10/13/20 Quick Thoughts and a Word for the Week

TO:
Wisconsin Institute for Public Policy and Service (WIPPS)
Student Journalism Program Participants

FROM:
Roger Utnehmer, Director
WIPPS Student Journalism Program

I’m looking forward to meeting you at our first Zoom meeting this Thursday at 4PM. You’ll enjoy connecting with our new Student Journalism Program Coordinator, Katie Schramm.

Each week I’d like to share possible story ideas for you to get approved by your media partner and also a comment or two about making this program more successful.  To make it simple and short, I’ll just call it A Word for the Week.

This week, the word is initiative.  My advice to all student journalists is to not fear or be apprehensive about taking initiative with your media partners or those of us here at WIPPS working to make this successful with you.

If you take charge of starting the process of getting your media partner to approve story ideas, I’m confident your work will be recognized. Please remember everyone in the media today is stretched with more work and time and staff with which to do it. By seizing opportunity and initiating contact, your stories are more likely to be approved.

As you apply for admission to college, for scholarships or employment in the future you’ll have something on your resume many will not. You’ll have specific examples of taking initiative appropriately in a business environment.

Now, for some possible stories you can consider…just remember to approve stories before writing them with your media partner