David Kassabian - Fall 2005

Unlike some, or perhaps many, who enter the field of journalism, I had no epiphany early in life when I instantly realized I loved writing and wanted to be in news. My transformation was much more slow and subtle – sort of like appreciating the beauty in my South Texas hometown of Boerne, population 4,000.

Since childhood, I always loved books and stories, and high school English classes were a breeze. It wasn’t until my junior year at the University of Texas at Austin, in a course titled “critical issues in journalism,” when my interest was permanently captivated.

I’ve been at it for more than two years now and will be happy to never look back at the time before my profession chose me. I live and die through my work and have been involved in the field every semester since first picking it up.

During my time at Texas, I worked at the college paper, The Daily Texan, for almost two years, only taking a break to be a state desk intern for the Austin American-Statesman. Living and working in the windowless bullpen of the Texan is my greatest experience in college. Helping out at the Statesman is also up there.

Now I find myself in Washington in one of the nation’s greatest cities – working the best job in the world.

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