On The Job | Journalist focuses on public health

Lara Harte Weissman Guest Writer

In the few short years since her graduation from Vassar, Veronika Ruff ’01 has seen more of the world than many will see in a lifetime. While concentrating in International Studies at Vassar, Ruff developed an interest in world cultures, and eventually parleyed this passion into a journalism career that brought her to both Japan and Bangkok. She is now the liaison to the Asian titles for Rodale Publishers.

The Miscellany News: Could you explain what working as the editor of the Asian titles for Rodale publishers consists in?
Veronika Ruff: Sure. I work in the editorial department of Rodale International, which is a family-owned publishing company that focuses on health and wellness titles. Rodale publishes both books such as Al Gore’s Inconvenient Truth and The South Beach Diet, and magazines like Men’s Health and Women’s Health. I work on the Asian editions of Men’s Health, which has more international editions than any other men’s magazine, including eight in Asia.
MN: What exactly does working on the “Asian editions” mean?
VR: I help the editors of the Asian editions create each issue—brainstorm original story ideas, localize articles they use from the American edition, research, run surveys and studies, approve cover designs, set up photo shoots, train new editors, and generally act as the editorial link between the Asian editions and the American mothership, if you will.
MN: How did Vassar affect your career path?
VR: Because Vassar doesn’t have a journalism/communications major, and Media Studies was in its early, early infancy when I was graduating, Vassar forced me to be a true liberal arts student and pick something seemingly off-field. This ended up being a great choice for me because I was able to develop a knowledge base that I could apply to my writing and editing, rather than simply learning the skills to report, write and edit, which one can easily get working.
The International Studies program was great, and my major helped determine my specialty when I decided that I wanted to write about international affairs, specifically public health, human rights, and education/youth issues. I moved to Japan for a while, worked as a freelance writer/editor, eventually returned to New York to get a master’s in International Affairs and Journalism at Columbia, worked as an AP reporter in Bangkok, and settled into this job, which is a perfect blend of my interests.
MN: What is your advice for students who are worried about life after college and are unsure of which career path to follow?
VR: For many, a career path tends to takes shape without them even realizing it. Do things you’re interested in; go after jobs that sound fun, work abroad, go on a reality show, look for strange fellowships. Vassar’s structure keeps options open for you. You can almost always spin your experiences, skills, and backgrounds to seem like a cohesive path. Finishing college feels like a ledge, but it’s not really anything more than another turn in your path. And if you don’t like that path, you can just make a new one.