A notable Meramec alumni reflects on how time at STLCC helped shape his career
BY: RYAN WINZEN
News Editor
Kavahn Mansouri is an alumni of STLCC Meramec, as well as former staff editor for the Meramec Montage. It was the true beginning of a career that has proven to be quite the success story.
“Many editors I’ve worked with refer to me as a jack of all trades, because I had so many skills I learned from this position,” said Mansouri.
Getting his start on the beat
Mansouri began his journey with journalistic writing during his time in high school, writing for the Rockwood Summit paper, The Talon.
“I started writing when I was about 14 or 15 at my high school paper at Rockwood Summit. I had joined a class for newspaper and radio stations, and iit led to me joining the newspaper.”
After high school, Mansouri decided to continue his education at STLCC Meramec.
“I really did like to write, and I was unsure what I wanted to do next. I didn’t want to go to a 4 year university without a plan.”
Mansouri (center) takes a picture with The Montage staff at the 2011 College Media Association conference in Orlando, FL.
Photo courtesy of Kavahn Mansouri.
Before classes started in the fall, Mansouri had already joined The Montage staff.
“I had a friend who worked on The Montage who said I should come write for the paper. I joined as soon as I got there.”
Mansouri explained why he holds The Montage in such high regard.
“It’s a really standout paper compared to other college papers and it was a place where I could get involved. It was like a family, on top of being a good newsroom. I stayed 3 years at Meramec, I wouldn’t have done that if not for The Montage.”
Throughout his time at The Montage, Mansouri developed a number of different skills that he continues to use in his career.
“On a mechanical level I learned to lay out a newspaper and learned how to write any type of story,” said Mansouri. “I think the number one thing [that I learned] is how to be a leader and to be an empathic journalist.”
Mansouri went into detail about one of the most impactful stories that he covered while on the Montage, recounting his reporting within the multi-part piece “The Domino Effect” in the May 2, 2013 issue.
Mansouri pictured with Montage Faculty Adviser Shannon Sanders at the 2013 Missouri College Media Association conference. The Montage took home the award for the Best Two-Year College Newspaper that year.
Photo courtesy of Kavahn Mansouri.
“I think the most impactful story we covered was when a student was assaulted in a bathroom on campus and the fallout after that,” he said. “The [campus] president resigned after that. That was very impactful because of all the things that came after. There was a shift at the school.”
This series of stories is what led to Mansouri’s interest in writing news pieces.
“We heard from the faculty to keep reporting the story, and we were running around the campus trying to get information,” said Mansouri.
Life after Meramec
After Meramec, Mansouri transferred to Webster University and joined their paper. He graduated from Webster with a degree in journalism.
Mansouri’s first gig after graduation was at the Washington Missourian, a family-run newspaper based in Washington, Missouri.
“I stayed there for 3 years and learned the daily grind of working on stories. It was a good gig for that.”
Following his job at the Washington Missourian, Mansouri went to the Belleville News Democrat.
“That’s where I started covering the government more, looking at how taxes are spent,” he said. “It was a fun job.”
Mansouri (bottom right corner) takes a photo with his colleagues from across the region at NPR’s Midwest Newsroom, taken at the offices of St. Louis Public Radio.
Photo courtesy of Kavahn Mansouri.
Currently, Mansouri works for NPR’s Midwest Newsroom, an investigative news outlet that covers Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, and Nebraska.
Mansouri talked about the main topics he covers at NPR.
“A lot of my work is about housing and homeliness, police, [and] gun legislation. We want to uncover wrongdoings in these flyover areas.”
Mansouri explained the impact he wants his reporting to have on the readers.
“I really try to focus on doing journalism that reveals something to people. And if it’s wrongdoing or injustice, then that’s great. I want people reading my work to feel a little more informed.”
