A curious mind, a broad liberal arts education and a strong sense of personal responsibility are essential qualifications for a career in journalism.

The best foundation begins with an undergraduate liberal arts education that exposes you to a wide range of disciplines of study and helps you supplement your native curiosity with a habit of critical thinking. Whatever your course of study, be sure it includes a strong foundation in ethics. Then consider study at a university that offers a graduate degree in journalism.

You can begin to develop your skill in the "craft" of journalism by working on a college newspaper or radio station; a television station that features a college report; or working as a college correspondent for a local, regional or national news organization. As for experience while still in school and immediately after graduation, think about immersing yourself in a local experience. Working in a community in which you must look the people in the eye before and AFTER you have reported on them can provide very important lessons.

And never stop learning. Read everything you can, including classics in fiction that help you understand human nature and the human condition. Develop a habit of critically following the work of other journalists to find models for your own work.

Good luck.