JOU 2303 | NiahThomas

Reporting and Writing

JOU 2303, Reporting and Writing, taught how to write many different types of media, both hard and soft news. I learned so much about what it looks like to write in a variety of professional settings and gained a respect for the people who do it daily.

Study Abroad News Story

For my news story I talked to Sarah Chan, a Baylor senior who studied abroad in Spain. She was able to give a picture of what it looks like to study across the world.

Obama Speech Story

Our first speech story was written on a speech that President Barack Obama gave following a deviating fertilizer explosion in West, Texas.

Claire St. Amant Speech Story

We got the privilege to listen to renowned reporter and author, Claire St. Amant, talk about her experience in professional journalism. She gave insight and wisdom to the many journalism students listening in the audience.

PR Writing

We were challenged to create an event in honor of National Library Week and write a news release to spread the information to media in town. I chose to host a small fair at the Central Library in Waco where families in the community can come together and kids can get excited about reading and all that the library has to offer.

Short Feature Story

For our Short Feature Story we were asked to document the story of a Baylor professor and how they got to that place in their career. I interviewed Dr. Bradley Lail, the department chair for the Department of Accounting and Business Law. He talked about his college experience and how he ended up at Baylor as a professor.

Cutlines

For our cutlines we were given four photos and background information for what was going on. It was our job to write captivating captions that gave people an idea of what was going on the the picture.

Cold Hard Denim- what started as a fun tradition has turned into a week of neighborhood embarrassment at the house of Tom and Kate Grotting in Northeast Minneapolis. To Tom the harmless tradition of putting a pair of jeans outside to freeze when the temperature drops below freezing is fun, but has always been a source of embarrassment to his Wife, Kate. This March, with many days of below freezing temperatures, the jeans have stayed on display for a week already, with no end in sight. Photo by Anthony Souffle/Minneapolis Star Tribune.

A Frightening Friend- Joie Henney, resident at SpiriTrust Lutheran Village in York, Pennsylvania, brought a new emotional support animal into the caregiving facility. Wally is an alligator that has been approved by the doctor to act as an emotional support animal in the face of Henney’s depression. While this arrangement works for some people, other residents and staff at SpiriTrust Lutheran Village are having a hard time getting on board. Photo by Ty Lohr/York Daily Record.

Making Hiss-tory- Peter Write, also known as “Snakebite,” won first place in Premier League Darts in Leeds, England. Despite scrutiny for his pre-match rituals, Snakebite continues to dominate in PDC competitions. Photo by Francesca Mans/Reuters

Teacher or T. Rex? Janet Roller, a second grade teacher at Waco’s Springdale Elementary school, surprises her students with a T. rex costume as they arrive at school in honor of the Dinosaur Camp going on. Contradicting the “underperforming” rating the school had been getting the last few years. Photo by Rob Aydellote/Waco-Tribune Herald.

Valentine's Day Instagram Post

We practiced writing for social media through posting on our classes instagram page. For this post we were asked to get a student perspective of Valentine's Day and what they thought of it.

"I love Valentine's Day," Baylor sophomore Teaghan Barber said when asked about the recent holiday. "Its fun."

What do Baylor Students do on a sunny Saturday? You can almost always find some of them basking in the warmth on Fountain Mall. Fountain Mall is made up of the Rosenbalm fountain and the strip of grass that runs between the Sid Richardson and Marrs McLean Science buildings. It’s the best place to lay out a picnic blanket and have lunch with friends or bring out a football to toss around. As spring reaches its peak, Fountain Mall becomes the hub of Baylor social life, a unifying center in the middle of campus where you are sure to see a familiar face. You can often find both studious students and amusing activities as you walk through.

“I love Fountain Mall because I feel like I can see all my friends all the time and it’s just a central part of campus where I can interact with people I might not see as often and it’s just like a social part to break of the academics of the day,” Baylor freshman Sophie Schmitz said.

Saturday Instagram Post

For this Instagram post we were asked to get a glimpse into what a Saturday looked like for a Baylor Student.