Meet the Pros Event gives students a deeper view of overseas reporting

   On April 23rd students of Westchester Community College were givin a chance to to get a glimpse of the world of overseas reporting. Melissa Turley and Allison Shelley visited WCC to bith talk about thier experiences overseas and to help give students an idea of what it takes to become a reporter.

  Melissa Turley a graduate of George Washington University talked about her time in South Africa where she reported on the struggles of women there to gain equal rights. "I  was surprised." Meliisa said. "These women are telling me these horrible stories like there normal everyday things and It's like this is a completly different world then where I'm from." In South Africa woman are unable to get abortions are very oftem victims of abuse or rape and and are attacked for being homosexual. Melissa spent a lot of time with the Rural Womans Movement in South Africa who are working to correct some of these injustices.


   The other speaker at the event was Allison Shelley who had went to Nepal to report on mistreatment of women there. In Nepal a women must live outside of thier home in a small mud hut during menstration because during that time they are seen as "unclean". Allison also talked about hat it took to become a successful reporter. "Get your stories read." and "Find someone to mentor you." seemed to be her two biggest points.

    Students overall seemed to be very impressed by the event and the two guest speakers. "It takes a lot of courage and self-control to go over there and just report on the facts and not get involved. I give them a lot of credit for that." said Liz Malloy a student at WCC. The WCC faculty seemed to be impressed aswell as said by Don Gregory pointed out about the event "It made feel like we could all be doing so much more."