Speaking to more than 200 students gathered in the HUB Auditorium on Wednesday morning, Boston Globe arts critic Mark Feeney used an analogy to describe how journalists can help each other expand their "cultural reservoirs."
"A good editor is like a trampoline and can make you go higher than you would have on your own," he said.
The speech was part of the biannual Foster Conference of Distinguished Writers, established through a gift by Larry Foster.
Feeney, a Pulitzer Prize winner who has interviewed his share of influential Americans including Toni Morrison, addressed the audience with a mix of humor and the seasoned wisdom only an experienced reporter can have.
"The single most important part of being a journalist is being alert," Feeney said. "Keep your eyes open."
Feeney first presented "Young, old, banker, firefighter: The democratization of death," an article he wrote reviewing another work, a yearbook-style remembrance of the victims of the Sept. 11 attacks.
The article was surprisingly short, and Feeney emphasized the importance of brevity.
"Our readers are very busy people," Feeney said. "The shorter you can say it, the better you can say it."
After reviewing his article, Feeney took center stage to partake in a talk show-style interview and to answer questions from the audience.
When asked about the best education for journalists and more specifically, those interested in an arts focus, Feeney said journalists learn through experience.
"The best way to do it is to do it," Feeney told the audience. "Journalism is a craft rather than a profession."
Many of the students who attended said they did so to fulfill a class requirement. But as students mingled after the presentation, they talked about how inspiring they found Feeney.
"It was very impressive," Catherine Marvin (sophomore-broadcast journalism) said. "It was interesting what he did with the Sept. 11 pictures. It was compelling and touching."
What makes Feeney a good speaker is that he has fun with his work, said retired professor of communications Gene Foreman.
"He is quite accessible," said Foreman, who introduced Feeney. "His credentials are outstanding, yet he relates to the everyday reader."
Organizers said the turnout was the largest the program has ever seen, fulfilling the Fosters' goal of reaching as many students as possible.
Looking ahead to a future where many think print journalism is slowly becoming obsolete, Feeney encouraged students to embrace the new methods.
"It's a whole different world," he said. "There are ways in which the world is to your advantage and ways not to your advantage. So focus on what is to your advantage."
He also urged students to be not only interesting but also interested.
"Be interested in every-
thing around you," Feeney said. "Make a living off of being interested."
