Former student journalists say the work was worth it
Alumni who worked on The Lantern talk about the skills and lessons they learned working in student media and how those experiences continue to influence and affect their work and lives.
Leonard Downie Jr. ’64, ’65 MA, ’93 HON
Former executive editor of The Washington Post and a journalism professor at Arizona State University. He was managing editor, sports editor and editorial page editor of The Lantern.
I experienced at The Lantern exactly what I would experience later at the Post: learning how to work with reporters, editing stories, making decisions about the front page. We felt like we were competitors with the daily newspapers in Columbus. The difference with the internet is the around-the-clock aspect of it. Your role in a democracy, in whatever kind of work you do, is something that you learn as a student journalist. I tell my students that you’ve got to be good at what you’re doing. Secondly, you have to be really committed. Not only is it difficult to find jobs nowadays, you may have to start at a lower level.
But nobody will ever turn down a good story. In terms of local newspapers, I don’t think we’ve reached the bottom yet. At the same time, a number of nonprofit news organizations have sprung up. And in many cases, these nonprofits collaborate with newspapers. It’s encouraging to see what’s happened with some of the national newspapers and nonprofits. But it’s still by no means certain that that many are going to survive. People are going to have to take more responsibility for keeping news media alive.
— As told to Ben Finley ’02
Jamilah Muhammad ’19
Reporter with Spectrum News 1 Kentucky and former assistant news director and special projects director for Lantern TV
A lot of news we see and watch every day are things like fires and murders, things you need to know, but are also kind of sad. I told my friends that I would do it if I had to when I took a job, but I didn’t think I had the personality to do that type of news. When I saw Spectrum News 1 was hiring and reviewed their goals and how they pursue news, I was intrigued right away. Every day I have the opportunity to go into the community and show a positive reflection of the people. I feel like how I participate in the news is trying to change the narrative of what news can be. One lesson that I’ve taken from my work at Lantern TV is to find a way to care about every story, because everyone has a story, and every story matters. I worked on stories I cared about, and that’s transferred to my current job. I think news should be, especially on the local level, a reflection of the community and the positive things happening in that community. There is no reason why news should always be sad. After a while I think it’s time to see what we are doing to make a change, and I like being part of that.
— As told to Kristen Foley
Chris Davey ’94, ’03 MA
Interim vice president for University Communications at Ohio State and former Lantern editor
The experience of being a student journalist and editor of The Lantern gives me perspective in this role, an ability to understand the challenges student journalists face. It has helped me realize that, at the same time I have an obligation to represent and communicate on behalf of the university, I have a responsibility to support the Lantern as an organization and to defend the cause of student journalism here at Ohio State. I feel that obligation especially in this day and age, when the economics of journalism are a challenge and the institution of journalism is under attack by partisans actively working to undermine the very concept of objective truth. We are living in an unprecedented time when there are people who get up every day and go to work to sabotage our belief in the truth and the institution of journalism. People who do what I do, who are communicators for public entities, have an obligation not only to advocate for their institutions, but to be champions for the institution of journalism.
— As told to Kaylin Hynes ’19
Sandy Hermanoff ’65
President and CEO of Hermanoff Public Relations and founding chair of The Ohio State University School of Communication Advancement Board. She was a columnist and reporter for The Lantern
When I worked at the Lantern, I learned very quickly about teamwork, how to think strategically, accept guidance, write compelling headlines, produce concisely proofed copy. I found out how to deal with stress, criticism and tight deadlines. Lantern life taught me it’s OK to be gutsy, creative and aggressive.
Today in my agency, I utilize all the special gifts I received from working on the Lantern. Whether I am writing a proposal or a speech, participating in a creative session, dealing with a crisis or leading a presentation, my Lantern experience is always invaluable. Those years taught me how to be a good listener.
I am especially respectful when working with media, following up in a timely manner because I know what it’s like to be on the other side of the desk. I still work every day on my writing because it is truly the tool of the PR profession. I do miss the clack-clack of those typewriters, but today’s computers are a huge improvement! I am a proud Lantern alum and will always be grateful to Ohio State for my incredible education!
— As told to Jasmine Hilton
Ed Sutelan ’19
Sports writer for Penn Live and former editor of The Lantern
There’re so many things learned in classrooms at Ohio State, but there’s really something to be said for how great it is to work with other student journalists. When you’re an editor, it really is the sense of, like, the buck stops here. As an editor, I realized, OK, what kind of elements do we need to have for this to be a fully reported story?
Today I’m covering high school sports for Penn Live and the editor wants me to tackle public records-based stories. Knowing the open records law, having that understanding of how to read the language in those laws and knowing what’s going to be publicly available to me has already proven helpful.
My advice to other student journalists is don’t get discouraged. It’s a tough job. But that’s what we’re there for. In this current journalism environment, where the president continues to talk about fake news and reporters are being laid off across the country, it’s easy to see all that and to wonder, why am I getting into this field? Why am I doing this? But the rewards are just so immense.
— As told to Kaylee Harter
