Covering the news of Clemson University
We’ve turned the tables on Caroline Rash, editor of student newspaper The Tiger. The junior English major, usually the one dishing out the questions, now finds herself on the other side of the interview.
It’s been said that doctors make the worst patients, and chefs are the most critical dinner guests. Would this newspaper editor make for a tough interview?
As it turns out, any fears of interviewing such a pro were unwarranted. Perhaps her experience balancing a full-time class schedule with an active extracurricular calendar (which includes spending about 10 pre-production hours in the Tiger office each Wednesday night) has served her well.
According to Rash, serving as editor “is a lot more detail-oriented than I could have imagined. I answer a LOT of emails, go to meetings and deal with personnel issues.” Yet her favorite part of being on the staff is, she said, her involvement with the “overall creative process and personality of the newspaper.”
Sometimes student journalists walk a fine line, between being impassioned about a subject and having to report on issues without bias. For Rash, this line challenges her journalism skills.
“It is hard, because I am also involved in activism groups like the Clemson Free-Thought Alliance,” she said. “Some events I have covered were also ones I wanted to protest or join. I feel very strongly about goings-on around Clemson and the world; however, a trained journalist is aware of most (never all) of her biases and must present evidence and quotes from both sides of an issue.”
When approaching a story, Rash admits to looking for the most controversial angle, simply because that is how you get people thinking and talking.
Yet this approach of controversy doesn’t mean that bias by the reporter; still, student reporters frequently find that to be the perception when requesting interviews.
“Some people are wary and think we’re going to twist their words,” Rash noted. “I can understand why people would be skeptical. Being quoted in the paper is not exactly the same as an intimate discussion among friends! However, most people are quite willing to help out because they presumably have thought about their opinions before they speak.”
Having served on The Tiger staff since her freshman year, Rash does not show any signs of regret for being so involved. In fact, she offers this advice to other students about getting involved at Clemson:
“Don’t do it for the resume-building, because that only breeds a passionless class of leaders. Join an organization because you love its mission and because you want that mission to be a part of your character.”
Caroline Rash plans to graduate in May 2008 with a degree in English. Her plans are open, but include writing and gaining new experiences and breaking down stereotypes of misunderstood groups in our country. To read the latest edition of The Tiger, go online to http://www.thetigernews.com/.
Published November 2007