Journalism empowers investigation. As I finish up my senior year, my mind reflects on everything I’ve absorbed in the field of journalism and as a student at the Jandoli School of Communication so far. Many of my professors, bosses and co-workers challenged my fellow classmates and me to be concise with our words on and off the paper. I failed at this many times and still do, though, I’m in training to master journalistic thinking.
In almost four short years, I stopped being a timid writer. I learned to be confident in my writing, to find an angle and most importantly, the skill to think and write objectively and fairly.
Student-driven journalism allowed me to learn from my mistakes and acted as an accessible way to make my voice heard.
My time with TAPinto Greater Olean put my taught skills to the test. It was time to apply what I learned in the classroom to real small-city and small-town reporting. I’m beyond grateful for the residents who were open to sharing their stories and thoughts with me. Thanks to journalism, I’ve learned lessons from other people’s experiences. Those individuals made the story come alive. My time with Positano News taught me the power of communication without words, since English wasn’t commonly spoken around both the office and the individuals I interviewed. I recognized the opportunity to work in a foreign country and how rare it was especially as a college student who was taken seriously as a journalist in a professional setting. I will carry that opportunity with me throughout my career together. My time with the Bonva Venture taught me how to look for stories in extremely close proximity to you, while getting to know other student journalists better through peer-editing and leaning each other.
My hesitancy during school lessened as my interviewing skills grew. And I fully credit my professors, peers, and the community I become acquainted with. Now, with one semester left, tensions around reporting and exploring new ideas have lessened.
Journalism is a bridge between what is happening and what people decide to do with the information presented to them. We must protect this. Journalists gather and distill the information into something logical. We search for the truth and keep hold of the truth. The powerful tool of journalism powers accountability and cognizance.
We are taught not to be biased but to be impartial.
There are so many parts to the journalistic process. The countless, vexing times of rewriting and sending drafts back and forth were only beneficial. The mindless brainstorming of future stories only fueled future imagination, and the blank stare at a Word document became a reminder that frustration is part of the process. Some of my best ideas would arrive to me randomly, when I wasn’t thinking about my next story, but, there is always a story around us. As I look back, TAP will always be the exemplar of how a neighborhood publication should run. I’m forever grateful for the chance to have written for such an incredible community and written with such gifted students. My journalistic future will consist of maintaining a well-grounded ethical core and continual investigation.
And I would do it all over again.