One more question

In a profession built on answers, Shelby Swanson believes the most important skill is knowing how to ask the right questions.

That philosophy has guided the North Carolina native from UNC Chapel Hill to The News & Observer and now to the Minnesota Star Tribune, where the 23-year-old will soon begin covering sports business. But when asked to describe the theme of her career, Swanson did not mention awards, internships or bylines.

Instead, she chose one word: curiosity.

“Being curious has led to a lot of my best stories,” Swanson said.

For Swanson, that idea is more than a mindset. It has shaped some of the most meaningful reporting of her career.

While interning at The News & Observer, Swanson noticed a photograph in the UNC baseball dugout. Unsure of who it depicted, she began asking around. What she uncovered was far more than the identity behind the picture.

The photograph belonged to a young fan who had recently died. Throughout the season, the team honored his memory, transforming a simple image into a tribute. What began as a passing observation became one of the stories Swanson remembers most.

“It literally happened because I saw a picture and I was curious about it,” Swanson said.

Experiences like that have reinforced a lesson Swanson hopes young journalists remember. Meaningful reporting does not always come from chasing the biggest headlines. Sometimes, it begins with paying attention to the details others overlook.

Throughout the press conference, Swanson returned to that idea again and again, encouraging aspiring reporters to trust their instincts and follow the questions that stay with them.

The answer that briefly caused her to pause revealed more than a theme. It revealed the habit that has shaped her career.

For Swanson, the stories worth telling have never come from having all the answers.

They have come from being willing to ask one more question.