MDC Alumna at Summer Journalism SeriesWorking at student newspaper prepared her for a career in journalism

MDC alumnus and Miami Herald municipal government reporter, Monique O. Madan, speaks at a College board meeting on December 15, 2015.

This article was originally published by The Reporter.
By Daniela Molina

Miami Herald municipal government reporter, Monique O. Madan, will kick-off the 2016 Miami Dade College Summer Journalism Speaker Series at 11:30 a.m. in Room 2158, on June 13 at the College’s North Campus.

Madan, who served as The Reporter’s first-ever editor-in-chief in 2010, covers Doral, Homestead, Palmetto Bay and Pinecrest for the Miami Herald.

Before joining the Miami Herald, Madan was a metro desk intern at The New York Times in the summer of 2014 and a public safety intern at the Dallas Morning News in the summer of 2013.

She has also worked as a weekend reporter at the Boston Globe and as a reporter at the Boston Herald.

In 2011, while a student at MDC, Madan was a web producer for El Nuevo Herald where she manned the website’s content and social media accounts. In January of 2012, she participated in the prestigious New York Times Student Journalism Project.

“The Reporter was what launched me to be at the forefront of the journalism world.”

She served as editor-in-chief of The Reporter from 2010 through 2012.

The Reporter was what launched me to be at the forefront of the journalism world,” Madan said. “I was abundantly blessed with having the chance to have the hands-on experience that I did at such a young age. Honestly, it’s what led me to my many other internships, which led to jobs, which led to the career that I love so much today. I get paid to ask questions. Some people can call it ‘chismosa’ or nosy, but, I call it a ‘job.’”

Madan is a graduate of Emerson College in Boston and MDC’s North Campus.

Participating in this year’s MDC Summer Journalism Speaker Series are Washington Post graphics editor, Lazaro Gamio, WSVN 7 reporter, Alexandra de Armas, NBC 6 reporter, Melissa Adan, and El Nuevo Herald reporter, Sergio Cándido. All of the speakers served as editors for the Miami Dade College student newspapers in the past six years.

“I think we all had an invaluable experience at the paper working together,” Madan said. “ I think this series is unique and special because we all grew together and get to see where we ended up. I still remember the chaotic arguments and endless laughs on deadline. I promise you it brings tears to my eyes just thinking about it…just thinking about how we all ended up telling stories in different ways and through different platforms.”

The MDC Journalism Speaker Series was launched in February 2008 to create an exchange and learning opportunity for students interested in pursuing careers in journalism. To date, 51 journalists have participated in the series.

Each program includes a presentation by the journalists and a 15-minute question and answer session. All presentations are free and open to the public.

For more information about the speaker series, contact Manolo Barco, the adviser to The Reporter, the student newspaper at Miami Dade College, at (305) 237-1255.

WHAT: MDC Summer Journalism Speaker Series with Miami Herald municipal government reporter, Monique O. Madan.

WHEN: Monday, June 13, 2016 at 11:30 a.m.

WHERE: MDC North Campus, 11380 NW 27th Ave., Room 2158.