Journalist speaks during annual Michael Davis Lecture

A journalist spoke about the many turns of her career during this year's Michael Davis Lecture, hosted by Southeast Missouri State University.

The address was given by Christina Carrega on Monday, March 6.

SEMO has marked the death of former student Michael Davis every year since 1997 with the lecture. Davis, an African American student who was pursuing a degree in journalism at the university was murdered in a hazing incident in 1994. The Michael Davis Lecture was created to showcase the success of African Americans in the media.

Carrega is an award-winning journalist and the national criminal justice reporter for Capital B.

"I do hope that the student journalists and those who are just getting into the industry, understand that it's a lot of dynamics and a lot of work," Carrega said. "Really, the message that I like to leave students with is that if you hate homework now, then you shouldn't be in this industry, because it's constantly learning the game, learning how to pivot, learning different topics."

Award-winning criminal justice reporter Christina Carrega speaks at the annual Michael Davis Lecture on Monday, March 6, on the Southeast Missouri State University campus. Carrega talked of her time in different organizations and newspapers and how the relationships she made networking has helped her in her journey.Alyssa Lunsford ~ alunsford@semissourian.com

Award-winning criminal justice reporter Christina Carrega speaks at the annual Michael Davis Lecture on Monday, March 6, on the Southeast Missouri State University campus. Carrega talked of her time in different organizations and newspapers and how the relationships she made networking has helped her in her journey.Alyssa Lunsford ~ alunsford@semissourian.com

Carrega's presentation focused on her ability to pivot from one position to another to get the opportunities she wanted for herself and to use the skills she has built from each opportunity.

Carrega started as a "go-for" for the New York Post -- "go for this" and "go for that". However, she said she saw this as an opportunity to see the newsroom and for the editors and staff to see her each day and for her to get the understanding of a newsroom's "sausage making". She was then able to become a freelancer for the Post and was able to cover and experience things she never thought she would experience, such as going to Vermont and learning to tap a tree for syrup or getting to hang out with the cast of "Jersey Shore".

From the Post, Carrega went on to work in the field of public relations and returned to being a journalist a few years later. Carrega worked in many other newsrooms, including roles in Washington, D.C.

Carrega brought all the experiences she had from working in print, broadcast and public relations to her work at Capital B. She is now able to attend speaking engagements, participate in radio shows and even crime programs such as "Snapped".

Carrega encouraged those in the audience to hold to their values and look for opportunities to tell important stories.

"I learned about all of this as I went, and what I have learned is I want to give it back so I hope that what I spoke today is an opening lesson for you to think about how you are going to impact your communities, your families, making them proud, because 'each one, teach one' should be left with all of you in this room," she said.