"On the Money, unknowingly at the time, laid the foundation for my current career as a financial journalist."
Meet Jordyn Holman
-Financial Journalist for Bloomberg News
-University of Southern California Class of '16
-On the Money Intern '09-'12
When did you start with OTM as an intern? Why did you join?
I joined On the Money in 2009 while I was a sophomore in high school. I participated in the program until I graduated in 2012. Back then, I had a budding interest in journalism and wanted an outlet to develop my writing skills. It was an exciting time to join On the Money. We held our meetings in the recently opened YOUmedia at the Harold Washington Library, and the program gave me a chance to meet students who lived across the city and attended other high schools. Finally, I joined because I think a small part of me figured that it wouldn’t hurt to become more financially literate.
Do you believe that being an On the Money intern was beneficial to you. If yes, please explain.
It was extremely beneficial being an On the Money intern. Not only was that one of my first experiences getting my work published, but I was paid to do so. It created a good model for how I approached journalism going forward – finding stories I was passionate in and getting paid for my work. I appreciated the professional and college advice that was weaved into each meeting, the designers and copy editors I met along the way and the friendships I developed with students from other high schools. I did my first major interview through this program when I interviewed Chicago’s city treasurer. Beyond learning how to write, On the Money gave me a range of multimedia skills that help me in my work today as a journalist. During this internship, I did on-camera work, public speaking events and was even a model once or twice!
Tell us about yourself now. Did you graduate from college? What year? What major? Who do you work for? Where do you live?
After graduating from Walter Payton College Prep, I studied journalism at the University of Southern California. I graduated college in 2016 and then moved to New York City for a two-week program at the New York Times and a 12-week summer internship at Bloomberg News, one of the largest financial news organizations in the world. I have worked at Bloomberg ever since as a beat reporter, covering a range of beats including municipal bonds, the insurance industry and was even on my dream beat of writing about race, class and gender in corporate America. I now cover retail and apparel companies – basically all the places we shop – and write stories for online, Bloomberg Businessweek magazine and hop on TV and radio to discuss the latest news in the industry.
Anything else you would like to add? Are still involved with the EAC/OTM?
On the Money, unknowingly at the time, laid the foundation for my current career as a financial journalist. Before this career path was on my radar, the internship had me thinking about the money angle in every story I pitched and wrote. It taught me that stories about business and finance didn’t have to be full of jargon and just for people who work on Wall Street -– in fact, stories about money should be accessible and relatable to everyone because it impacts everyone’s lives. I’m grateful that I was able to develop this mindset as a teenager in my hometown and that today’s teens have the same opportunity through this program. I still do calls with the students currently participating in On The Money to tell them how I used my time in internship as a springboard to my career now.