Blog Post #11: Last Week's Events at Mizzou

Last Monday, students at the University of Missouri wrapped up a historic day of protests, including the resignations of Systems President Tim Wolfe and Chancellor R. Bowen Loftin.

Students of all races locked arm-in-arm in a display of unity at a prayer vigil on Monday night led by Concerned Student 1950, the group of student activists named for the year black students were first admitted at Mizzou. The students showed their solidarity by the campsite where graduate student Jonathan Butler risked his life on a week-long hunger strike to demand the resignation of Tim Wolfe.

While the students of this campus are well-aware they have just made history in the span of just several days, their pain is clearly evident. Many national news outlets have captured many emotional moments that stem from this racially charged campus environment. Not to mention, this tension existed long before national news outlets like CNN or ESPN showed up.

Tim Wolfe may be gone, but it's clear that the battle for racial justice has only just begun.

When Wolfe choked up as he announced his resignation, the university may have turned the page, but the chapter of racial tension on campus is far from over. It's going to require changing the culture of the school from within.

For one, students could spend less time looking and posting on social media sites such as Yik Yak. Even though the media has left and Butler is getting better, there are still going to be times where black students are walking down the street and get funny looks from others.

To start, the university needs to address the proposed policy changes of Concerned Student 1950 and the MU Graduate Students. This includes adding more black faculty and staff, implementing a mandatory diversity curriculum and training and increasing funding for social justice centers and mental health facilities.

But for most students, the real first step will come when a new university system president and chancellor. Obviously, these two leaders will need to acknowledge the problems on campus.

Blog Post #10: Things I Hate Most About College

College is great and all, but there are obviously some things that deserve criticism, especially from the students. Here are some of the aspects of college that I dislike:

1. Laundry Thieves

Unfortunately, there are times where you I temporarily abandon my laundry. Most of the time, I come back and my clothes are fine. However, I came back one time and noticed that one of my socks was missing. I thought, "I'll know who took it over time because they will be wearing it." Well, that did not happen. I proceeded to mourn about the loss of my missing sock and moved on with my life.

2. Bad Influences

There is always that one person who thinks it's hilarious to get drunk before an important exam or event the next day. Well, that person sucks. I am the only person that will ever be in control of the bad decisions I make. Thank you very much.

3. People Who Have Money

This is a time where most college students are broke. However, that is not the case for everyone. While most people would be content with their ramen noodles, there's always that one person who walks in with a hot fresh pizza even though this person has leftovers in their fridge from eating out for the past week.

4. Ramen Noodles... and Other Foods

Speaking of ramen noodles, I am in no way saying that ramen noodles are bad. Ramen noodles are AWESOME, and so are hot-dogs, peanut-butter and jelly sandwiches and other common staples among college students. The bad thing is that people will get tired of them... and fast.

5. People With Less Work Than You

There's always that one person who is never at the library or studying in general. This person is usually watching television, at the park or sitting on the couch just chilling. The worst part: they get better grades than you.

Blog Post #9: Advancement of Social Media + Impact on Journalism

Journalism, and the news industry in general, is constantly changing and trying to keep up with new technological advancements. While social media outlets open up new opportunities for journalists, they also impact the way journalism is presented and how it is done.

In other words, journalists today are required to do more with less. For example, reporters are now required to submit stories across a multitude of platforms, ranging from television, radio, print and online. For a journalist in today's media landscape, it essential to be multi-skilled.

For many journalists and media organizations, convergence is a great strategy. There is a growing realization in the journalism community that you can't report an entire news story on your own. In essence, one media outlet can't serve as the lone source of information in the world of social media. As a result, partnerships are formed. For instance, Facebook and CNN teamed up for "live tweeting" during US President Barack Obama's inauguration.

The world of journalism is changing drastically as a result of social media, where the old systems are disappearing and the new ones are budding. This society was once hooked on traditional media like newspapers and radios. Now, society has given way to a much more complicated media landscape where journalists have the ability to tell their own stories in powerful, innovative and creative ways.