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USA Today reporter Sandra Block had some important advice Wednesday for communication students at Bethany College - don't be afraid to take risks.

"Creative journalists who are willing to take risks and learn new skills" are the ones who will find jobs in an increasingly competitive market, Block said.

Block, a 1981 Bethany graduate and New Martinsville native, is a personal finance reporter for USA Today. After beginning her career at the Wheeling News-Register, she went on to work for McGraw-Hill, the Pittsburgh Business Journal, the Dow Jones News Service and the Akron Beacon-Journal before joining the USA Today staff in 1995.

In introducing Block, Bethany College Communication Department Chairman Patrick Sutherland called Block "one of the most respected financial reporters we have today."

She returned to Bethany Wednesday as the inaugural lecturer for the John Keresty Lectures in Journalism series at the college, honoring the memory of Keresty, a 1963 Bethany graduate who passed away in 2007.

Block said she knows all too well what it is like to leave college and enter the job market during uncertain times, noting the United States was also in a recession when she graduated from Bethany in 1981.

She listed networking, keeping an open mind and being a well-rounded student as potential keys to success.

She admitted she did not know a whole lot about business when she first ventured into financial reporting, and said she found catching up a challenge.

"(When I was in college) I took classes I knew I could ace, and regretted it," Block said. "Take a risk. Take a hard class."

There's no doubt the world of journalism is changing, with terms like "blogging" and "tweets" becoming part of the American lexicon. But, she said, the basics are still important.

"There's still a need for old school journalists who develop sources and make lots of phone calls," she said.

The Internet, she said, can help journalists ask informed questions by making research easier but should not be a substitute for true reporting. Block recalled in 2007 after the Virginia Tech massacre, reporters used the popular social networking Web site Facebook to locate students from that school to interview.

Another must, she said, is good writing skills.

"Writing is like music. It has a rhythm," Block said. "Good writing is underrated ... if you're a good writer, you will find a job somewhere."

College President Scott Miller said the Keresty lecture series was funded by a bequest from Keresty's estate and other gifts, and will examine current topics, trends and issues pertaining to the changing face of journalism.