READING NATION MAGAZINE DECEMBER ISSUE

Former Journalist Turned Author Returns to ENMU for Media-Con 21! by Kathleen M. Rodgers

I was so honored to be in this lineup of stellar speakers.

With Dr. Patti Dobson, Chair of ENMU Department of Communication, at ENMU Media-Con 21. Because of Dr. Dobson’s generous invitation, I was privileged to meet with students ranging from high school freshmen to grad students. It was a magical day as I listened to students share about their hopes and dreams for future careers.

A huge thank you to Dr. Darrell Roe, a professor in the ENMU Department of Communication, for coordinating my visit to meet with students at ENMU Media-Con 21. Dr. Roe went above and beyond to welcome me and assured me that I had something to offer students ranging from high school freshmen to grad students. A day filled with memories of my time at ENMU decades ago and a chance to share my experiences in writing for magazines and newspapers and how I turned perceived weaknesses into strengths.

That moment when you finally meet another writer you’ve admired for so long. With Betty Williamson, a columnist for The Eastern New Mexico News. Betty stopped by to say hello and we exchanged hugs between my sessions meeting with students at ENMU Media-Con 21. Betty is a terrific person and an incredible writer and observer of life in eastern New Mexico. She’s also the proud niece of the late great Jack Williamson, known in publishing circles as “The Dean of Science Fiction.” Thanks to the vaccine for making in person meetings possible again!

In between sessions meeting with students at ENMU Media-Con 21, I stopped by the Administration Building where I spent my freshman year working as a student writer in what was then called Information Services.

I was 17 when the news director, Mike Slinker, hired me.

The grand staircase in the Administration Building at Eastern New Mexico University. The breathtaking murals are still on the walls surrounding the stairs.

Before Tom and I headed back to N TX the next morning, we stopped by the statue of the late great Jack Williamson, known around the world as “The Dean of Science Fiction.” There’s a building on campus named after Dr. Williamson who taught journalism at ENMU for decades. On our way out of town, a giant tumbleweed rolled by in front of us and the bells of The Methodist Church in Portales, NM were ringing. The entire trip was magical.

Author’s note: ENMU stands for Eastern New Mexico University