OUR ALUMNI
Cronkite Grad Lands
Prestigious Fellowship Inside the Beltway
By Madison Alder Two months after graduating from the Cronkite School in 2013, Vaughn Hillyard was in Washington working alongside some of Capitol Hill’s top political reporters. Hillyard was part of the Tim Russert Fellowship Program, a yearlong, paid position at NBC News awarded each year to one outstanding graduate in the country. He worked with NBC’s Chief Foreign Affairs Correspondent Andrea Mitchell and David Gregory, former host and moderator of “Meet the Press.” Named in honor of the late “Meet the Press” host, the highly competitive fellowship gave Hillyard the chance to learn from seasoned NBC News staff members. He had the chance to sit down with NBC News Anchor Ann Curry and discuss the trade and his career goals. “To have that conversation with her about the future and where to go and really how to perceive ourselves and where we fit into society … was truly a big moment from my time out here,” Hillyard said. Described by NBC as a boot camp in political journalism, the fellowship included working at “Meet the Press,” the network’s news desk and the NBC political unit, providing research for national network news programs and producing digital content under tight deadlines. Hillyard said the experience sharpened his skills as a journalist. “I had a lot to learn,” he said. “I’m young and I’m just beginning ...” Hillyard credits the Cronkite School and faculty such as Walter Cronkite Professor of Journalism Aaron Brown, who advised him on his honor’s thesis, with giving him his start. (Brown) is “the reason I worked at the network — because he told me to go big and give it a shot,” he said. Brown said he is proud of Hillyard and wants him to keep striving. “I just want him to continue to grow,” he said. 128
The Cronkite Journal
2014-2015
Cronkite alumnus Vaughn Hillyard is working at NBC News as part of the prestigious Tim Russert Fellowship Program. Photo courtesy of Vaughn Hillyard
“I just want him to be better than he was yesterday.” Cronkite associate faculty member Nancie Dodge remembers Hillyard as the kid with the scooter. But inside the classroom, she said he was a hard worker and fearless in pursuing tough assignments. Hillyard said Dodge’s advanced online media class and her mentorship had a significant impact on him. “If there’s somebody who holds your feet to the fire but makes sure you don’t fall in, it’s Nancie,” he said. At Cronkite, Hillyard racked up numerous professional experiences. He
worked as an in-depth political reporter at Cronkite News in Washington, D.C., and covered the 2012 Democratic National Convention. He was an intern for CNN’s “State of the Union with Candy Crowley” and NBC News’ New York news bureau and also served as an intern with Republic Media’s AZ Fact Check. Dodge said it was Hillyard’s drive to succeed that made him a great student and has put him on a promising career trajectory. “Every student has the potential to be like Vaughn,” she said. “… Not everyone goes as far as he does.” n