JMC Wrap-up

As I complete my JMC degree at the University of Northern Colorado, the thing that sticks out most in my mind is the experience I have gained in the journalism world. Aside from the real life first-hand reporting, editing and production experience I have received from my time working at The Mirror, the courses I have taken part in as a JMC major have counted most in the development of my desire to persevere through the troublesome times that have fallen upon the world of the press.
Visual Journalism was one of the first JMC courses I enrolled in after changing my course of study to journalism. This course, taken several years ago, is what initially opened my eyes to the necessity of the media convergence that is occurring in the press. I then fully understood my ability to incorporate my passions for photography and film in storytelling.

As I continued my studies, I acquired further strength in my abilities and found new passions in upper level courses such as Magazine Writing, News Editing and Layout and Advanced News and Feature Writing. These courses further enhanced my skills in both the reporting and production sides of journalism. I have never seen that much was missing in the JMC curriculum at UNC, but rather that the program showed me that I must go out and fetch what I need, and to let little to nothing stand in the way of what I want. This is how I will continue to think in my future career as a journalist. If I want to work for a major magazine publication, like Rolling Stone or National Geographic, I may have to start small, but I have to go out and make it happen.