TAKIN' A LOOK. Bison Assistant Editor Caryllee Parker reviews the paper at its completion. Parker managed to juggle several editing jobs along with her studies as a journalism major this past year. - Photo by Kristy Dalton. Parker Edits, Writes, and Studies Being the assistant editor of The Bison was a full-time job big enough to keep any hearty student hopping. But, Caryllee Parker, senior from Norman Oklahoma, successfully juggled freelance writing for the Searcy Daily Citizen and other publications with studying and working on the student newspaper. "It's such a good experience because it allows me to practice all aspects of the newspaper process," Parker said. "I'm really just comfortably busy. Of course, some weeks are worse than others, but my schoolwork hasn't been that bad." As a journalism major, Parker spent the majority of her time writing for the Petit Jean and Bison, of which she was assistant editor. Her interest in writing began at an early age and eventually led her to choose newspaper journalism as her career. "When I was little I used to write whole series of 30-page books and bind them. I even had my own card catalogue," Parker said. "I was a real nerd. But I have always liked to read which turned into an interest for writing. I guess I enjoy the creative part of it. You're making something unique and sharing things no one else will ever express in exactly the same way. "Someday I might like to be an editor, but for now I'm happy just to write news stories. It will be good practice for the future." Parker, who came from a long family history of Abilene Christian University students, waited until spring semester of her sophomore year to come to Harding. "I stayed at home and went to the University of Oklahoma my freshman year; then I went to HUF and the friends I made there convinced me to come to Harding. And really, I have never regretted it for a minute." Parker's experiences in foreign affairs at HUF served her well the summer before her senior year when she did her internship at the Dallas Times Herald bureau, in Washington D.C. where she covered national events for the paper. "I was more isolated there than I was at HUF because I didn't know anyone at all. Sometimes I felt like as much a foreigner there as I did in Europe," Parker said. "But it was definitely worth it. I learned a lot and saw a side of Washington most tourists never see." While at Harding, Parker was involved in College Republicans, American Studies Honors Institute and TriKappa social club. She was inducted into Alpha Chi Honor Society during the fall of 1989, her junior year. While other inductees saw Alpha Chi &s the ultimate achievement of a long-term goal, Parker sort of stumbled into the honor. "I hadn't even heard of Alpha Chi until I got the letter," Parker said. "But then I realized what an honor it was. It's always nice to be rewarded for hard work, and Alpha Chi does just that." by Kathleen Eyman Alpha Chi 57
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