Chit Chat: Journalism: the evolving career

The journalism career always seems to be evolving for me, whether it’s my coverage, my interests or my job placement.

In high school, I had no idea what I wanted to study in college until I realized my senior year that I was good at writing.

I didn’t want to teach, and hey, I liked news, so why not?

Once I was accepted into the print journalism major at Illinois State University, I could finally take classes like news reporting, features reporting and media ethics.
I loved most of my classes, and soon knew I needed to apply for a job at our school newspaper, the Daily Vidette.

I was so nervous about my first assignment. All I had to do was talk to students who were moving into the dorms. What was so hard about that?

It took all of my courage to walk up to some helpers and ask them a few questions. Once it was over, I was so relieved.

I spent my first semester at the Vidette covering anything going on around campus or the community. It was fun, stressful and sometimes scary, but I loved it, nonetheless.

Amazingly for me, my second semester I was hired as a news editor. I did less writing and a lot more, well, editing.

I was now the boss of between 10-12 reporters, which was different for me, but I soon found that I loved this position even more. Although it was stressful, once I left the office, I could usually leave the work stress there as well.

After three semesters as news editor, it was time for graduation. Toward the end of my senior year, I really began to worry about my future. What journalism job would I be able to find in this economy? Especially since newspapers are supposedly dying, how could any paper afford another journalist?

I tried to not worry about it, but after applying to about a bazillion jobs and not hearing back from any of them, I was ready to give up and join the ranks of the retail world.

Then one beautiful day, my mother called me saying she had just e-mailed me information about a reporter position with TimesNewspapers in Peoria.

I immediately checked my e-mail and sent my cover letter, résumé and article examples to the executive editor, Jeanette Kendall.

To my surprise, I received a call from her about five minutes later. We set up an interview date and I began to do a dance of joy.

The interview came, and went well, because the next week I received another call from Ms. Kendall offering me the position of associate editor of the Chillicothe Times-Bulletin. I happily accepted.

Since I’ve been here, I have covered Dunlap sports events, community gatherings and school board meetings for both Dunlap and Illinois Valley Central.

I am happy to cover such a small community, and I am happy to step out of my comfort zone to fulfill my job.

Before my interview, I had never covered a sporting event. The weekend before my interview, I went to a softball game with one of the Vidette sports editors.
If this would be part of my job, I wanted to do it right.

Now, I am happy to cover anything and everything in Dunlap. I actually really enjoy covering sports. It’s nice to get outside, and the coaches are so easy to talk to and helpful.

Although many Dunlap residents have not yet realized the Bulletin is covering their community, I have been met with mostly open arms by those who do.

I hope as it gets further into the school year, more parents will realize there’s a girl with a camera and notepad at their child’s events and become curious.

I’m still evolving as a writer, photographer and person, and I hope the readers of the Chillicothe Times-Bulletin are willing to evolve with me.

Chelsea Peck is the associate editor of the Chillicothe Times-Bulletin.