IU South Bend alumnus Chris Worrell recalls his love of journalism started back when he was just seven years old, when he would try to delay his homework so he could read the newspaper instead.
My dad loved the fact that I read the paper, explains Chris. But when he would ask if I had homework to do, I would tell him the newspaper was way more interesting.
What started out as a second grade love of the sports section eventually became a career path - Chris has been working as a reporter in Cleveland for the past decade, where he writes community news pieces for Cleveland.com, Sun News and The Plain Dealer.
Although Chris has always been a self-described news junkie he didn’t originally set out to become a journalist. He earned his Bachelor of Arts in history from IU South Bend in 2003, and then went on to earn his Masters of Arts degree from Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland.
When he completed graduate school, it was in the aftermath of the Great Recession and a tough job market, particularly for new graduates. Chris applied to an opening at The Plain Dealer newspaper in Cleveland, and even though he didn’t have a journalism degree, his writing skills got his foot in the door and he landed a position as a reporter.
Chris credits the skills he gained while earning his history degree at IU South Bend for his transition into journalism. Everything I needed to succeed in this career I already had by the time I left IUSB, he explains. A history degree translates very well to working as a reporter because you’re taking information from sources, doing research, and then composing it into a structure that someone else will want to read.
Even though Cleveland is now where Chris calls home, he says he will always have a soft spot for South Bend. I love campus, it’s such a good state school. I have so many fond memories of my history professors, and appreciate everything IUSB has done for me.
