“In every story, your job is to seek truth, not to confirm your opinion,” investigative journalist Mark Puente told a room full of aspiring reporters at John Carroll University.

Puente, a two-time Pulitzer Prize finalist whose career has spanned The Plain Dealer, The Tampa Bay Times, The Baltimore Sun and The Los Angeles Times, stressed the importance of getting facts correct instead of publishing misinformation at the event hosted by the Society of Professionals’ JCU student chapter and the Cleveland pro chapter on Oct.13.. The discussion became an energetic forum where reporters confronted both the challenges and rewards of investigative journalism.

Puente drew on his own unconventional path, from long-haul truck driver to nationally recognized journalist, crediting CSU as the launchpad for his career. He reminded students that investigative reporting is rarely glamorous but always essential, requiring persistence, curiosity and a deep respect for fairness and accountability. He spoke candidly about the realities of the job: combing through endless records, facing legal pushback and navigating newsroom pressures. Puente also recalled waiting outside the courthouse for several days to speak with a judge who would not return his messages.

A few journalism students from CSU also attended the event and engaged in asking Puente questions about building community trust, structuring complex investigations and maintaining momentum amid deadlines. By the end of the talk, his message was clear: great journalism begins not with opinion, but with the relentless pursuit of truth.