Some pieces I’ve written through the years:

Gail Westry: The essential mentor I never met

I’m back where I fell in love with journalism. In the room where I met and later fell for my wife. On the campus that inspired me. In the town I was raised in. I’m repaying the lessons and the listening, the stern kicks in the pants and the simple kindnesses that my mentors bestowed on me through the years.

I’ve been blessed with a great number of wonderful mentors. But in the past year one particular person has helped me find a new clarity, happiness and effectiveness in this job.

The oddity of it?

We never met. In fact, she died before I contemplated a career in journalism.

Keeping the magic going for the next generation of journalists: Chips Quinn at 25

I still have his reply, forwarded on all these years across so many email accounts into a world he might never have imagined at the time, to a profession markedly different in many ways yet unchanged and as essential as ever in others.

“It is magic,” he had changed the subject line to read, before a master editor’s simple yet perfect reply:

“I hope this business will always be such fun!” you wrote.

Seth: That’s strictly up to you. If you keep the magic going for those who follow you, it will be. Your call, guy.

Trust in journalism (and beyond): The challenge of this era

As we start this semester, I’d suggest nothing is more important than trust. In our families and with our friends. In our society at large and in the work we all do as individuals.

But particularly in this work we do as journalists.

Especially now.