For Tanya Caldwell, the
start of a professional journalism career with the
Tribune Company has come through her faith –
and the number seven.
When she was in the seventh grade she set a goal
of owning a magazine, and then she prayed. After
seven newspaper internships, she will report this
fall to The Los Angeles Times as part of a two-year
training program.
“My life is like one
big leap of faith,” she said.
Caldwell was born in Germany and grew up in Cocoa,
Fla. “When I was 12 we had to research three
career choices, so I prayed -- that’s what
I do,” said the 21-year-old. “The thought
of my own magazine popped up. Since then I’ve
received one opportunity after another.”
The recent Florida A&M University graduate counts
among her opportunities being deputy news editor
of The Famuan newspaper, managing editor of Journey,
the campus magazine, and gospel music director of
WANM 90.5 FM, the college’s radio station.
In 2001, she earned her first professional internship
at Florida Today in Melbourne.
From there Caldwell spent consecutive summers and
fall semesters at The Providence Journal, The New
York Times Regional Media Group’s Capital
Bureau, Sun-Sentinel’s Capital Bureau and
St. Petersburg Times. After leaving this summer’s
New York Times Student Journalism Institute, she
will be an intern at the South Florida Sun-Sentinel
in June.
“You gain a passion once you learn your purpose,”
she said.
Caldwell competed against 20 finalists to become
part of the two-year Minority Editorial Training
Program with the Tribune Company, which she starts
in October.
Caldwell said she loves her current profession,
but she believes her career will end in a college
classroom, not a newsroom.
“After the
magazine, newsroom, and field work is over,”
she said, “I want to teach.”
EBONY HORTON
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