New York Times Student Journalism Institute impacts Golden Panther’s career

Wilma Hernandez, an FIU senior dual-majoring in journalism and international relations, participated in the institute held on Jan. 2-12 at BBC. She shared her experience with News @ FIU.

By Wilma Hernandez

After the third time ignoring a call from an unknown number, I finally answered the phone and there was Dana Canedy from The New York Times. “You’ve been selected for the New York Times Student Journalism Institute,” she said and then asked some questions like who do I admire and why.

Astounded and in disbelief, I answered, but I was so nervous that she probably sensed it in my voice. Although I felt like I could not make out the words, by some magical force I did.

While on the phone with Dana I broke into tears. I tried to hide my emotions fearing I’d sound unprofessional, but my efforts were in vain. After the call, I began jumping up and down. I remember my daughter’s big, brown eyes looking at me and sort of screaming, “What has gotten into you?”

When Jan. 2 came, I checked in at the Best Western Inn, which is about 5 miles away from the Biscayne Bay Campus where the newsroom was. It was the first time that I was away from my family, and 10 days seemed like an eternity. But time went by so quickly that the last day at the institute came and there I was wishing that it would start again.

During that week I worked long hours on an enterprise story about why many people in Miami are taking part in clinical trials. It was an intensive and fruitful week, and I had the chance to work on a challenging story with some of best reporters and editors in the country. Although sometimes I wished I had picked an easier project, I realized that kind of opportunity does not come twice and it was self-fulfilling to work on a story of “a thousand calls” as director Don Hecker called it.

The institute gave me confidence as a reporter and also reassured my passion for journalism – not that I ever doubted it. I was exposed to what it is like to work full-time as a reporter, and I loved it. I can’t think of myself doing anything else but reporting and writing.

This year’s institute was special because a mentoring program was started. The program will connect each of us with journalists from the Times who will be our mentors for two years.

The institute already has begun to impact my résumé. Last week, I received a call from the director of the parity project at the National Association of Hispanic Journalists, Kevin Olivas. The parity project aims to place more Hispanics in newsrooms. Kevin said that an editor from the Times spoke highly of my work. As a result of that recommendation, he sent my résumé to the Scripps Howard internship program at the Treasure Coast Newspapers. If accepted, I plan on pursuing it upon graduation.