By Jacob Brown, Editor-in-Chief
I’ve been off and on with The Vantage since I took Intro to Journalism my freshman year. Back then, I saw it as just another class I had to take. But as someone who wants to work in sports media, journalism has taught me so much that I’ll need to know for my career, and for my life.
This year is my senior year, and I’m serving as editor-in-chief, and I wanted to introduce myself and let you know that you are welcome and needed at The Vantage.
To me, the best thing about journalism is that it shares human stories. Everyone has a story, whether it’s good or bad, and every story has a reason behind it.
Journalism has taught me that sometimes finding that reason doesn’t mean simply asking “Why?” Sometimes, you have to pay attention to someone's actions, the decisions they make, the things they say and the patterns that begin to form. Eventually, those pieces start to tell you something.
I think that is an important lesson to learn early in life. It’s easy to become confused by the things happening around you and hope that, eventually, they will get better. But sometimes moving forward means taking the time to understand what happened and, more importantly, why it happened. Once you understand the story, you can decide what comes next.
That is what journalism has taught me to do: look closer.
It has also changed the way I see storytelling. I’ve always been interested in photography and video, and through journalism, I’ve learned that a story doesn’t always have to be written. Sometimes you can see a story before you ever put it into words. A photograph can capture a moment, a video can show what something means to someone, and sometimes a single frame can tell you more than a paragraph ever could.
That is one thing I love about media: there are so many ways to tell a story, and as editor-in-chief of The Vantage, I want to continue finding those ways.
But The Vantage is more than just a newspaper. It is a student-led publication, which means it belongs to the students. It is a place where we can celebrate the people and accomplishments that make Newman what it is, but it is also a place where we can ask questions, start conversations and bring attention to things that matter in our community.
That is why I believe it is important to read The Vantage.
Not every story will be about you, your team, your organization or something you already care about. But there is a good chance that someone you know will be featured. More importantly, you might find a story that gives you a different perspective on your university.
And I want you to be a part of that.
You don’t have to be a journalism major. You don’t have to know how to write a perfect story. You don’t even have to commit to writing for us every week. If there is something you care about and you have something to say, write one story. That’s enough.
Maybe you want to write regularly. Maybe you want to work your way into an editor position. And, yes, you can even get paid to do it. There is a place for you here, whatever your reason may be.
The Vantage is only as strong as the students who contribute to it. The more voices we have, the more representative our newspaper becomes to the Newman community.
Every student, professor, coach, staff member and member of this community has a story. Some stories are loud. Others are easy to overlook. My goal this year is to make sure we take the time to find them.
So, if you see me around campus with a camera, and a microphone, don’t be surprised if I stop you.
You might have a story to tell.
And if you want to help tell it, come find us. We meet from 1 to 2 p.m. Tuesdays in DeMattias 242. Stop by. We’ll find a way for you to become a part of The Vantage.
PHOTO: Jacob Brown, Editor-in-Chief
