Former CNN correspondent mentors next generation of journalists

Each week, Leyla Santiago drives four hours from her home in Virginia to teach at the UNC Hussman School of Journalism and Media. In her classes, she shares what she’s learned in her broadcast career, but she focuses most on being a mentor.

“I love mentorship. I hope students can maybe see a little bit of themselves in me because I certainly see a little bit of myself in them,” Santiago said. “I’m grateful to have an opportunity like this. I don’t take it lightly. I hope that there’s a little bit of a seed being planted that’s beyond me or beyond that student.”

Santiago tailors her mentoring to each student’s interests.

“When she meets every student, she asks, ‘What do you want to be?’” said senior Chris Williams, executive producer of “Carolina Week,” a live weekly student news broadcast. “After that, she finds stories and newscast roles that line up with that. There’s so much care and intention rather than just assigning a broad assignment to every student.”

Santiago said she sees a bit of herself in her students at Carolina. (Johnny Andrews/UNC-Chapel Hill)

Santiago started as an assignment editor at WCJB in Gainesville, Florida, then worked at news stations from Alaska to Raleigh’s WRAL. In 2016, she joined CNN as an international correspondent, which gave her a broader perspective as she covered topics ranging from presidential campaigns to weather events.

A couple of years ago, she took a break from the field to mentor journalism’s next generation at Carolina.

“What better use of my time than to help mold the next generation?” Santiago said. “The industry is evolving in ways that I don’t think we yet know. We are going to need a strong wave of young journalists to be leaders and pillars of democracy. If I can use my time doing that, that’s time well spent.”

Santiago has taught the course that produces “Carolina Week” for two years. This semester, Santiago took on two new courses. One course, Covering and Engaging Latinx Communities, teaches students how to craft an advertising and public relations campaign on engaging young Latinx voters. A new course, MEJO 390, encompasses two weekly live shows, “Rise and Shine” and “Carolina Ahora.”

“Rise and Shine” is a morning show that highlights arts and lifestyle, while “Carolina Ahora” is a Spanglish newscast that addresses issues impacting the Latinx community.

Santiago’s classes allow students to be involved in every part of the broadcast process. They pitch segment ideas in editorial meetings, work control room positions or serve as on-air anchors or reporters. Outside the classroom, students create video packages highlighting campus, state and national issues.

“Professor Santiago helped me set goals for my career, which has made me much more invested in my education. I went through a rut in my junior year when I realized I didn’t want to be a reporter as much as I thought coming into Carolina,” Williams said. “When she gave me the opportunity to produce for ‘Carolina Week,’ I felt like I found the place I truly belonged. I was sitting in the middle of the newscast one day, and I realized I was genuinely enjoying seeing the show come together.”

Santiago has taught courses that produce the “Carolina Week” newscast, and she now has taken on a new course that has two weekly live shows: “Rise and Shine,” a morning arts and lifestyle show, and Spanglish newscast “Carolina Ahora.” (Johnny Andrews)

To give students feedback and advice, Santiago often brings in reporters from across industries, field and show producers, anchors and photographers. The professionals pair with students to offer feedback on scripts and videos before “Carolina Week” broadcasts.

“These connections, opportunities and real conversations about what it’s like will hopefully set them up for success,” Santiago said. “There are a million ways to measure success, but my measure of success is can I get you a job? And can I get you a job you’ll keep?”