Spartan Profiles: Nedra Pickler
ROAD TO THE WHITE HOUSE
Few beats in journalism are more coveted than the White House, the power center of America and perhaps the world. So it was a major coup for Nedra Pickler, ’98, when the Associated Press assigned her to its national political staff in 2002 and to the White House beat the past two years. Today Pickler is AP’s presidential campaign reporter, covering the Democrats.
“I have an amazing job,” says Nedra. “You get paid to travel the planet, meet interesting and perplexing personalities, witness the most important and historic events of our time and then tell the rest of the world about it.”
Life was not always smooth sailing for Nedra, who grew up in Flint. “(My mother) said just because we were poor didn’t mean we had to become a statistic,” she recalls. “She was very resourceful and exposed us to any cultural or educational opportunity that was available.”
Nedra has established a scholarship at her high school to help kids wishing to attend college. At MSU, Nedra was rejected for an internship at the State News, the campus daily. “But (then journalism chairperson) Stan Soffin encouraged me to give Capitol News Service a try, and I found a real love for political journalism,” she recalls. “I always remember being turned down by the State News. But when one door closes, another will open.”
Nedra touts MSU professors like Soffin, William Cote and Sue Carter. “Any (journalism) student at MSU is one step ahead already,” Nedra notes. “MSU has a huge network of alumni who are working in all areas and want to help other Spartans.”
Whenever current journalism chairperson Jane Briggs-Bunting wants her to help a student, “I am always happy to oblige,” she says. As presidential candidates begin their marathons towards the 2008 election, Nedra is looking forward to staying in 250 hotel rooms the next year and a half. In her words, “Every day you have to rise to the challenge of writing the best you can.”