By Victor Dixon, Editor-in-Chief
School is back in session, and with the new semester comes a new editor-in-chief on the byline.
My name is Victor Dixon. I am a freshman, and you would have seen me listed as the Arts & Entertainment section editor last semester. I am also the secretary of the Gaming Club founded last semester, a biochemistry major, and a member of the Chorale and Troubadours.
I have always been passionate about making the voice of the student be heard. I even helped operate a small, not necessarily official or polite, magazine in high school because of how important amplifying those voices is to me. So when I found out about The Vantage, I was delighted because that’s exactly what this publication is for: amplifying the voice of the students and dropping it into the laps of anyone nearby. In order to do that, though, the students have to speak in the first place, and that includes you, the reader. Here are some reasons why you should do exactly that and consider contributing to The Vantage:
You might notice my background includes a lot of different areas, from STEM to music to being a giant nerd. That type of diversity applies to the rest of the Vantage staff, present and past, so truly any person from any place or upbringing can find their calling in journalism.
The many appreciative university staff members and students won’t be the only people looking at your writing: Future employers look for many qualities that are consistent with the skills that you inherently practice and develop through journalistic work. The organizational and interpersonal skills associated with conducting interviews, meeting deadlines, exploring multiple perspectives on issues and accepting criticism are ideal traits to bring to the table in any profession.
Your motivation might not even run as deep as that. Maybe you’re just passionate about a new movie or you’re dissatisfied with an aspect of the university, or there’s something going on in the world that you really want to talk about that no one else is. All you need to do is have an opinion, and that makes The Vantage perfect for you. Whether you send in one short article for fun or take on an editor position for as many years as you can manage, just do whatever makes you feel heard.
Last semester taught me a lot about life as an adult and college student, and I learned a lot of that through writing and editing for The Vantage, and you can too. Contact us via email at vantage.nu@gmail.com.
PHOTO: Denise Neil, Adviser
