Mr. NPR

Being an open-minded and undecided college student, it was incredibly reassuring to hear the suggestion, "don't have too rigid of a career path" as I sat in Gregory Hall, listening to the speaker. What was even better was that the advice came from Don Gonyea. Known for his work with NPR, his very first job was surprisingly as a country-western disc jockey. Years later, he eventually became a correspondent for the White House. Clearly, he knew what he was talking about!

Among the many stories he shared about his career experiences, my favorite was when he explained the complicated process of gathering the information for a story that recently brought him to Paint Creek, Texas. It involved a cow, a bull, a football game and more than a few hours spent in a pick-up truck, roaming the land. The tale was just as, if not more, entertaining as the actual final product: the popular political podcast, For Rick Perry, A Restless Life on the Farm.

Whenever I hear these success stories about people who left college with a fresh degree, fell into a business and climbed their way to the top, I find it both inspiring and intimidating. The reason I am able to hear from these people is because they are, in fact, the best of the best. But it's always humbling to learn just how hard they worked to get to get to where they are today. Don Gonyea is a perfect example. It was amazing to hear such a renown storyteller speak in person.

Although former President George W. Bush coined this nickname during a moment of desperation at a press conference (just another humorous anecdote shared), it is a very well-deserved way to describe the remarkable man: Mr. NPR.