Attending school in Washington D.C. definitely adds something to the college experience- the proximity to the nation’s capital and government, the constant political and media buzz, amazing speakers in Gaston and the occasional “celebrity” sighting (Oh hey there Joe Biden, sitting next to me at dinner…). With all of the action comes a lot of news, and while what’s happening in the world often takes over our Twitter feeds and consumes our Google searches, events on campus and news involving Georgetown are sometimes overlooked. As Editor-in-Chief of The Hoya, Danny Funt (COL ’14) makes sure Georgetown students are kept up-to-date on Georgetown happenings, as well as important news outside of The Hilltop. Originally from Carmel, CA, Danny began working for The Hoya as a freshman and made his way to Editor as a senior. Her Campus Georgetown talked with this week’s Celebrity about his experience while at Georgetown and, more specifically, with The Hoya.
How did you get involved with The Hoya?
I had worked on my high school newspaper, but I planned on trying something different when I arrived at Georgetown. I dipped my feet in the water at The Hoya during my freshman year, and it wasn’t long before I realized it was different than anything I’d experienced. I had the good fortune of working for a few people like Lauren Weber and Steven Piccione who inspired me and helped me feel welcomed at the paper.
Have you always had an interest in journalism?
I’ve always enjoyed journalism as a craft, yet it wasn’t really until I served on The Hoya’s editorial board as a sophomore that I began to appreciate its importance. That opened my eyes to the enormous expectations readers have for news outlets. You hear a lot of criticism directed at the media lately, and we take our fair share of criticism at The Hoya. I see that as a reminder of our responsibility to the community. When people stop criticizing, they’ve usually stopped caring.
Do you see a future in media or journalism?
Yes. Traditional media isn’t going anywhere, and the news industry will wake up to the fact that a combination of adapting to the times and returning to its roots is necessary for its survival. I don’t know what specifically I want to pursue in the news business, but a dream of mine is to be an all-purpose interviewer, like the correspondents on “60 Minutes.” I have a face for radio and a voice for print, though, so we’ll see.
Best memory at The Hoya?
When we received a tip in February last year that a GUSA candidate and his campaign manager were members of a secret society on campus, about 10 Hoya staffers pulled an all-nighter in our newsroom putting the article together. It was an exhilarating scene. Second place would be joining the White House press pool to cover the president’s visit in July. That was a privilege.
Have you ever had any very controversial stories published during your time as Editor-in-Chief?
The answer is yes, but readers often have a distorted view of what it means for news to be controversial. The difference between a newspaper and a newsletter is that we don’t just do promotional reporting. If the subjects of a story are mad but can’t identify inaccuracies or some sort of ethical breach on our part, I can’t help you. There are a lot of thin-skinned people in student government and the university administration, but pampering their image isn’t what’s expected of us from our readers. On the other hand, when we do realize that we’ve misreported a story, you can bet that we’re our biggest critic.
Where do you go to for news?
I like to scan the front pages of daily newspapers from across the country on the Newseum website. I also try to read the opinion pages of The New York Times and The Washington Post, and I check out my hometown paper. Of course I read The Hoya, but The Voice has put out some great stuff this year, too. Iron sharpens iron.
Lighting Round
Favorite holiday:
Champagne Night (the last day of The Hoya’s term).
Dream vacation:
Camp David.
Dinner with anyone, dead or alive:
My future wife.
Favorite movie:
Pineapple Express.
Dream concert:
Not a concert, but my dream is to interview Kanye West in Gaston Hall.