Here's what some of the Journalists-in-Residence had to say about their experience:

“It was exhilarating being able to give back to a journalism program that was the greatest single academic influence on my professional development. Even the finest journalism courses are no substitute for hands-on experience, and the residence program helps fill this critical gap in aspiring journalists’ training. Aside from the adrenalin rush of breaking a story, what I enjoy most about my job is being able to impart some real-world, on-the-job experience to my reporters. I’ve learned a few things you don’t find in textbooks over the last 40 years – many of them the hard way – and passing some of that experience on to a fresh generation of journalists is a heady opportunity indeed. I learned that there are some very talented aspiring journalists who need to be nurtured and encouraged, and I was proud to be part of that noble effort.” -Tom DeFrank, Washington Bureau Chief, New York Daily News

“This was an exciting year to be a Journalist-in-Residence at Texas A&M, witnessing first hand the new era of journalism education at the University. I thoroughly enjoyed working with the students, both in the classroom and through our one-on-one discussions. One of the things that has always set A&M’s journalism program apart is its practical focus and hands-on approach. The J-I-R program is the latest extension of that philosophy, and I was honored to be a part of it.” - Loren Steffy, Business Columnist, Houston Chronicle

“The Journalist-in-Residence program was a great way to interact directly with students and help them understand what they will be getting themselves into when they go to work for a newspaper. It was also an opportunity for me, as a working journalist, to step back and talk about what the newspaper industry will become, not just what it is. After all, the students I worked with that week will play a big role in the future of journalism. In fact, one student I met that week is working for me now.”- Michael Landauer, Asst. Editorial Page Editor, Dallas Morning News

Here's what some of the students had to say about their experiences interacting with the Journalists-in-Residence:

“I feel like I made connections in JOUR 490. These journalists made it a priority to talk to each student. Some of the stories we worked on with the professionals required us to interview a lot of officials and representatives from different organizations, and before this class, I couldn’t have given you very many names. I felt much more involved and up-to-speed in discussions about stories at my internship because I knew who we were talking about, and I even called some of [the J-i-Rs] when I needed more information for stories.” Emily Allen, Class of 2005

“JOUR 490 was the closest I’ve gotten in a classroom to what being a journalist is really like. I’m now working as a reporter, and I’ve been grateful that through 490, I worked on longer projects that were different that the short-termed projects I did before. It shined some light on the real-world journalism that stories are often only obtained through relentless reporting and editing. The business story we worked on was a challenge for me, because I had never tried to write a business story or think like a business writer. [Then], my first assignment out of college was a business story. [I learned] how to write persuasively and think critically, whether writing for columns or news stories.” Sara Foley, Class of 2005

Check this website for future updates on whom the Journalists-In-Residence will be for upcoming semesters.