Bill McMorris had only completed a series of journalism internships through the National Journalism Center (NJC) when he broke his first big story on phantom Congressional districts receiving federal stimulus funds in 2009.

“I wasn’t even a real journalist,” McMorris recalls, adding that he was doing administrative work with the Franklin Center at the time.

Now, McMorris is an investigative reporter for the newly created online only publication The Washington Free Beacon based out of Washington, DC.

He also gives back to fellow young, conservative journalists by teaching weekly seminars to current NJC interns, in which he instructs them “to generate original content, original news, rather than just arguing philosophy… we have too many pundits and need more people on the ground trying to dig up news.”

Young conservatives “need something more than Twitter if you want to understand the world and if you want an impact on it,” he says.

Young people need to resist extending their youth by delaying marriage, getting a job and moving out of their parents’ house.

“I think this extended adolescence, avoidance of commitment, is very, very damaging for young people,” he said. “Social conservatives aren’t the sexiest brand right now, but if you delay marriage, you are probably playing X-Box at home.”

Ultimately, McMorris’ advice to young conservatives is to not “be afraid to start from the bottom” and “pay your dues.” But you should also have an entrepreneurial spirit, he says, and “take the first opportunity you get.”