On March 18, 2025, Columbia Journalism School alumni and students gathered in the Lecture Hall for the "Discover Your Path Beyond the Newsroom: A Journalism Adjacent Careers Panel."
The evening, organized by the Office of Alumni Relations, offered insight from accomplished graduates who have built careers outside of traditional newsrooms while still applying the rigorous journalism education gained in Pulitzer Hall.
Miloš Balać, '12 M.S., documentary filmmaker; Kavita Menon, '95 M.S., Chief Communications Officer at Doctors Without Borders; and Andrew Seaman, '11 M.S.; editor at large for jobs and career development at LinkedIn, engaged in a discussion moderated by Liz Borod Wright, '00 M.S.
“For me, I actually do think of myself as a journalist independent of my career, where I would say, maybe my work isn’t journalism always, but it's always journalistic,” said show-runner Balać. “And I think how I view the world is as a journalist in terms of the values that I want to uphold.”
Each panelist highlighted how the ethical principles ingrained in journalists inform their day-to-day, as well.
“I still have journalistic sensibilities. And that is the way that I look at the world,” said Menon when asked which journalism skills she uses regularly. “I ask questions. I'm very critical about things. I still use a lot of my writing, editing and judgment, which is this really essential journalistic skill that is hard to teach also.”
The event concluded with a wide-ranging discussion about the growing opportunities available in these adjacent fields: from strategic communications in tech to nonprofit leadership and content development.
CJS alumni are encouraged to engage with the school through more upcoming events, including Alumni Weekend 2025 and the upcoming Boston Fireside Chat & Reception — plus more opportunities to connect with community members in and outside of the industry.
