The other day I came across a business card I had been given years ago. The edges are worn and slightly darkened and a tiny Altgeld Hall logo in the corner indicates the card belonged to someone working for Northern Illinois University.

When I started as a reporter at NIU’s student newspaper, the Northern Star, I was proud to be asked to interview people who had their own business cards. I was barely 18 when I started there; and although I had gotten great experience as a high school editor, being a freshman in college put me at the bottom of the totem pole for story assignments.

Whenever I was asked to write a story that involved more than students’ opinions on midterm exams or dorm food, I felt important and nervous.