Former Spectator editors in different places, but all say paper taught them life lessons
Heather Fasciocco Stone '02
Currently resides in Longmont, Colo.
Q: How long did you work for The Spectator?
A: I started working my sophomore year as a staff writer and then moved up as a news editor my junior and senior year. I wrote a lifestyle column, filled in as a cartoonist, and I also took photos of sport events. I won first place for my feature story about Locks of Love at the Mississippi Press Association Collegiate News- paper (contest).
Q: Did you stay in the journalism field after you graduated?
A: Yes, I did. I interned at a local county newspaper in my junior year and a secured a job there as a writer when I graduated. I moved to Georgia and wrote for a newspaper there and also received an award for my writing at the Georgia Press Association. Now, I am the regional marketing manager for Marriott International. I support 16 hotels and copy edit and write promotions for all of them.
Laura Prestwich '08
Currently resides in Columbus, Miss.
Q: How long did you work for The Spectator?
A: I came in as a junior transfer beat reporter, and eventually I held the positions of lifestyles and managing editor and finally editor-in-chief. I covered a lot of news, particularly the legal battle between the university and the Alumni Association, and I followed the involved parties to court for interviews.
Q: What experiences did you take from working at The Spectator that you have applied to your life?
A: Most of the things I learned from working for The Spectator contributed in some way to where I am now. I learned how to manage my time and my resources and I also learned how to multi-task. At The Spectator you work with, manage, and interview people daily and those are valuable skills that I cultivated, including active listening.
Jill O'Bryant '94
Currently resides in New Hope, Miss.
Q: How long did you work for The Spectator?
A: I worked at The Spectator the entire time I was a student at MUW, and I was the co-editor for a semester with Anika Perkins and became the editor the next semester. I had a weekly column and I wrote a little bit about everything.
Q: Do you have a memory of working at The Spectator that still resonates with you?
A: Probably my best memories as a student at The W are my memories of working at The Spectator. There is no doubt, however, my favorite memories revolve around Bill Sorrels, who was a journalism professor and sponsor for The Spectator during my years at the W. He was one of those professors who could make you want to scream and laugh at the same time. His knowledge about journalism and newspapers was unbelievable, and I feel very fortunate to have been at The W to learn from him.
Elizabeth Locker '12
Currently resides in San Francisco
Q: How long did you work for The Spectator and what positions did you hold?
A: I began as a reporter in my second semester of my freshman year writing movie reviews. I was the managing editor during my sophomore year and the editor- in-chief for my junior and senior years.
Q: Do you have a memory that still resonates with you?
A: I wrote a story when The W was in a period of transitioning. There were rumors of a name change, the alumni association split apart and they were looking for a new president. I wrote about how the students were kept in the dark about the entire situation and we didn’t know what was going to happen. The article got picked up by a news outlet the next day and later that day a committee responded, and it was the first time that I wrote an article and it made a difference. It didn’t make a huge difference, but slowly information was given to the public.