Alumna shares her writing experiences with SJA Community
SJA Alumna Catherine Underhill Fitzpatrick, class of 1967, meets with students to discuss her writing career.
October 16, 2017
St. Joe Alumna Catherine Underhill Fitzpatrick spoke to students and faculty about her experiences as a writer, particularly her “accidental” coverage of Sept. 11.
On Oct. 13 while in town for her 50th class reunion, Fitzpatrick shared portions of her three books and writing adventures during a Lunch-and-Learn hosted by SJA’s Alumnae Association.
Fitzpatrick shared how on Sept. 11, 2001 she was in New York City covering Fashion Week for the Milwaukee’s newspaper when she was thrust into the terrorist destruction. She discussed the fallouot when extremists forced the crash of three different airplanes, two of which caused the Twin Towers to fall.
“I was able to speak with three firefighters who by the end of the day were killed,” she said as she discussed her harrowing experience.
Fitzpatrick has worked for various news agencies including making less than $100 a week for a small paper in Hannibal, Mo., to having a description of her reportage of September 11 included with accounts of other reporters and photographers in the book Running Toward Danger (2002, Rowman & Littlefield). Also, a front page of the newspaper edition containing one of her 9/11 dispatches is among those memorialized in Washington D.C.’s Newseum.
Writing has enriched my life 100 fold
— Catherine Underhill Fitzpatrick
She speaks around the country speaking about her take on the importance of writing. She advises young writers to focus on two things: research and to have “passion, sometimes even compassion” in their writing. She explained that researching details in writing enriches the story and offers “authenticity” that is often overlooked.
“Writing has enriched my life 100 fold,” she said. “I advise everyone to write as well and as often as they can.”
She looked upon her time at St. Joe happily. She spoke of Sister Veronica who she said taught her to type well so that switching to computer keyboards was seemless a few years later. She also noted her favorite classes that stayed with her years after graduation, specifically religion, sewing, speech and English.
“St. Joe taught me about the importance of faith, hope, and love,” she said. “Without it, you have nothing.”
