Hello TMS! This is Dana, one of three new fellows eager for the 2012 semester. I’m writing this first (of many!) posts in my backyard in Colorado. It’s spring here, with roses blooming in full force and robins singing with gusto.  As I sit enjoying the unusually warm breeze, I am also savoring an undercurrent of excitement. There is nothing better than a new beginning, and in just a few days I will be embarking on a truly fantastic journey.  I’m looking forward to getting to know Hyderabad and to practicing Hindi, but mostly I cannot wait to become a part of The Modern Story.

I graduated this May with a B.S in Journalism and a Certificate in International Media. I studied diligently in many classes that taught the ins-and-outs of global journalism. In one of my reporting courses, we read a book called Telling True Stories. I still have my copy, because this poignant book revealed that storytelling– journalistic or otherwise–makes the world go ’round.

Pulitzer Prize winner Jacqui Banaszynski wrote the first chapter, titled “Stories Matter.” She says, “stories make us human…stories are our soul.” Like Banaszynski, I believe that stories provide voices and perspectives essential for tying humanity together. Luckily, today’s age of digital technology allows us to easily share our stories with the rest of the world. This process of sharing can be empowering, educational and moving.

In many ways, The Modern Story carries the same message as Telling True Stories, which is why I am thrilled to have a part in fulfilling the mission of TMS.  So while enjoying these last few days in Colorado, I’ll be dreaming of the stories we’ll be telling in the coming months!

TMS Meets Dana from The Modern Story on Vimeo.