Central Piedmont alum Patsy Montesinos is in the news

Long before she ever held a microphone, Patsy Montesinos was captivated by the stories unfolding on Spanish-language newscasts she watched with her parents. That childhood curiosity has since grown into a flourishing journalism career, where her bilingual background allows her a unique perspective on the stories she covers.

“I've always wanted to tell stories and be able to highlight those that maybe aren't often told,” she said.

Now a multimedia reporter at CBS affiliate NewsChannel 5 in Nashville, Tennessee, Montesinos is quickly making her mark, recently earning three MidSouth Regional Emmy Award nominations. 

Central Piedmont Community College plays a significant role in Patsy’s own story.  

She was born in Concord, North Carolina, but lived in a variety of places in her youth, including Mexico. When she returned to the Charlotte area, attending a four-year university wasn’t an option financially. Instead, she chose to start her college journey at Central Piedmont.

"At first, I was a little bit scared, because I didn't know what to expect,” Patsy said. “But there was a community of a lot of students that were involved in student government or other organizations that I became involved with later.

"It’s definitely a community that you become a part of.” 

Patsy worked at the advising front desk during her time at the college and was an honor society president, among other leadership and academic endeavors.

“I felt like I wasn't just going to class and leaving,” she said.

She studied liberal arts at Central Piedmont, receiving support and guidance from faculty and advisors as she prepared to transfer to the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill to enter the school’s renowned journalism program.  

She attended transfer fairs and worked with advising to ensure she had all the necessary credits. A Ruth G. Shaw scholar, she received a financial aid package to cover her classes and even some of her books, while working for the rest. Ultimately, she served as the first-ever student commencement speaker for her graduating class in May 2018.

Patsy sees Central Piedmont as preparing her for success before she made the transition to UNC-Chapel Hill in pursuit of her bachelor’s degree. She’d already completed her gen-ed courses, and both class size and quality were comparable once she began studying for her career on the Chapel Hill campus.

“Once I was there, I could just focus on my major and what I wanted to do,” she said.

After receiving her bachelor’s as a Carolina Covenant Scholar, she did a year-long communications fellowship with congressmen in Washington, D.C. She then started her career in news in Roanoke, Virginia. She began her current position in December 2024, and she and her colleagues were honored with three Emmy nominations at this past February’s ceremony.

“I felt really proud just to be in that room,” she said. “Even at my job, I'm the youngest reporter and the only Latina reporter. I always feel proud just being in those spaces.”

Helping people is what matters most to Patsy through her work. That work once felt like an impossible dream, but now, she is recognized for her craft.