MDC Journalism Speaker Series Presents Pulitzer Prize-winning Features Writer Lane DeGregory
Lane DeGregory
Miami, November 13, 2009 - St. Petersburg Times features writer Lane DeGregory gravitates toward stories about individuals living on the margins. She got to know a little girl who had been kept in a closet for six years, went shopping with a city manager who was changing from Steve to Susan and followed daredevil Evel Knievel as he worried whether he’d make it to his last public appearance.
This year, her powerful and compassionate writing earned her a Pulitzer Prize for feature writing. DeGregory’s stories have also appeared in The Best Newspaper Writing 2000, 2004, 2006, and 2008 editions.
On Friday, Nov. 20, at noon, Miami Dade College (MDC) will present DeGregory as part of its acclaimed Journalism Speaker Series. The event will be held at the Wolfson Campus in downtown.
Born in Gainesville, Fla. and raised in Rockville, Md., DeGregory knew she wanted to be a journalist since the fourth grade. She earned a master’s degree in rhetoric and communications studies from the University of Virginia, where she was editor-in-chief of The Cavalier Daily student newspaper.
For ten years, DeGregory wrote news and feature stories for The Virginian-Pilot, based in Norfolk, Va. In 2000, she moved back to Florida to write for The St. Petersburg Times.
In addition to numerous awards, her work has been published in “Telling True Stories: A non-fiction writers’ guide from the Nieman Foundation at Harvard University.” She has been a frequent speaker at the Nieman Narrative Conference at Harvard, the National Writers Workshops, The Poynter Institute, and newspapers across the country. She is also the author of a travel book titled The Insiders’ Guide to North Carolina’s Outer Banks.
Launched in 2008, the Series provides an exchange and learning opportunity for students and the community at large. This year’s schedule will also feature Pulitzer prize-winning features writer Liz Balmaseda of the Palm Beach Post, columnist Dan Le Batard of The Miami Herald, Jim DeFede of CBS 4, Pulitzer Prize-winning photographer Patrick Farrell of The Miami Herald, South Florida Sun-Sentinel police reporter Sofia Santana, WSVN 7 photojournalist Ralph Rayburn and CBS 4 anchor Jawan Strader.
Each program includes a presentation by the journalists and a 15-minute question and answer session. All programs are free and open to the public.
MDC Journalism Speaker Series presents Lane DeGregory
- WHEN: Friday, Nov. 20, 12:00 PM - 1:00 PM
- WHERE: MDC Wolfson Campus 300 N.E. Second Ave., Room 7128
For more information about the Speaker Series, please contact Metropolis and Falcon Times adviser Manolo Barco, at 305-237-3477.
Media-only contacts:
Juan Mendieta, 305-237-7611, jmendiet@mdc.edu, MDC communications director
Sue Arrowsmith, 305-237-3710, sue.arrowsmith@mdc.edu, media specialist
Tarnell Carroll, 305-237-3359, tcarroll@mdc.edu, Media Specialist
Alejandro Rios, 305-237-7482, arios1@mdc.edu