast Journalism. I chose this because I wanted a blend of my performance experience with my passion for telling stories. 
4. What are your career aspirations upon graduation? 
   1. In May, I will be graduating from UNC. I hope to become an MMJ (multimedia journalist) before ultimately matriculating into entertainment journalism where I will host my own talk show.
5. What advice would you give to anyone considering a journalism career? 
   1. Be bold! As a journalist, you need to feel comfortable asking questions and seeking the truth. If you are confident in your abilities and go into reporting with a good mindset, you will be successful!

We would like to thank Maria for shining some light on what a journalism career entails. We wish her the best of luck as she pursues her journalism dream.