More on CNN TV: Experts answer your calls and e-mails on this tragedy tonight on "Anderson Cooper 360," 10 p.m. ET.I'm a journalist, and a 1996 Virginia Tech graduate. I'm also a native of the Blacksburg area. It's been a tough week for me -- the pang of emotion between being a journalist and a Tech grad. It's almost too hard to put into words.
I work for CNN's assignment desk in Atlanta. My daily assignment for the past year has included working with our affiliate TV stations in Virginia, including Roanoke, which covers Blacksburg.
I never would have dreamed that my work, and my small-town heritage, would come so full circle during the course of a week.
Those affiliate stations gave us our first gripping pictures from campus. Imagine helping bring in pictures to the world of such a tragedy -- video from the same campus I used to walk across.
Today, I'm working to cover the story in every way our network dictates, while I also think about my hometown and the people that I so identify with. Everyone is still grieving four days later.
Journalists are to be objective even in the face of stories that hit particularly close to home. I know colleagues have faced similar situations: New Orleans natives working Hurricane Katrina and its aftermath. New York City natives during and after 9/11.
It is a challenge not allowing my emotion over the tragedy to affect my responsibilities here at CNN.
As I sit in our newsroom today and see so many colleagues from all over the world wearing Burnt Orange and Chicago Maroon (or colors kind of similar), I'm made aware that my alma mater's previously unknown fight song, unique mascot name, and large Corps of Cadets contingent aren't so misunderstood or unknown anymore.
We all learn things through life experience that impacts every facet of life. Let's go Hokies!
-- By Hank Bishop, CNN
