Why I chose journalism

The thrill of hoping my news story gets done in time gets my adrenaline pumping. The balance of fact checking and being reliable, while also working on a tight deadline is such a rush.

In one year, I plan to graduate from Troy University with a degree in broadcast journalism. Because of this, I have recently been weighing my options for potential news markets to start off in; which is insane to me.

By the time I graduate I will have been preparing to enter the news industry for eight years, and I often find myself looking back at where I started.

I was around the age of 13 when I first taught myself how to edit video. I would record low quality videos on my little, black camcorder and edit them in Windows Movie Maker. I had so much fun adding fonts and transitions to what I created. I produced mini shows and forced my younger brother to participate in them. I knew I liked editing and telling stories, but I don’t think I realized I could do it for a living until high school.

I went to Thompson High School in Alabaster, Alabama. The school was like any other American high school, but THS really stressed that each student chose an academy to study in. From engineering to health care, my school had plenty of options to choose from. I chose the TV and Film Academy, and for the next four years studied broadcast journalism alongside my first TV mentor, Brooke Dennis.

I first discovered my voice as a journalist through THS TV. I reported on the construction of my school’s new high school facility for four years. I even tackled more controversial topics, such as the 2016 presidential election and discussion on transgender bathroom rights. I anchored my school’s newscast and was even awarded the Alabama Scholastic Press Association’s 2017 Journalist of the Year; this was a massive deal for me at the time. I remember being almost moved to tears because my work had been recognized.

Throughout high school I did internships with local media outlets, which further strengthened my love for the craft of journalism. I knew if I wanted to go into this industry, I needed to find a university with a program that would mold me further.

I chose Troy University as my number one school, a decision I standby to this day. At Troy, I work alongside professors who have worked in the news business, I produce content for our student newspaper and work each night at TROY TrojanVision News as the student news director.

My story is far from over, and I’m eager to keep on telling it.

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