When people at American University say, “Once an Eagle, always an Eagle” they are talking about alums like Derek McGinty. With an extensive background in broadcasting, from public radio to major networks like ABC and CBS, the award-winning journalist has consistently made time to come back to campus, give back to current students, and now he is the first guest to make a repeat appearance on SOC’s Media in the Mix Podcast, where he gave insight into the industry through his unique lens. 

While McGinty has cultivated an established career over the decades and holds many achievements, his journalistic endeavors were borne out of his experience at American University.  

He also credits The Eagle, where he spent three years of his undergraduate career, with shaping his journalistic foundation. "You learn, really, how to do a newspaper. How to write, how to have a lead, how to build a story," he said. "I treasured my time with The Eagle."  

At his father's suggestion, he switched from majoring in print to broadcast journalism, a first step to his long career in the industry. "My father said that it was more in my range of talents [so] I switched to broadcast. And though that made for a very tough year trying to catch up, it was the right decision," said McGinty.  

When asked about the expectation for today’s journalists to build a public-facing brand, McGinty expressed his relief to have narrowly avoided it himself. However, he emphasized that in a world of online reputations and personas, a journalist's brand is about who they are as a person. "How you deal with people," he said. "That is your brand."   

He shared an experience where he was supposed to interview a woman who had lost her daughter. “I told my cameraman at the time… that I'd do it myself, and had him wait in the car. And I went up to her house, and I said, 'Look, this is the worst time of your life. Right? Do you think you might have something to say?' And she did. If I showed up there with the cameraman rolling … she wouldn't have wanted to do it."

While he has retired from newscasting, his interest in storytelling is far from over. Most recently, he has started a new podcast called "You Don't Hear That Everyday," where he aims to discuss rarely explored topics. 

A few years ago, McGinty began reflecting upon his legacy and the opportunities he wanted young black journalists to have, opportunities he had not seen in his undergraduate days. As a result, he created an endowment fund for students of color. "That is why I decided to contribute and try to help make things better for the students that are here," he explained.