Cherish Briskey | jrnl4970

Road Trip Column

By Cherish Briskey

This community journalism road trip was fascinating because I got to visit and learn about a real newspaper, the Auburn Villager. I enjoyed learning about journalism and how to practice it from professionals in the field. I learned that community journalism is something that has to be experienced by being involved in a community and not just learned from a textbook.

I also learned that whether a community newspaper has a small staff or a big staff, that if you don’t write pieces that impact the community that you are in, it won’t matter.

The people who inspired me to pursue my career in editing are the associate editors of the Auburn Villager. Alison Blankenship and Brian Woodham are two individuals who work around the clock to put out an interesting newspaper.

They are the only two reporters on staff, which makes covering various types of stories difficult.

They also inspired me because they have a real passion for what they do. I think the Community Journalism Road Trip gave me a better appreciation for people who work extremely hard and put all their effort in their job. It takes a lot of passion to pursue a career in the newspaper industry.

I believe all journalism students should have experiences like this at a community newspaper. Journalism isn’t just about words, headlines, or bylines. It’s about the people who influence your outlook on a daily basis. I learned that journalists need to be truthful and care about how their voice is heard. As a journalist, a person has to be truthful and needs to care about how they want their voice to be heard. But perhaps the most important qualification is that they must care about the communities they serve.