The impact of student journalism

Photo by Hunter Dunteman

When I first wandered into The Bark office in Sept. 2019, I had no idea what to expect. My recent transfer to the University of Minnesota Duluth and change of my major from education to journalism, left me feeling both panic-stricken and invigorated by what the semester may hold. The Bark was a possible lifeline. 

Upon entering the bright office space, I was immediately greeted by the smiling faces of the then-managing editors, who asked me about myself and my interests. I timidly told them about my desire to do investigative journalism work, expecting to be told that was not possible in a student news organization setting. To my surprise, their faces immediately lit up as they told me about different reporting opportunities for me, and just like that, I was in. 

A couple short weeks later, I completed my first news story. Looking back, it was definitely not the strongest piece of reporting, but the editors didn’t tell me that. Instead, they matched my excitement and helped me to edit and publish it. My first byline. Now, I knew journalism was the career for me. 

My time at The Bark has been nothing short of a whirlwind. Student news organizations not only allow for the growth of the journalists, but of the community. It is through my work at The Bark that I came to realize the importance of the role of student journalism at UMD. 

As a volunteer and later managing editor for The Bark, I have seen first-hand the work that goes into the reporting by students at UMD: The late nights, meticulous editing, teamwork and collaboration add up to countless hours of dedication. 

This year, we were required to adjust in a way we never imagined. The COVID-19 pandemic not only changed how we do our reporting, but how we run our newsroom. 

The weekly newsroom meetings now happened entirely over Zoom. Recruiting new volunteers required popping into classroom Zoom meetings and hoping to make connections through a screen. In-person interviews with sources were a thing of the past, and our office capacity did not allow for our editorial team to be in the space together. 

We faced an office eviction at the start of the year. We struggled to learn in a virtual environment and keep up with course work, while writing articles. We faced safety concerns. We also realized that our job was more important now than it had ever been before. 

The more reporting work we did, the more we felt a sense of responsibility to our peers and our community. We realized that we were a platform for the people at UMD and in the Duluth area during an unprecedented time. We had an obligation to provide them not only with the truth and unbiased information, but also with a place for their voices to be heard. 

Student media has always been an integral part of colleges and universities, but this year proved it to be essential. This semester we covered changes to academic structure and schedules, a student protest, COVID-19 actions and guidelines, campus climate issues, on-campus living, sports, a presidential election, entertainment, student opinions and more. There were too many caffeine-induced editing sessions and emergency Zoom meetings to count. Yet, it was worth it.  

We, as student journalists, have an obligation to those around us to report on issues that may not be seen by those outside of the campus community. Even when we are not experiencing a pandemic, student journalists play a critical role in their institution. 

I am proud to have been a part of The Bark student news organization. My team, along with my friends, family and professors, have made me into the journalist that I am. We build off of one another’s strengths; we push each other; we learn from each other. 

British playwright Tom Stoppard said, “I still believe that if your aim is to change the world, journalism is a more immediate short-term weapon.”

My time at The Bark has shown me that student journalism provides an avenue for change. It gives a platform to all students, faculty, staff and community members to collaborate, come together and have discussions. It provides a space for all views to be seen and facts to be told. If done properly, I believe that student journalists can change the world for themselves and those around them. 

I am proud to have been a part of that change.