I suppose you could say my story begins like so many others: a need for change and a willingness to move on to something better. Not too long ago, I was a wide-eyed girl anxious to pursue my dream job as a newspaper reporter at the Morning Journal. For over a year, I worked the night police beat in Lorain, Ohio, a once thriving city with a sizable economy. But like so many towns in the Midwest, industries moved overseas and newly developed highways connected affluent suburban communities, leaving cities like Lorain defenseless against crime and poverty.For decades, the light tower above the Morning Journal represented the only beacon of hope left in a city in desperate need of the Fourth Estate. I remember walking into the the newsroom and seeing dozens of gold-plated AP plaques lining the office walls. But unbeknownst to me, the Journal was no longer the watchdog press Lorain once knew. Unfortunately, I learned our newspaper was in the process of going bankrupt, and the owner had sold the Journal to a new corporate entity. We were now just one of 50 local newspapers owned by an umbrella media company, and the first thing the new owners did was "trim the fat." Our editor-in-chief was "forced into retirement" and the two city editors were let go. The managing editor left out of fear of supervising the entire newsroom, and all raises were permanently frozen. There seemed little incentive to continue working at a newspaper that appeared to be taking a turn for the worse. Idle newsroom chatter remained cynical following the termination of our three supervisors. It was hard to find any kind of morale without a leader at the helm. After seriously considering my position at the Journal, on a whim I decided to apply for graduate school in Texas. I figured, "Hey, Texas seems like a good place to move for a job; nice weather, friendly people and all the sweet tea I can drink." Needless to say, I didn't take my application too seriously, but luckily someone did. It was my birthday when I got a call from the assistant dean of the mass communication department at Texas State University. She said she obtained her Ph.D. from my undergraduate college and had the chance to review my resume. Shortly after our conversation, I received a graduate teaching position instructing a weekly writing lab. Little did I know that moving to Texas would be the single best decision of my life. Never have I felt so absorbed in a learning environment that speaks directly to my interests.
It isn't until you experience higher education that you realize its true value. Before moving to Texas, I didn't think I would ever leave Ohio or attend graduate school. But nearing the end of my journey, I have a new found appreciation for teaching, research, academia, and living in general. My perspective on life has been enriched with curiosity and exploration, and I owe a large part of that to my professors at Texas State who introduced me to a body of knowledge I never knew existed. It is with that enthusiasm I hope to illuminate the minds of many young journalists who share a similar passion, but have yet to find their way.