SCAN regularly checks in with School of Communications alumni who are on their way to — or already — established in their respective fields. In this issue, we spoke with Paula Schlueter Ross a writer/editor who has traveled the world for the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod.



SCAN: How did you land your job?
Paula Schlueter Ross: My internship at Webster University was in Geneva, Switzerland, as a writer/editor for the Lutheran World Federation, an international organization of 140 Lutheran denominations in 78 countries. When I graduated from Webster I decided to apply for a job with the Kirkwood-based Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod (LCMS), the second largest Lutheran denomination in North America. I figured, since I had experience writing for a large Lutheran organization, the LCMS might hire me. They hired me as a part-time free-lancer and, after about a year, I was offered a full-time job as a writer in the Communications department. Our staff produces a monthly magazine, The Lutheran Witness, and a monthly national newspaper, Reporter.

SCAN: When did you realize this was the career for you?
PSR: I was working as a dental-lab technician when I decided to take a writing class at Meramec Community College. One of my first assignments, an interview with then-Post-Dispatch columnist Elaine Viets, was printed in the college newspaper and I was hooked from that moment on! I loved the class, I enjoyed writing and getting my work published, and so I began taking courses at Webster, with the idea that I would get a degree in journalism.



I took (my current) job thinking I would work here a few years and then “get a real job.” I never planned to stay. (So much for plans!) But three years after I started working for the LCMS, they sent me on assignment to West Africa for three weeks to interview missionaries and see Lutheran aid projects firsthand. I think that’s when I realized, “Hey, this is pretty interesting.” I don’t travel all that much for my job — maybe two or three times a year — but over 20 years I’ve been to Africa twice, India, Germany, Mexico and dozens of U.S. cities.

SCAN: How did your Webster education stack up in the real world?
PSR: The best thing about going to Webster University was being able to get lots of hands-on experience, and having the freedom to pursue your own story ideas. At Webster, I had the opportunity to serve as an editor of the school newspaper, The Journal, and to write and take photos for the newspaper for several years. The Journal also printed my humor columns and columns that I wrote from Geneva while I was doing my internship there. Another plus was that several of Webster’s adjunct professors were working journalists, who provided excellent critiques of stories, shared their own experiences and offered lots of good advice.

SCAN: What impact did studying abroad have on your education?
PSR: It was definitely a highlight of my college years and probably a major reason I have my current job. Living and working in Geneva for 10 weeks was simply wonderful — I loved every minute of it and have no regrets whatsoever. The Lutheran World Federation staff was truly multicultural, with people from Africa, Asia and Europe. It was fun getting to know them and learning about the world from outside the United States. It gave me a wider perspective of the world and an appreciation for other cultures. Travel — especially travel outside the U.S. — is always educational and never a waste of time or money, in my opinion. One funny thing about working for the LWF in Geneva was that three of the people I met there ended up with high-profile Lutheran jobs in the States (though not with the LCMS), so I still work with them from time to time.



SCAN: What does your current job entail, on a typical day?
PSR: A “typical day” could include interviewing someone for a story — a recent interview was by telephone with a Lutheran astronaut who’s in Russia preparing for a launch to the International Space Station later this month — or writing a news story for our national newspaper, Reporter, or a feature for our monthly magazine, The Lutheran Witness. Other duties include editing news releases that we receive and answering e-mails and telephone calls from people who are pitching story ideas. Our department also maintains a news Web site, Reporter Online, and an e-news service called LCMSNews, and I post stories for both of those.

SCAN: What do you enjoy most about your job?
PSR: I absolutely love getting to do stories outside my office, meeting the people, taking the photos — the whole package. There’s also a lot of freedom to pursue your own story ideas. And, whenever there’s a big news story somewhere in the world — from a coup in Africa, to 9/11, to Hurricane Katrina — our staff pursues a story on that topic from a Lutheran angle. For example, on 9/11 I found out about a Lutheran pastor in New York who made his way to the World Trade Center towers and was blessing the firemen as they ran toward the smoking buildings. I interviewed him by telephone the following day — he had a great story and he was crying, I was crying. It was one of the most emotional interviews I’ve ever done. I ended up winning a first-place news-writing award from the Associated Church Press for that story. And e-mail has made it so easy. I can shoot off questions to far-flung missionaries and have an “interview” — from the scene — within a day or two.

SCAN: What “dues” did you have to pay, if any, to get where you are today?
PSR: Omigosh, I feel like I’ve paid lots of dues! I covered many a boring city-hall meeting in the early years and got paid $25 a story, I think. And I spent more than a year doing full-time proofreading for a typesetting firm while I was working part time as a writer. I’ve pulled “all-nighters” to meet a deadline — still do, occasionally — and worked my heart out for low wages just to “get experience.” And when I started, so long ago, I used a — gasp! — typewriter! Talk about paying dues!



SCAN: What’s the trick to keeping your writing fresh and exciting?
PSR: I read somewhere that if you have trouble writing a story, it means you haven’t talked to enough people and I think that’s true. So, first, talk to enough people. Then, read over your notes and think about the story — who’s your audience? — and write for them. Try to pick an attention-getting “lead,” and stay away from big words. Try to create a picture for readers. And don’t make them work to understand what the story’s about — keep it simple, even conversational, if possible.

SCAN: What is your greatest accomplishment?
PSR: I’d have to say my national writing awards, although last year I wrote three cover stories in a row for our monthly magazine — and it just about killed me — but that was an accomplishment! A lot of late nights went into finishing those! But our staff competes in annual writing contests sponsored by the Associated Church Press, an association of more than 120 church-related publications and news services nationwide. Since 1997, I’ve been lucky enough to win four first-place awards and two for second place. It’s always a thrill. And gives you a shot of adrenaline for that next assignment.

SCAN: What advice would you give to new alums in your field?
PSR: Journalism can be a really tough field to break into, so try not to get discouraged if you hit a lot of closed doors. Write as much as you can and try to get a part-time writing job while you’re in school, which will give you experience and contacts.

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