A thread on a journalism institution I deeply care about, the Dow Jones News Fund. @DJNFShockley, its heart and soul, is retiring after a 32-year stint where she played a role in jump starting thousands of careers for young journalists like myself. I was 20 years old

and by all accounts a mediocre, but passionate student journalist. I felt lost going into my junior year without any experience outside of my college paper. A professor recommended I apply to the @DJNF for a slot in the copy editor program. I was already doing that

at the school newspaper, so I knew @AP style by heart. I took the test, had an interview and got accepted. They sent me to @UNCHussman for two weeks and assigned me to Knight Ridder-Tribune's wire service in D.C. I got to work with the best Washington bureau in D.C. at the time.

Which led to an invitation to return as an intern reporter to the legendary Knight Ridder Washington bureau the following summer. (The copy editing skills got me in the door my senior year to @ABC and @CourtTV.) That one experience gave me the confidence to keep at journalism and

and it opened so many doors. It has become the foundation of my career. Without @DJNF in 2004 I would not be where I am today. A former crime reporter who became a business journalist, editor and bureau chief that has reported from dozens of countries on four continents.

And now @DJNFShockley is retiring. Maybe you are that person who wants to fill her shoes and help young journalists fulfill their dreams. Apply here. https://dowjones.wd1.myworkdayjobs.com/News_Fund_Careers/job/Princeton/Managing-Director--Dow-Jones-News-Fund_Job_Req_21576-2 @aaja @NABJ @najournalists @nlgja @NAHJ @WritersofColor @IBWellsSociety