By Taylor Washington
Four years ago, Maria Monteros was sure she was going to become a doctor.
Although she always enjoyed writing, the now 21-year-old said pursuing a degree in journalism was not a feasible goal in her native Philippines.
It wasn’t until her mother got a job offer in the United States that Monteros had the opportunity to study something she was actually passionate about.
“You have way more opportunities here, and a lot of things are possible, like you can make your own profession possible here. And so, that really inspired me to do what I want in the end,” Monteros said.
After relocating to Nashville, Tenn., Monteros transferred to Trevecca Nazarene University where she majored in multimedia journalism and minored in marketing because she also wanted to learn about business.
While she was initially wary about this abrupt change in career path, Monteros said she decided to jump right in. She began writing for Trevecca’s student newspaper, the TrevEchoes, and eventually became an editor. Through Trevecca, Monteros also ended up having the opportunity to write for national publications through Trevecca’s partnership with the NYC Semester in Journalism (NYCJ) program at The King’s College in NYC.
“I just went in blind, but it ended up being probably the best decision. Is it divine intervention? Maybe, because I mean, if it wasn't for Trevecca then I wouldn't have gone to that New York City program and I wouldn't have gotten the internship at Newsweek,” Monteros said.
Maria Monteros (second from left in front row) with other students in the Spring 2019 class of the NYC Semester in Journalism (NYCJ).
The New York City Semester in Journalism program at The King’s College granted Monteros a semester in the Big Apple where she interned at Newsweek and covered entertainment. She also completed a business journalism course with Prof. Paul Glader at The King’s College that resulted in her final story about a sub-culture of instagram snack food junkies getting published on page one of The Wall Street Journal.
“It was the first time I’ve seen a story idea from a student that was so original and well-reported that I could pitch it to editors at the WSJ. It’s extremely rare for the WSJ to accept free-lance page one features at all. And it’s more rare to publish a free-lance page one story from a college student. It may be the first time that’s happened,” said Prof. Glader, who is co-director of the NYCJ program at King’s. “It’s a testament to Maria’s creative ideas and rigorous reporting ability.”
Maria Monteros (second from left) listening to TKC business professor Dr. Dami Kabiawu guest lecture about financial analysis in Prof. Paul Glader’s business reporting class.
That summer following NYCJ in 2019, Monteros interned at Dow Jones MarketWatch where she covered personal finance. This experience cemented Monteros’ passion for business news and she knew she wanted to cover this beat after graduation.
“One thing that I really like about business journalism is it's such an innovative field to work in. There's so many unique beats, like I know someone who covers the space beat, you know, and I think that's crazy,” she said. “I've always wanted to write stories about niche topics and go into depth in it. I want to be an expert in what I'm writing about.”
Her senior year, Monteros was promoted to editor-in-chief of the TrevEchoes where she used her knowledge and interest in business to apply financial angles to campus news.
“Maria has probably the strongest work ethic of any student I've ever worked with. She is a self-starter, she always meets deadline and she's motivated and ambitious. She takes great pride in her work and doesn't stop until it meets her high standards,” JoEllen Weedman, the newspaper’s faculty advisor and Monteros’ former professor, said.
In addition to improving her reporting skills, Monteros said the job taught her how to collaborate with others and the importance of being a humble leader. When the coronavirus emerged in the U.S. and Trevecca suspended face-to-face instruction, Monteros was still busy reporting remotely. She said this challenging situation taught her how to be tenacious.
This past year, Monteros was selected to The Dow Jones News Fund business internship program with American City Business Journals. She reported on minority-owned businesses for The Nashville Business Journal in the summer of 2020.
“I’ve always known that this program is very prestigious. And I thought if I want to make it in journalism then this is the program to apply to,” she said.
NYCJ alumna Maria Monteros (in white striped shirt) listening to The Washington Post business editor Dave Cho speak to Prof. Paul Glader’s business reporting class at The King’s College in NYC.
Having called Nashville home for four years, the recent graduate said she was excited to cover local businesses there. While she said her mission to find the truth motivates her reporting, there is another motivation that influences her strong work ethic. This fall, she will be interning at Bloomberg News.
“I'm a first-generation immigrant,” she said. “And so, just seeing my mom putting her best and trying to give me an education makes me want to work harder.”
- Edits and Updates made by MPJI staff.
Students interested in NYC Semester Program at The King’s College can apply here.