I'm Tawnell Hobbs, a reporter at the Dallas Morning News in Texas. My job entails writing, blogging, using social media and analyzing governmental reports and databases. My focus is on education.

Being a reporter requires an ability to work fast and under pressure of deadlines. You also need to be a fast learner, as news changes daily. For example, a week for me could involve writing about a federal grant program and the latest drug craze in schools.

Journalism is an exciting field but can be demanding as there's a bigger push to publish news right away, pronto, to an online site. That said, the joy of making a difference by keeping the public informed is a most fulfilling task.

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My other traits...

I also teach a computer-assisted reporting class at Texas Christian University in Fort Worth. My students learn to use various programs to analyze governmental databases -- instead of trusting someone to provide them with accurate information. They also learn to spot trends using data and are educated on various formulas to help with analysis. Freedom of Information Act laws also are discussed, as well as guidelines in completing requests for public information.

I tell my students that once this course is over the data skills may slip away if they don't use them. But even if that happens, I expect them to take away two things: the potential for computer-assisted reporting in their work and a mindset -- asking the people they encounter not just what they know, but how they know it, and asking to see the evidence.

Journalism wasn't my first career -- although it feels like I've done it all my life. I served four years in the United States Air Force and about six years in the Texas Air National Guard. I received honorable discharges for both stints of my military service.