The Pan American Life

The Pan American with BroncTV at TIPA 2013

    I began working with The Pan American in January 2012. Dimitra Hernandez suggested I should join the Multimedia section to gain some experience along with my degree. I wasn't hesitant to join but I can still remember knocking on that newsroom door ready to fill out an application.

    I knocked three times and waited. When the door opened, I had my first encounter with Greg Selber, the backbone of tPA. Selber welcomed me in and I then met Pamela Morales. I will admit, I was a bit nervous by this time but only because I wanted to make a good impression. These were going to be the people to help me develop my skills.

    It took a month of working at tPA to finally get the hang of things. I had just done a story on the charging stations on the Academic Services building. It was the first story I was really proud of! I knew I had done a good job at the time.

Academic Services now offer a charging stations for devices

    This story isn't anywhere near perfect but it was a step in the right direction. The way it works in tPA, all reporters, photographers and designers begin as a volunteer. If the reporter shows dedications and a hunger for journalism, they are then promoted to a paid reporter. If the reporter keeps working hard, they can then be a section editor. The next step would be Co or Editor-in-Chief.

    I followed this trail. After I worked with tPA in Spring 2012, I became a paid reporter for the summer. I loved that I was getting paid to do something I love! During the summer I helped other new reporters and showed them the ropes. When the Fall 2012 semester came by, I became extremely busy!

    I was still a reporter for tPA but I produced two to three stories a week, attended 12 hours of class, mentored a UNIV 1301 class, and interned with Good Day Valley. I still managed, somehow, to have a social life outside of work. It was very hard though.

The Pan American's Youtube Channel

    As the Fall semester came to an end, I then became the Multimedia Editor for the upcoming semester. My job then became managing up to six reporters a week. I would assign each reporter a story to work on for the week, review their scripts and edited package. I did each task about six times a week. 

    I will admit, I was very stressed at times but I kept moving forward. I wanted to do a great job at something I loved. Even though I cried out of stress, I never wanted to give up. I would stay until 9 p.m. sometimes editing my reporters stories or waiting for the stories to upload.

    When I interned with KGBT earlier this summer, I took a break from tPA. I sure did miss the feel of our little, cozy newsroom and missed the wonderful people inside, working day and night to bring UTPA daily news. I apparently missed it too much since I am writing articles for the rest of the summer. I can't seem to take a vacation!

My latest article with tPA

    I like to think that I gave tPA so much with every story I did but the truth is, tPA gave me so much more. I would have never had the opportunities to work with KGBT or FoxRio2 if it wasn't for the newspaper. If it wasn't for the newspaper, I wouldn't know what hard work is or knowledge from the great Selber. I would have never made contacts or get my name out there as a journalist if I wasn't in tPA. And I would have never met so many hardworking college students who are low on cash but high on passion if I walked by the newsroom door without knocking. I hope to keep these friendships if not forever, then I hope to have them close for years to come.

Family photo (the women editors of tPA Spring 2013)

The Pan American brings UTPA daily news online