RENOWNED JOURNALIST LEE IVORYVISITS NSU COMMUNICATIONS STUDENTS By JALIZA BRAXTON To jump start the celebration of MCJRWeek atNorfolk State University, over two dozen students of the university's Department of Mass Communications and Journalism gathered in the lecture room of Hugo J. Madison Hall. What they did not know was that they were not in it to be lectured, but instead have a conversation with a seasonedjournalist and scholar. Lee Ivory former USA Today reporter, editor, and deputy managing editor and publisher of USA Today Sports Weekly , shared his stories and advice with the hope of inspiring young j ournalists. He began by telling the story of his journey as a 22-year- old reporter from Arkansas, fresh out of college, working his first reporting job with the Shreveport Times in Shreveport, Louisiana. He talked of the challenges he faced and the lessons he learned from them, and he also spoke ofhis love for meeting new people each day. You really have to be involved even if you don't work for your college newspaper or yearbook "It was the greatest job, the greatest experience for me because not only was I in a pbsition to practice my craft, to show everything that I had learned in college and all of those 7 a.m. mornings laying out the newspaper when nobody else was there, but I got to meet all of these people everyday." He then encouraged students to not only enjoy what they do, but to practice what they want to do before they got out into the real world where they would be expected to have a set ofpolished skills. "The one constant that I had in my college career, my academic career, was that I always practiced my writing," said Ivory. "You really have to be involved even if you don't QUAME' HAMUN I SPARTAN ECHO Lee lvory is o former USA Todoy reporter, editor, ond deputy monoging editor ond publisher of USA Todoy Sports Weekly. work for your college newspaper or yearbook," he later added. In between a few recollections of major interviews with top politicians on the nation's capital as a reporter with the Story continued on p. 7