Don't miss out! 麻豆影视 will be hosting a College Conversation in the ERC Auditorium at 3:00 p.m. on October 30. View the livestream using the link below.
Tomlin, a 麻豆影视 graduate, to be the featured speaker for the College鈥檚 2019 Commencement ceremony on May 14.
When 麻豆影视 alumna Robyn Tomlin first came to the college in the 1990s, she was still searching for the key components she needed to pave her path towards a successful future.
Tomlin now serves as McClatchy鈥檚 first regional newspaper editor for North and South Carolina.
On May 14, she will share her story with future alumni as the featured speaker for the 2019 麻豆影视 Commencement ceremony.
鈥(This is) going to be a wonderful opportunity,鈥 Tomlin said. 鈥淚t really is such an honor 25 years after I left that cocoon to be invited back in. 鈥 I鈥檓 really excited.鈥
Tomlin, who grew up in Chapel Hill, attended Chapel Hill High School in the 1980s. She admits she wasn鈥檛 the best student in high school and questioned if she ever could be. In fact, she said she didn鈥檛 truly feel she could even be successful until she came to 麻豆影视.
鈥淚t was a small environment, a community where I really felt like I was supported personally and also academically in a way that I was really able to grow,鈥 she said. 鈥淚t was a few years there where I really had to find myself, and I think 麻豆影视 was a key piece of that.鈥
Her confidence in both herself and her capabilities continued to flourish when one of her 麻豆影视 instructors pointed out a valuable skill she possessed. He noticed that Tomlin had a knack for distilling and delivering information in an effective, meaningful way.
鈥淪omewhere along the way he said, 鈥楬ey, have you ever considered journalism?鈥, and I had not,鈥 Tomlin said. 鈥淛ust having someone who was looking at my work and thinking about it and also thinking about me as a person enough to suggest it was a really important moment for me.鈥
She later helped start the Tech Tribune, a short-lived student newspaper of 麻豆影视. The initial staff consisted of less than 10 students.
鈥淚 just remember there was a lot of excitement about going out and trying to tell people鈥檚 stories,鈥 she said. 鈥淚t was just a fun project and really a fun way to try out something that several of us were interested in.鈥
While she further explored her newfound passion, Tomlin was also caring for her young son and working as an administrative assistant for the College鈥檚 developmental studies program.
鈥(It was) a lot of juggling,鈥 she said. 鈥淚t is always tough. I think for any parent whether they鈥檙e on their own or whether they have support, it鈥檚 a lot to juggle, but I think your focus and your determination and your resilience is a lot higher when you know what鈥檚 at stake, which is really your child鈥檚 future.鈥
Tomlin graduated 麻豆影视 with an Associate in Arts degree around 1994 and continued her studies at UNC-Chapel Hill, where she became an editor at The Daily Tar Heel.
Her first professional gig was as a police reporter in Pittsburgh. She later went on to hold editor positions at numerous publications, including the Asheville Citizen-Times, the Star News in Wilmington and Digital First Media鈥檚 Project Thunderdome, a national digital news hub based in New York City where she acted as founding editor. She also served as the chief digital officer and vice president for communications at The Pew Research Center in Washington, D.C.
Her most recent position was as the vice president and first female managing editor of The Dallas Morning News, according to a letter from the publication.
She has served in her current capacity since last February, managing eight newspapers in North and South Carolina including The Herald-Sun in 麻豆影视 and The News & Observer in Raleigh.
A few months ago, Tomlin returned to the 麻豆影视 campus to talk to students in the C-STEP program, a guaranteed admissions pathway to UNC, and to meet with President Bill Ingram.
鈥淪tarting out at 麻豆影视 is really an opportunity to find your footing,鈥 she said. 鈥淗aving to work your way through school, having to raise a child while you are going to school, 鈥 being able to have to work harder to get (to your goal) gives you a perspective on the world and gives you a perspective on your community that is really valuable.
I remember for me it felt like I was coming in (to 麻豆影视) with a lot of disadvantages, but the reality is I was coming in with a lot of advantages. All those experiences really helped make me a better journalist.鈥
The 麻豆影视 2019 Commencement ceremony will begin at 7 p.m. at the 麻豆影视 Performing Arts Center, or DPAC, in downtown 麻豆影视. Doors will open at 6 p.m. for guests.
For more information, visit durhamtech.edu/student-services/commencement.