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As I approach the end of my junior year at Doane, writing on the student life beat has been supremely rewarding, even if I failed to update this blog very much.
To tell the truth, I enjoyed the concept of blogging. Getting a change to write my thoughts and give stories I worked on a more personal touch was a fun way to compliment my work in journalism. Over the semester I got much closer to sources like Nurse Kelly, Wilma Jackson, and the professors on campus, and I would say that helped me get more details that helped advance my stories.
Covering stories like the Student Congress election controversy gave me insight into the inner workings of government reporting. I also had the experience of separating truth from fiction as this story was shrouded with rumor. This is the story that I perhaps am most proud of to this point in my journalism career. (http://doaneline.com/news/article_a58ed1e1-c22f-5482-991f-7bc6b37e3779.html)
Following up that story, is a story I wish could have been expanded, but I am happy that I was able to report the change on the horizon, for elections. Changes that could have been motivated by my article covering the election. http://doaneline.com/news/article_a8b57dc4-4f1c-11e8-94ab-bbd27b217bae.html)
Further, writing a story about a friend succeeding in a large contest is always a pleasure, and when a Doane student was nominated a finalist in a photography contest, I found the photo to be captivating. A haunting water tower in a ghost town really makes for a memorable photo, and learning more about the story behind the picture was fascinating. http://doaneline.com/life_and_culture/article_291b8c22-4e39-11e8-a2f5-078dc5c96366.html)
Getting the opportunity to speak to and interview Maurice Watson was a wonderful experience, as he had such a unique perspective to mine. He was the third speaker in the Polk Lectureship series, a series focused on social issues. I found his passion motivating and his words to be powerful and well selected.
http://doaneline.com/news/article_c83a04c2-94a0-11e6-98b5-03b98c1ec001.html)
I had a longstanding interest in reviewing music, and when Jack White's new album came out in 2018, I knew I wanted to review it. I found the album to be experimental and unique, perfect for a review. (http://doaneline.com/opinion/article_13afd329-e6aa-5b97-baa4-8b5478e151cb.html)
Student debt is a topic that many students are worried about. Being at an expensive university, it can be difficult to justify that much spending for a student. However, since Doane has a default rate significantly lower than the national average, it appears graduates are finding work that is sufficient for paying the bills. (http://doaneline.com/news/article_a06057a2-0732-59b6-94da-911f2926568b.html)
Being on this beat gave me the opportunity to write stories students felt the impact from. I greatly enjoyed my time on the beat, and I hope to continue to take student life stories once I am off the beat in order to keep close to the connections that I made. I'm excited to continue to the next chapter of my journalism career, and I am confident the skills I got from beat reporting will be of great assistance for a long time.