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| Photo by James Brosher |
| Senior and IDS editor-in-chief Carrie Ritchie is the fourth IU student to be named ICPA’s Journalist of the Year. |
But the IDS editor-in-chief, who will graduate at the top of the School of Journalism’s class of ’08, is self-effacing about her most recent kudo, which was awarded March 29 at ICPA’s convention in Terre Haute.
“This award is really a reflection on everyone around me,” Ritchie said. “My family, friends and coworkers keep me going on a daily basis, and without them, I couldn’t do what I do.”
What she does is serve as editor-in-chief of the Indiana Daily Student for spring semester, after serving as managing editor in the fall and campus editor and city/state editor before that. During her tenure, the IDS has garnered numerous awards. Ritchie said while her most recent award is in her own name, it belongs to the IDS staff as much as it belongs to her.
“Without the student and professional staffs, I wouldn’t have been able to win,” Ritchie said in an e-mail interview. “They enable all of us to do what we do every day, and their hard work happens to make me look like I’ve accomplished some things.”
But those who recommended Ritchie for the award cite her personal accomplishments, including her Poynter Scholarship last summer and internship at the St. Petersburg Times. In awarding her the honor, the ICPA judge wrote about her defense of free speech earlier this year, when a former deputy national security adviser scheduled for a talk IU wanted the event to be off the record. Ritchie and her staff dug in, refusing to agree to not report on the talk. The speaker cancelled the talk.
While she may not have predicted this type of controversy would go with the job, Ritchie has hoped to be a writer of some kind since second grade. It took a little while, though, for her to figure out just what kind of writer she would be. She worked on her high school newspaper but it wasn’t until she came to IU that Ritchie discovered her calling.
“I’ve found that with journalism, I have sort of natural inspiration every day, regardless of my mood or stress level. I think it’s true that if people find something they love to do, they’re just happier,” Ritchie said. “I like that I can write and that my writing can help readers. I like staying informed and reading stories, too. I know I found what I was meant to do.”
While Ritchie may consider herself lucky to have her job, Interim Director of Student Media Nancy Comiskey said the IDS has been lucky to have Ritchie.
“Carrie has proven to be an outstanding leader,” Comiskey said. “She is ambitious in the best sense of the word. She sets high goals for herself and the staff and continually achieves them.”
Comiskey said Ritchie’s Collegiate Journalist of the Year award didn’t surprise her, nor did it surprise Associate Dean of Undergraduate Studies Bonnie Brownlee either.
“She is very impressive,” Brownlee said of Ritchie. “It’s a great honor for the school and program to have students like Carrie doing so well. It helps the school simply with visibility, having these students recognized. And when families visit, it’s nice to be able to take them downstairs to the IDS and let them meet college journalists who are so good.”
Ritchie won’t be down there much longer, but what happens after May 3 isn’t clear. Ritchie is in the midst of a job hunt and said all the doom and gloom she’s been hearing about the newspaper business has her a bit worried, but not enough to sway her from her dream.
“I do plan to stay in print,” Ritchie said. “I’m worried because I keep reading about layoffs, and, so far, finding a job has been challenging. However, I know it’ll all work out in the end. I’ve gotten some great advice from people, and I’m just going to keep looking.”
As well she should, at least if Nancy Comiskey is any judge.
“Carrie is going to be one of those reporters who has a lot to offer a paper from day one,” Comiskey said. “I don’t think Carrie’s going to have any trouble at all.”
Ritchie is the 10th Brook Baker Collegiate Journalist of the Year. IU students Cory Schouten, Gavin Lesnick and Kelly Phillips are previous winners.
ICPA members include 42 publications at 33 Indiana public and private universities. Its mission includes fostering free speech and free press on campuses and furthering the quality of journalism education among students.
The 2009 convention will be in Bloomington and will feature Gene Policinski, executive director of the Freedom Forum First Amendment Center at Vanderbilt University.
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