From writing obituaries in The Miami News, to becoming a syndicated columnist appearing in over 400 papers, Martin Schram has worked his way to the top of the journalism business.

“I always wanted to be a journalist, or at least I thought I did.”

Schram’s career in journalism started at the University of Florida. As a junior, Schram enrolled in a 400 level senior class, even though he had no prerequisites.

“I told the professor that if at any point I’m not doing a good job; give me an “F” for the year and I won’t come back to your class.”

The professor, Hugh Cunningham, who ten years earlier had been a major influence on an aspiring Dan Rather, accepted Schram into his class. Cunningham was an influencial figure in Schram’s life.

“He took a personal interest in me. He saw to it that it I made journalism my career.”

With that, Schram got a summer job, writing obituaries at The Miami News. Within a month, Schram was covering the police beat.

After a year and a half with The Miami News, Newsday recruited Schram. He was flown up to Newsday and given a job. He became the Washington Bureau Chief for Newsday in 1972. In 1979, Schram received a call from the famous Washington Post editor, Bill Bradlee.

Being a journalist has its perks. Schram has traveled to Russia, Vietnam, and was on President Nixon’s trip to China.

“Nixon got furious at me. He didn’t like the investigative journalism I was doing so he threw me off the China trip.”

With a major in political science, Schram decided to become a journalist, rather than a policy major.

“Finally I decided that I had more influence as a journalist that as a policy maker. What story goes on page one affects policy almost as much as the policy makers.”

With such influence, there is something to be said about journalistic responsibility.

“People say you have to be objective all the time but that’s just stupid. You must be fair to all sides, present all points of view. You can’t guarantee you won’t make a mistake” commented Schram.

“You will never be a good journalist if you’re not a curious person. You have to ask yourself what is going on inside the mind of the person you’re talking to. If you’re not always asking ‘why?’ you won’t be successful.”

Today, Schram can occasionally be seen on CNN, though he is now touring the country with people such as Sen. Sam Nunn (Ga.) and Harvard professor Graham Allison for the National Threat Initiative, a group dedicated to stopping the nuclear threat.