Opinion

Importance goes past print

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This summer I did what most aspiring journalists would do for their last summer of college. I worked at a bank. The holding company of a bank, to be more precise. My measly desk was right next to the CFO’s office and down the hall from the CEO’s office.

Needless to say, I spent most of my summer surrounded by very wealthy people. And these very wealthy people would often ask me the question most people ask seniors in college: What will you do after graduation?

When I gave my go-to answer, “I don’t know, but I want to be a magazine journalist,” most did their best to sound interested and encourage me on my selected career path.

Except for this one old man. After I stated my goal, he responded with a lengthy diatribe about the journalism industry and its imminent demise. “Won’t find many jobs in that industry, will you?”

I braved my best smile and nodded when appropriate—I had to keep my job for at least one more month. And, when he was done, I did my best not to burst into tears. No, journalism doesn’t provide the highest salary or the best job security, but it’s where God has called me. I’m doing my best to follow.

But since that moment, I’ve become more and more convinced that journalism is not on the road to destruction. With the digital age, fewer people may be reading print, but the need for journalists still exists. People may not need newspapers, but people still need government watchdogs, a source for current events, a place to voice their opinion and entertainment.

Journalism will always exist, just not in the same form it does today. With that being said, the Threefold Advocate is doing it’s best to keep up with the times. Last semester we debuted our new website, and this semester we are working to keep it continuously updated with the news students need and want.

There’s just one problem. If the Threefold Advocate is truly going to be JBU’s student newspaper, we need to hear from the students. We aren’t only here to provide the news, but to inspire change, start conversations and—in a sense—be a watchdog on campus.

So here’s what you can do:

1. Follow us. Go ‘like’ our Facebook page and follow our Twitter account. Not everything we write will come out in print. Keep up with the latest campus news through the web.

2. Read us. Open up our pages and click on our links. You won’t find every story completely interesting, but you will be surprised at what’s happening around campus.

3. Talk to us. Join the conversation. Want to respond to what you’re reading? Write letters to the editor—that’s me—leave comments on the stories or write a post on our Facebook wall. Don’t just be an observer. Engage in what is happening on your campus.

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