Camtastic Newsletter December 2024

Gaining Skills for a Future Career 

One of my favorite things about being a student is watching my friends thrive in their environment, having fun, and working on things that interest and inspire them. I’ve been watching as my friend Sam Bakos has been doing exciting work in his investigative journalism course. The goal of this course is to follow a story, interview subjects about the topic, and learn how to communicate and source information.Sam, a student in Assistant Professor Molly Parker’s Investigative Reporting class, mentioned that this was his first time working on something at this level. “It’s sometimes nerve-racking when reaching out, especially at first, but the more interviews I do, the easier it gets,” he said. “It has its moments that can be sometimes frustrating too, especially when it comes to conflicting schedules or flakey interview subjects.”Sam is working on a story about the state of nursing homes in Southern Illinois.So far, it is going great for him, and it is helping him gain skills for his future career. After all, if you can’t get out there and do it, how do you know it is what you are going to want to do? Sure, we are here for the degree. However, getting real work experience in the type of work we wish to pursue is among the best parts of being in college.Everyone is excited to help you, and you get granted more leeway because you are learning. You get to choose what you work on, which often differs from how things go in a real-world environment. Usually, you are given a task to complete and held to a specific standard. While it is essential to know you will be happy in your career, it is nice to have a little creative freedom occasionally. It could help you narrow down your goals for your career.Sam mentioned that these courses he is taking are helping to solidify that this is what he wants to do. “It was rocky at first. Most of my classes were online and I enjoyed the work, but it wasn't as much fun for me. But this semester, I'm in two field-heavy classes, and it really helped me know I'm on the right path.”As an added bonus, it is helping him build a resume and portfolio for after graduation when it is time to start applying in the field. Most companies would expect three years of experience from applicants. If you can get that while also getting your degree, there is a much higher chance of getting what you are applying for.“Overall, I think it's a great experience and we need more classes like it not just for journalism but all majors,” Sam said. “Getting out there and pushing yourself and having a reason to get out of your comfort zone is great. It's helped me a lot already, gaining new experiences and being more comfortable with where I am in my major.”