Pulitzer Prize winner and Washington Post reporter Karen DeYoung encouraged journalism students to "keep asking questions" yesterday morning.

"Reporting is a process. I think of it as a jig-saw puzzle," DeYoung said. "You have to figure out what the important pieces are, and then you have to figure out how to put them together."

DeYoung relayed this advice to about 180 people in Foster Auditorium as the concluding speaker in the 2007 Foster Conference of Distinguished Writers.

She also shared her experiences as an international reporter, editor and biographical author.

DeYoung began her career at the Washington Post in 1975 as a local reporter and worked her way up to associate editor.

In addition to holding several senior editing positions at the paper, she worked as a foreign policy reporter and a correspondent in Latin America.

Under her direction, the Washington Post staff earned a Pulitzer Prize in honor of its national reporting in 2002 for coverage of the War on Terrorism.

DeYoung also discussed the writing process of her biography "Soldier: The Life of Collin Powell" and her challenges as one of a few female journalists in the 1970s.

"You must have the desire to know and the realization that there are no stupid questions," DeYoung said.

Lisa Rabb (junior-business management and journalism) said she found the presentation informative and interesting.

As a communications student, she was encouraged when DeYoung cited her lack of interest for the field of journalism while she was a student, Rabb said.

"I feel the same way." Rabb said. "I just don't have this great passion for it yet. It was relieving."

The conference has drawn 16 Pulitzer Prize winners since 1999, including last night's speaker, Sydney Schanberg of the New York Times.

Gene Foreman, retired Foster Professor of Communications and director of the conference, said he was happy students showed so much interest.

"I'm quite pleased about what all the young journalists got the chance to hear their perspectives on international reporting," Foreman said. "The credentials of the speakers are so outstanding."

Next semester's conference will feature journalists known for their achievements in investigative reporting, Foreman said. New York Times reporter Diana Henriques and Pulitzer Prize-winner Jerry Kammer of Copley News Service have agreed to speak next October.