Call her a geek if you like, but Traver Riggins doesn’t believe the Internet revolution will ever trump print journalism. “There’s nothing better than being able to hold something in your hand,” she said. Riggins developed a love for journalism at Plainfield High School as a sophomore in an advanced writing course. Though she never really liked writing, she discovered she was actually good at it – and in turn enjoyed having others read her work.

Riggins was first introduced to the professional world of journalism the summer after her freshmen year at Howard University, through a nine-week program called the Diversity Institute, held on the campus of Vanderbilt University. There, she got both real-world newsroom experience and multimedia training. Through the Diversity Institute’s program Riggins was placed at The Herald Times, where she wrote and filed stories daily, many of which showed up on the front page.

“They really embraced the idea of a young, extremely ambitious and talented journalist,” Riggins said. “I was really able to see what a newsroom was like and write in a professional setting. ”

The 20-year-old senior fully understands the 24-hour news demands of a journalist, having worked from sunup to sundown covering Election Day for Howard University’s newspaper, The Hilltop. Though Riggins hasn’t decided where in journalism her future lies, or even IF it lies in journalism, she’s looking to get a better idea through her participation in The New York Times Student Journalism Institute.

“I love my major and the things I’m learning,” she said. “I know I will be able to use these skills for the rest of my life.”