ERIK SANZENBACH / L’Observateur / April 14, 2000

LAPLACE – Local resident and East St. John High School graduate BernardMcGhee was recently named Journalist of the Year by the Southeast Journalism Conference.

A mass communications senior at Xavier University in New Orleans, McGhee was awarded $500 and a plaque for demonstrating “outstanding writing and editing ability, superior journalistic knowledge and commitment to high standards of journalism.”McGhee received the honor at the recent SJC conference in Milledgeville, Ga.

He was chosen from a field of journalists from more than 40 colleges and universities in the southern region.

McGhee said he didn’t always want to be a journalist.

“I first wanted to be an astronaut,” said McGhee, “but the math and science were too much for me.”So McGhee set his sights on being a novelist. Before he went to Xavier, hisonly real writing experience was working on the yearbook for East St. JohnHigh.

During his freshman year at Xavier, he started working for the Xavier Herald as a staff reporter.

“That’s where I really fell in love with journalism,” said McGhee.

In his sophomore year, McGhee became the co-editor of the sports section for the Herald.

“I didn’t know much about sports,” admitted McGhee, “but a fellow reporter knew all about sports, but couldn’t edit. So we combined our talents andbecame co-editors.”Later, McGhee moved up to editorial page editor, and this year he served as editor-in-chief.

“I like being the truth-teller,” said McGhee. “I like throwing it out there foreverybody to see and finding out about things.”After college, McGhee said he hopes to get established by working in the area.

“I wouldn’t mind staying around here for awhile,” he said.

Last summer McGhee worked as an intern with the Times-Picayune, and he also served an internship with the Huntsville Times in Alabama. He also gotjournalism experience working at the Scripps Institute in Washington, D.C.For McGhee, the ultimate job in journalism would be as a foreign correspondent.

Even though he enjoys journalism, McGhee admitted that writing fiction is still his first love.

“I want to work as a reporter to pay the bills while I write my best-seller,” McGhee said. He laughed, then added, “My ultimate goal is to have apenthouse in Manhattan.”A self-described Air Force brat, McGhee was born in Kansas. His father is alieutenant colonel in the Air Force Reserves and works at the Belle Chasse Naval Station. His mother is a retired real estate agent and free-lanceaccountant, though these days she spends a lot of time being a full-time grandmother. McGhee has three younger sisters.When he isn’t reporting or being a student, McGhee likes to listen to music, collect comic books, play video games and write fiction and poetry.

He also likes to read.

“I’m trying to read all the classics right now, ” he said.

When asked what advice he would give to those going into journalism, he replied, “Get involved and work, work, work. The only way to learn journalismis to actually do it.”

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