Monica Markel ‘88

Major: Interdisciplinary major, combining communication, nursing, Spanish and biology

Now: Deputy Metro Editor for the San Antonio Express – News, where she manages the daily local news budgets and a staff of 55 reporters and editors.

What are the most challenging and enjoyable aspects of your job?

The challenges of trying to find intriguing news for readers while managing a diverse staff each day are equaled only by the fun at succeeding at both!

How has your Goshen College experience shaped and prepared you for what you are doing now?

My time at Goshen College taught me that living in the Christian tradition didn’t have to be at all traditional. I wasn’t at all sure that I could find a way to turn Goshen College’s culture into real-world service in a mainstream profession.

What are your vocation and life goals?

As it turns out journalism is an excellent avenue for community service and my career has shifted from early sports writing to local news in part because of my desire to do something for the community. A functional Fourth Estate is crucial to a city, state or organization being held accountable to the people it serves.

How has Goshen’s motto, “Culture for Service,” impacted the way you choose to live and pursue your vocational calling?

San Antonio is definitely a multicultural city, and not just because of its Latino population. Home to several military bases, the influx of non-Texans is large and [also] diversifies our community. The diversity of language, culture and faith that I ran into at Goshen College has prepared me to understand that community and serve our readership.