he didn’t think it would be too difficult. The squirrels on the Albright campus were particularly friendly, as most of the students knew.
First she held out a bit of peanut butter – that got him interested. Then she smeared some more on a makeshift “bed” fashioned from a Kleenex box, and the squirrel climbed right in. When he reached for the peanut butter that she had spread across a typewriter, the squirrel appeared to be punching the keys.
After filming it all on an eight-millimeter camera and setting the tape to the tune of Workin’ 9 to 5, Lauren Ashburn ’89 handed in her documentary, A Day in the Life of A.C. Squirrel, to Professor Ed Trayes. From that moment on, she was officially hooked on a career in broadcast journalism.
Now a correspondent and managing editor for USA Today Live, Ashburn runs the television division of USA Today, manages a staff, provides content to Gannett television stations and The Weather Channel, and oversees all of the company’s new television ventures. She also just became the host of a 13-week series called Debate, which aired its first show on the high definition network HDNet on September 6.
“Debate will bring two sides of controversial issues together in a forum which I will moderate,” Ashburn explains. Topics will include abortion, the Second Amendment, the war in Iraq and sex education in schools.
With a passion for fair and balanced news reporting, Ashburn says, “My goal has always been to make sure that both sides of any topic or story are represented accurately.”
After obtaining a master’s degree in journalism with a concentration in broadcast journalism from Columbia University, Ashburn began her career working as a reporter/anchor for WJLA-TV, the ABC affiliate in Washington, D.C., and for WHP-TV, the CBS affiliate in Harrisburg, Pa. While reporting for both of these stations, the English-communications/Spanish dual concentrator says her fluency in Spanish aided her immensely.
“When I was a local news reporter, many of the stories I would cover would be in Hispanic neighborhoods in Washington and Harrisburg,” she recalls. “I was able to speak to them and gain their trust because I had taken the time to learn their language.”
Ashburn honed her Spanish skills as a junior at Albright when she studied at the University of Salamanca in Spain.
But her interest in journalism was piqued by her experiences in Dr. Trayes’ journalism classes. “He made journalism engaging, interesting and challenging. Ever since then I’ve been hooked,” she says. She also credits English professors Dr. Mary Jane Androne and Dr. Richard Androne for fueling her desire to learn.
That drive to learn has paid off. She’s been recognized by the Associated Press with an award for her live reporting and was nominated for an Emmy for her reporting on a segment about the Hewko brothers, five brothers who survived World War II. Three of them nearly died during the war, and two won purple hearts.
“It was one of my favorite stories because it brought me back to Pennsylvania, and for the first time in many of their lives, these brothers told the story of fighting in World War II,” she reflects. “They cried and laughed and told me things they said they had never told anyone before. As an interviewer when you can do that, it’s magic.”
Whether the interview subject is a prominent figure, a big-shot celebrity or an ordinary citizen, Ashburn says, “I’ve enjoyed all of my interviews. From a baker in southeastern Pa., to Bono to the president of the United States, each person has an interesting story to tell.”
She also loves experiencing new places. Going to Hershey, Pa., to see the inner workings of Hershey’s chocolate factory and traveling to Texas to interview President Bush’s father are two of her favorites.
But all of the interviews, segments and new projects translate to a demanding schedule. “I used to come in at 4 a.m. and anchor news cut-ins based on USA Today content,” she says. “Now someone else does. As much as I wanted to, I couldn’t do it all.”
Ashburn remains determined to make time for her husband and children. “It’s hard to find a balance between career and family,” she says. “My friendships suffer the most because I’m either working or with my family, and it’s very difficult to find time to connect with people outside of those two areas. I’m scheduled within an inch of my life!”
But no matter how busy she gets, she says she’ll never forget the people who enabled her to get where she is today. “It’s important for me to remember my roots. I’ll always have a special place in my heart for Albright.”
– Lindsay J. Moyer
