Thanksgiving reflection time! I’ll be brief*, and use pictures, because let’s face it — sometimes the children’s section is more fun than the adult shelves.
But first, a quick statement of gratitude: Literally days before the pandemic forced most of us into a national lockdown, Poynter’s leadership agreed to let me attempt something new for the institute, which was a person dedicated to collegiate journalism. I am grateful to them for trusting and believing in me, and I feel truly privileged each and every day to say I get to work for Poynter. Here’s why I bring all that up.
Like most humans, “Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark” is one of my favorite movies. In one scene, right after he escapes Nazis and shortly before he gallops away on a white horse, Indy is asked what his plan is, and he states, “I don’t know. I’m making this up as I go.”
This is essentially my life’s motto.
In many ways, I have felt like that in my “new” role (third season coming soon!) I’ve been making it up as I go. And in this season of gracefulness, I am reminded to be OK with that when possible. As should you.
When we attempt innovation, we usually don’t have a road map. It can be easy to get lost, or worry that we’re not enough, or feel isolated. Like most professionals in all walks of life I’ve ever met, I regret things. I wish I’d done things differently, or faster, or more strategically. Everyone I know wishes they’d worked smarter and faster, while failing (in most cases) to celebrate what they actually did well.
Like many of you, I’m not one to dwell on successes. But I can’t help but think that we’d all be wise this week to remember not just what we’re grateful for, but what we’ve done well in our personal and professional lives.
That kind of inventory helps us build strength into our future plans and relationships, even if humility is one of your core values.
In thinking through what I wanted to say to you all in this week of thankfulness, I knew I wanted first and foremost to tell you that I’m grateful to you — yes, you personally, *|FNAME|* — for the work you do advancing the education of young journalists. It can be thankless but also rewarding. I hope that just when the administration has you drowning in whatever red tape it rolled out this semester, and campus construction seems absolutely bonkers, you find a student ray of light. Maybe it’s a line of sparkling prose, or a brave standup, or even just a deadline that your whole class hits. Whatever it is, I hope it really makes your week.
I looked back over my camera roll and found a lot to be grateful for professionally in the last year, so here’s a sampling.
Poynter’s Laura Duclos (center) is flanked by four MediaWise Campus Correspondents who came to Tampa in November for our annual Bowtie Ball fundraiser. Duclos produced a short film — most of it shot on site the night of the event — starring our four CCs, who interviewed attendees on what it must have been like to live in the Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein era (our honorees that night).
They even got to meet Bernstein! (Photo by Carrie Pratt)
Obligatory “dressed up with students” photo! From left: Kobe McCloud, Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania; Gabbie Puzon, Cal-State Northridge; me; Vanessa Handy, NYU; Maya Broadwater, University of Miami. (Photo by Laura Duclos)
Though our MediaWise Campus Correspondent media literacy programs were mostly done virtually, here’s Kobe McCloud giving an IRL presentation at Howard University in October. After two years of virtual observation, I was there to watch in person!
In the spring I got to help these USC students present to the Associated Collegiate Press Spring National College Media Conference in Long Beach, California. Their Equity Desk at USC’s Annenberg Media was a landmark for college newsrooms, and I still reference their guide almost weekly.
While speaking at the Society for Environmental Journalists’ conference in Houston, I met these outstanding students: Danya Gainor (center) from Arizona State and Chioma Lewis (right) from Michigan State.
In June at Poynter, at Teachapalooza, USC student Nataly Joseph moderated our keynote session with Jody Kantor and Megan Twohey of The New York Times, whose book “She Said” had just been adapted into a guide for young journalists who want to pursue investigative journalism.
In October, I traveled with TV guru and Poynter senior faculty Al Tompkins to Penn State, where we spent some time with students going over their broadcast …
… and their resumes. (Photo by Al Tompkins)
As for the personal? Well, I finally got my journalism bookshelf all set up.
Thanks for joining me on a trip down camera memory lane. I hope you enjoy a thankful week and a little break from the hectic pace of school this time of year.
Take care of yourselves.
*And sorry for being not brief at all.
Story ideas
Is your school: A, doing anything to increase student access to mental health services; B, doing it by increasing its in-house counseling staff or C, outsourcing it? Here’s one take. It would be interesting to see which way your school is leaning.
The New York Times is out this week with a four-part investigation (“A Risky Wager”) into the proliferation of gambling across the country. Of particular interest will be “How Colleges and Sports Betting Companies ‘Caesarized’ Campus Life.” The story ideas feel endless.
ICYMI
Online mobs are now coming for student journalists (Washington Post)
Most threats against HBCUs this year linked to one minor, FBI says (Washington Post)
The Center for Journalism & Democracy Opens at Howard University (The Dig, Howard University)
Harvard and Yale Law Schools Reject ‘U.S. News’ Rankings (Inside Higher Ed)
Washington Post Senior Editor Marc Fisher took time out of his busy schedule to crap all over student journalists at the University of Virginia for being humane in the wake of a mass shooting (Dynamics of Writing)
University of Idaho Killings Stump Police: What We Know (The New York Times)
Classroom resources
Knowing the news: How Gen Z and Millennials get information on essential topics (American Press Institute)
This week’s Professor’s Press Pass
A twofer! This week we’ve posted two new case studies — one about the efficacy of video editorials, and another on the power of TV station collaborations. Get your students more involved in classroom discussions with Professor’s Press Pass, Poynter’s library of ethics and business discussions for you and your students. It’s just $100 a year or $12 a month, and your subscription fee directly benefits our college journalism efforts.
One last thing
Drive your family bonkers as you repeatedly try to master the pronunciation of Qatar!
Resources for educators
- Get access to a growing library of case studies — Professor’s Press Pass.
- Help your students fill their news feeds with facts with the latest course from MediaWise’s Campus Correspondents. They can sign up for free.
