Some people are drawn to journalism because they want to change the world. They saw “All the President’s Men” in high school, and the noble work of Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein spoke to their soul.

Me? I just really liked blazers. And two people wore blazers best, I thought: college professors and journalists.

Journalism meant fewer student loans. I went with that. (I also thought writing was pretty neat, but professional wear was more important obviously).

Two newspaper internships, an editorial position at my student newspaper and one journalism/telecommunications degree later, and I’m not only a proud owner of my very own blazer, but a working journalist who understands (and lives) the importance of her job.

I’m currently the business and economic development reporter for the News and Tribune, a small, but award-winning daily newspaper in Southern Indiana. My coverage area (Clark and Floyd counties) has seen an explosion of growth in the past few years. New companies and restaurants seem to pop up each day — and I have to keep up with it all.  I report on everything from business openings to in-depth examinations of the local workforce. I also chip in with other coverage including stories on government, interesting people and public safety. Fun fact: I didn’t know I was the business reporter at the News and Tribune until my first day, but now I have so many story ideas that my notes app is begging for relief.

In the summer of 2016, I worked as a Pulliam Fellow at the Indianapolis Star. I wrote alongside the newspaper’s wildly fun features staff, producing stories on disabled kittens and visiting rock bands. I also created videos, including a nifty time lapse one on the makeup routine of a Cirque du Soleil performer.

I first honed my skills — particularly my creative, non-fiction writing ones — as a reporter, social media maven and features editor for Ball State University’s multimedia focused student newspaper.

College is also where I learned about my chosen profession and what it could do. (And finally saw “All the President’s Men.”)

Journalism may not have been my passion as a teenager, but I love the world I’ve found myself in. It plays to my creativity, my love of writing and my desire to leave the world a better, more informed, place than  I found it.