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when ted koppel teases you at work.

I have sung her praises here before. I have enjoyed great things in her past and predicted great things in her future. I have talked about her to anyone I think would care to know or to listen. And today, I get to do it all again.

In town and off work for the weekend, the lovely and talented Nitya Venkataraman dropped by TWM headquarters this afternoon long enough to say hi, catch up with the boys, and show off her brand-spanking-new business card, a sight so sweet and satisfying and just plain gratifying that I felt compelled to share.



Now. This will probably upset her. Or at least make her a little uncomfortable. Because she's not the type to boast or brag or toot her own horn, no matter how much or well or often it deserves to be tooted. She would never tell you, in fact, about how hard she works or how quickly she's risen to her current position. Or about how much long detailed work she does on, among many other things, the Nightline Daily Email and website. Or about how just this week, one of her co-workers -- some guy named Ted Koppel -- came into the office and started kidding her about all the good things one of her former professors (no, not me) had said about her at lunch, and about the heady, when-did-this-become-my-life? moment of joy it inspired. Or about how every day is an education and an adventure in which she learns more than she could imagine and prepares herself better than she could hope for a long and fulfilling career in communication.

But she tells me. So I'm telling you.

Because I'm proud of her. Because I'm thrilled to my marrow for her. Because holding that business card in my hand sent a chill up my spine and a glow on my face that are both still going strong more than eight hours later. And because days like these, success stories like this, amazing students like Nitya, are the greatest, richest rewards any teacher could ever hope to feel or find or know in his work.

Posted: Sat - June 11, 2005 at 10:45 PM          

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