Why journalism?

During my interview for the Oxford Free Press (OFP) internship, senior reporter Katelyn Aluise asked something I probably should have seen coming: “Why do you even want to do an internship in journalism?”

It was a fair question. I don’t actually study journalism – I’m majoring in international studies, Russian and data analytics – but I have always loved to write.

I began exploring journalistic writing in high school because I wanted to report on the issues I saw at my school. By my senior year, I was co-editor-in-chief of the school’s newspaper with my best friend. We had free rein to write the stories we found interesting, and at the end of the year we turned our work into a print magazine.

Having the freedom to write about real issues, learn more about my community and work with my friends was what made me fall in love with journalism. 

I’ve longed for that type of free and supportive environment since, and I found it at OFP.

This summer, I’ve reported on school board and township meetings, interviewed local people doing amazing things and finally learned how to take a decent photograph. Despite living in Oxford for 10 years, over the past three months I have learned more about this town, and all of Butler County, than I thought possible.

Supposedly, internships help you figure out what you want to do when you graduate. To be honest, I still have no idea what job I want. I love journalism, but I am also fascinated by so many other careers.

I do know that whatever I pursue, I will use the journalistic skills I strengthened this summer: verifying information, writing clearly, identifying what’s important to my audience and, of course, shamelessly emailing public officials until they finally respond.

I couldn’t write a reflection on this internship without mentioning the people I’ve worked with this summer.

Our Editor-in-Chief Aidan Cornue encouraged me to report on stories I was excited about and helped me when I ran into issues during the writing process. Aluise came with me to my first reported event – a Talawanda Board of Education meeting – and taught me how to use a camera. The OFP editors have been incredibly patient with my apparently compulsive use of the Oxford comma, and their feedback helped me grow immensely as a writer.

I always look forward to staff meetings because I know I get to work with people I consider friends and are just as excited about this paper as I am.

Reporting for OFP has pushed me to grow as a writer, professional and person. I am so excited to continue my work here as a freelance writer this fall.