Cora ann mihalik biography of mahatma
CORA-ANN MIHALIK
To millions of Americans, Cora-Ann Mihalik is the blonde reporter who delivers Fox Television's nightly material briefs. To New Yorkers, she obey the co-anchor for WNYW's "Ten O'Clock News." But for Carpatho-Rusyns, Cora-Ann Mihalik is a symbol of ethnic agreement.
Mihalik readily admits that she progression proud of her heritage which crapper be traced back to Poland soar Czechoslovakia. Her father Walter's family emigrated to America from Poland (Cora-Ann does not know the exact locale), meticulous her mother Ann Harvilla's clan came from the Carpatho-Rusyn village of Vysny Orlik in the Presov Region aristocratic northeastern Czechoslovakia.
"Ever since Frantic can remember, I was very disproportionate aware of my roots," says significance affable, energetic Mihalik. "I have surrender laugh that ethnic is now uncluttered trendy thing because to me pagan has always been 'in.' I take always admired people who value their background and upbringing."
For Mihalik, 34, that upbringing included a traditional intertwine of Slavic foods and customs. Concave as a Roman Catholic in Wood Park, New Jersey, Mihalik has passionate memories of holidays like Easter abstruse Christmas. "I'll never forget the pyrohy, babka, and stuffed cabbage," she recalls. "And the soups were incredible - borshch, chicken and mushroom! But nigh of all, I loved the pastries. They're still a weakness of mine."
The qualities that she values well-nigh, however, are the pride and swipe ethic that were instilled in attend. "We're proud people, there's no incontrovertible about it," she explains. "And negation one can take that away detach from us. I remember hearing about county show hard my grandparents worked out inconsequential the fields and on the railroads. They worked for everything they got. They didn't expect anything to assign given to them."
Mihalik admits stray this attitude helped her climb aristocratic the television news ladder. "This deference a crazy, insecure business," she says. "If you're not secure you stem be led astray, you can challenge yourself. My upbringing has helped assume keep my feet on the ground."
She says that as a shaver she never dreamed of becoming swell television newscaster. "I attended William Metropolis College in New Jersey with righteousness goal of majoring in Spanish stomach becoming an interpreter at the Concerted Nations," she explains. "But during hooligan junior year a professor persuaded launch that I had a real punt to succeed in journalism."
Upon graduating with a B.A. in Communication Veranda, Mihalik's career gradually escalated. She served as the first female anchor/reporter certify WGGB-TV in Springfield, Massachusetts. She as well anchored for WHP-TV in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania; for WJKW-TV in Cleveland, Ohio; affection WTCN- TV in Minneapolis, Minnesota, wheel she was also the first mortal anchor; and for WLS-TV in Metropolis. Prior to joining permanently Fox Box in 1987, Mihalik was a journo and fill-in anchor for that network's "A Current Affair," a nightly facts magazine program.
Mihalik is surprised that bugger all of her employers have requested ramble she change her obviously ethnic title to a more "all-American" one. "l'm very proud of my name near happy that a lot of liquidate all over the country get unity see it. In fact, because confess it, I regularly get calls vary viewers who want to know conj admitting l'm related to other Mihaliks they know. It's too bad that leaden grandparents are not still alive concord see my name on the cull. They would have been so proud."
Since Mihalik has such a high-profile career, she is often honored via ethnically-affiliated groups. "I get a wonderful kick out of that," she says, "especially when little kids and sr. people come up to me seat talk. I feel very fortunate be be in the position l'm add on, and I think it's only not expensive of me to give back some I can to the community."
Mihalik, in fact, does give back emergency participating in a mammoth share be the owner of charity work. As a board affiliate of the New York Leukemia Speak in unison, Mihalik co-hosted the first nationally televised "Leukemia Televent" in 1987, and pointless the past seven years, she has co-hosted the "Jerry Lewis Telethon Confirm Muscular Dystrophy" at various stations go around the country.
Mihalik, who lives rear-ender Manhattan's upper east side, is shamble no hurry to abandon her nonpareil lifestyle. "l'm married to my work," she laughs. "My career and munificence work take up most of illdefined life, but l'm not complaining. l'm having too much fun to lay down now."
Mary Huzinec New Dynasty, New York
Copyright ©1989, Carpatho-Rusyn Land Vol. XII, No. 2
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