#MeetOurAlumni: Carmen Cusido, ‘10 M.S.

What does a day of reporting or storytelling look like for you, and what work are you most proud of? 

I transitioned from full-time reporting to public relations over a decade ago, but I still do some freelancing, primarily writing opinion pieces and essays. I'm proudest of the writing where I'm most vulnerable. For example, I penned a piece about surviving a suicide attempt that ran in Newsweek in 2022. Two years later, I wrote about my trajectory from being a Republican in my youth to then volunteering at the Democratic National Convention in Chicago. That essay ran in The Independent, a British publication. I continue to write articles and opinion pieces on the topics that matter most to me, including grief, mental health and immigration.

Which CJS skill do you find yourself using most often?

In my past work as a journalist and, even now, in public relations, the interviewing skills I honed at CJS are my most valuable asset, especially when navigating potentially complex interviews with lawmakers or public figures. It’s all about active listening—picking up on those tiny inconsistencies and knowing when to push for a follow-up to get past a polished story or script. Of course, that only works if you back it up with the rigorous fact-checking CJS is known for; I’ve learned that you can’t just take a compelling narrative at face value.

What’s the most unexpected place your CJS degree has taken you, geographically or professionally?

One of the most unexpected yet rewarding places my Master of Science degree from CJS has taken me to is teaching at various colleges, including my two alma maters, Rutgers and Columbia. I am now an adjunct at Montclair State University; I've taught both bilingual journalism and a public relations course there.

What does being a Columbia Journalism School alum mean to you today?

I'm very proud to have attended Columbia Journalism School, a dream of mine since I was a high school junior. I made some lasting friendships while at grad school, a few of whom I still talk to today.  I was at first intimidated while I was a part-time student at Columbia, and I felt imposter syndrome, having grown up in a working-class immigrant Cuban household in Northern New Jersey. My time at Columbia helped me venture outside my comfort zone, especially when my "Covering Religion" classmates and I took a week-long class trip to Ireland in 2009—my first time in Europe! It was humbling to meet many international students and learn how they practiced journalism in their respective countries. It helped sharpen my curiosity. 

Now, as an alum, I feel more comfortable and more confident in my writing, interviewing, and translating skills. (They really do transfer to careers beyond traditional journalism.) Ultimately, Columbia helped me realize how much I bring to the table through my lived experiences.

If you could give one piece of advice to current CJS students about building a journalism career right now, what would it be?

If I could give current CJS students one piece of advice, it would be to master the art of the follow-up question and not to settle for the first version of a story someone gives you. Whether you're covering a local board meeting or interviewing a subject who's skilled at talking to the press, your job is to listen for the gaps and ask the uncomfortable "how" and "why." At Columbia, you're taught to be skeptical. Still, the real skill is combining that skepticism with empathy so you can verify the facts without losing the story's human element.