By Mike Majchrowicz

She graced the stage with a simple presence, wearing a gray shirt with the intricate design of a flower on the right side and addressing her audience in a confident manner. Cynthia Wang, the assistant editor of People magazine, knows her purpose within her profession, and spoke about how aspiring student journalists could do the same.

“We tell the extraordinary stories of ordinary people, and the ordinary stories of extraordinary people,” Wang said Saturday to the students of J Camp 2010, assembled in an auditorium at Loyola University in Los Angeles.

Prior to her senior editorial position on People, she served as the associate bureau chief for the magazine in Los Angeles. Wang, a Northwestern University alumnus, attended the Medill School of Journalism. During her junior year at the University, she was offered an internship at People magazine through the American Society of Magazine Editors organization.

After lobbying the editor and hours upon hours of work and experience as an intern at the magazine, Wang was offered a staff position on the magazine. As a new employee, she served as a fact checker, working hands on and formulating close and professional relationships with the writers. Wang was later offered a position as a correspondent for the publication. Now serving as the assistant editor, she has the view from the top.

With the outbreak of convergence journalism, and the number of actual print publications at an all-time low, one would think that someone such as Wang would be fearful for the future of her magazine.

People magazine, like many other publications, has been subject to layoffs. Given the number of job losses, this leaves more work in the hands of those who survived the cut backs. However, Wang, alongside her fellow editors and co-workers, have made the best with what is in front of them.

“[Convergence] is just a way to get my reporting [to the readers] in many different ways,” Wang said. “It’s a chance to more fully represent the people I talk to.”

People magazine is currently in the midst of releasing an application for Apple’s newest cult consumer product, iPad. This is one of the many additions the publication is making towards the convergence movement. It is widely believed that the transition to these multi-media platforms will ensure a quicker delivery rate of breaking information on stories being covered.

“[It's not just important] to be the first [to obtain the information], as much as it is to be the first to get the information right,” Wang said. “[Ultimately], people will find out the source, and that’s what keeps them coming back.”

In Cynthia Wang’s profession, challenges such as breaking stories, desperate publicists and scandalous stories are a part of everyday life. According to Wang, the real challenge resides in finding an adequate balance of family and social life along with the work place.

Lang found her voice through journalism, and continues to use her talents to teach students to do the same.