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48 | GRAVITAS MAGAZINE GravitasMag.com You majored in journalism but have a concentration in science. Why? (Laughs) My dad is a chemist. We played with super glue and dr y ice all the time. When it came time to take science classes, I think my parents were ver y excited. I think they had lo y dreams that I would follow in his footsteps. Clearly that didn't happen, and I had no sk ill or talent, but science was offered ver y randomly at Emerson. While ever yone was tak ing musical theater, dancing and singing in the hallways – you could also take marine biolog y. I did it a lile to appease my family, just in case, this career didn't work out. What was your first opportunity in broadcasting? Was it what you expected? I realized ver y quick ly that you can't be in broadcasting for the sake of being on T V. It's not about being pre y and having ever yone look at you. It's not about you at all! I realized early on that you make your own opportunity. It's a ver y competitive business and ever yone wants to do it. ere's one main anchor and only 3-4 television stations per market. You have to make your own opportunity and work your bu off. What was the biggest investment you made in yourself ? e time and sacrifice I made, like most journalists do, and work ing in a bureau the size of a shoebox, reporting on ever y topic, moving around and doing whatever it takes. When I was a senior in college, I drove two hours from Boston to Western Massachuses 3-4 days a week to work full-time as a reporter. I was broke and in debt up to my eyeballs, mak ing $12/hour. You worked in Kansas City and Charlotte before moving up to market 14 in Tampa. What lessons did you learn along the way? I think it's a complicated answer. Staying true to myself and k ind of separating the public persona, what people see in the 16 x 9 window ever y night, and remembering that you are a person. If the audience doesn't like you as a person, that's not your problem. at is not something you need to change about yourself. at realization only comes with time, with experience. Being beat down by your management, your audience, your peers – for me really expressing what I am passionate about and passing on positivity and those lessons learned is what this business has been about for me. It's not just about what you see on T V anymore. It's about the journey and showing others what you've learned along the way. ere is a dark side of television and living in a fishbowl. How do you think the journalism industry lifts up and tears down women? On one side you have an opportunity to showcase the amazing things women do. It gives you a platform but, on the flip side it's like you were in People magazine or one of those tabloids. I joke about it but you are constantly scrutinized about what you wear. I accept that because I am in the public eye. e day you stop listening to what's coming out of here (points to head), that's a problem. How do you measure success? I have not won a personal Emmy or an A P Award, but I have contributed to plenty of award-winning newscasts. For me, I am proud that ever y market I've worked in, the audience has voted me Best T V Personality or Best Morning A nchor —awards that have more substance come from the viewers. When I was 21 years old, I had a clear path in my mind. I was going to be a network correspondent. By the time I was 30, success to me was market size and money — the number of zeroes in my paycheck —and that was instilled in me coming from a culture where that's how you measure it – the number of doctorates, the number of awards, or the amount of money you make. For me, I think success is equal parts being accepted ABOVE: Dion and her husband, Evan, in Egypt. RIGHT: The couple in India. BELOW: Dion speaking to students at Academy Prep.