Indiana University School of Journalism

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Photo by Sarah Hutchins

Journalism Ambassadors and freshman Ernie Pyle Scholars meet with Jennifer Wehunt, right, associate editor of Chicago Magazine, during a media visit.

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Freshmen Ernie Pyle Scholars and School of Journalism Ambassadors spent two days networking and visiting media outlets Feb. 25-26, meeting with alumni and prospective students, visiting Chicago media and attending a show at improvisational sketch comedy venue Second City.

Kathleen Lee, director of experiential education and recruitment, said the trip is a chance for students to network and get a taste of being in a newsroom. It’s also a chance for alumni to see he current "face of the school."

Junior journalism ambassador Haley Adams said the trip was a good reminder of the versatility of a journalism degree.

"The trip was beneficial because we got to talk to alumni and many of them told me I probably won’t get my dream journalism job right out of school, so I should be open minded," Adams said. "That was a good wake-up call. Two younger alums I talked to had jobs in sales and at a law office, so it showed journalism can be applied to multiple fields."

This was the prospective students were invited to attend the alumni reception, Lee said. Freshman Ernie Pyle Scholar Erin Boland said talking with prospective students was a fun way to share her experiences in the journalism school. She said she could relate to their questions and concerns.

"I got to talk with a bubbly prospective student," Boland said. "I answered her questions about what it’s like. It’s strange that she was talking to me about things I just went through."

The next day, students visited broadcast, print and public relations companies. Freshman Ernie Pyle Scholar Matt Callahan talked to professionals at WLS-TV, Chicago’s ABC affiliate, and Chicago Magazine. Callahan said he could imagine working at either company later in life.

"I had been thinking (magazine) was a cool way to go," Callahan said. "They had such a laid-back atmosphere."

Boland, who visited ABC and the Chicago Tribune, said the visits reaffirmed that she wanted to work in print journalism. The Tribune group sat in on a news meeting, an experience that made Boland feel at home.

"I really like the dialogue," Boland said. "It was something I could see myself doing."

The media visits were an opportunity to talk to professionals about how they broke into the field and what their jobs are like. Adams, an editor at Inside magazine, said the trip was a reminder that journalists don’t need to move to New York to succeed.

Photo by Sarah Hutchins

Students met with print, PR and other media leaders. Here, Ron Culp, a partner at Ketchum, gave them an overview of the PR industry.

Public relations interns at Ketchum talked about the importance of networking and editors at Chicago Magazine discussed how content is assigned and edited at a regional publication.

But the trip was also an opportunity to get a first-hand look at how journalism is changing.

Boland said she was surprised to see how computerized the ABC studio had become.

"It’s sad to hear that they’ve gone to computerizing jobs," Boland said. "People have been replaced by computers, but it was still cool to see all of the cameras on the floor."

Despite the changes and challenges facing journalists, the trip was encouraging.

"Getting to see professionals is always inspiring," Callahan said.

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