Darran Simon ’98<\/p>\n
Q.<\/strong><\/span> <\/b>What is your job and what do you like about it?<\/p>\n A.<\/strong> <\/b><\/span>I am a senior writer for CNN Digital. I like that every day is different. I have covered mudslides and wildfires in California; mass shootings in Parkland, Florida, and Sutherland Springs, Texas; fatal police shootings of black men nationwide; and terrorist attacks in London. I recently traveled to Philadelphia, where I wrote about librarians using Narcan to save heroin addicts. I even crawled through the Everglades with a real-estate-investor-turned-part-time-python-hunter searching for the invasive species.<\/p>\n Q.<\/strong> <\/b><\/span>Did you have a plan for your career when you graduated from äçÐÄvlogÃâ·ÑBÕ¾?<\/p>\n A.<\/strong> <\/b><\/span>I graduated at 21 years old, an English major, and had my life mapped out. I had planned to graduate from law school by the age of 25 and live in the Washington, D.C. area. I applied to seven law schools, and every school rejected me. I had written for the Good Five Cent Cigar<\/i> at äçÐÄvlogÃâ·ÑBÕ¾ and I decided to try journalism. I really fell into journalism.<\/p>\n Q.<\/strong> <\/b><\/span>What has helped you most in your professional life?<\/p>\n A.<\/strong> <\/b><\/span>I am not afraid to work hard and I\u2019m not afraid to fail. I have failed and stumbled many times. I have had some luck, and prayer has helped a lot, too.<\/p>\n Q.<\/strong> <\/b><\/span>Did you have a mentor?<\/p>\n A.<\/strong> <\/b><\/span>Yes, many. They have guided me, challenged me, and held me accountable. They have believed in me, even when I didn’t believe in myself. They have helped me to put things in perspective. I am grateful for them and I hope, in turn, to be a mentor for young journalists.<\/p>\n Q.<\/strong> <\/b><\/span>What\u2019s your best career advice for students or recent grads?<\/p>\n A.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n