Article by Luke Teigue | Owl Staff
When I walked back into the Owl Media classroom nine months ago after taking a nearly two-year long break, I didn’t know what to expect. I hadn’t worked in the field for some time, but I wanted to put in the effort to become a full-time journalist, a goal of mine since my second semester at Harford Community College.
It was during that second semester in the spring of 2021 that I enrolled in a multimedia journalism class to fill one of my several uncompleted elective slots. Back then, I was simply taking the class to get one step closer to graduating, and didn’t have particularly high expectations set.
However, the class was unique compared to anything I’d experienced before. There were several professors, each teaching their own side of things. Unlike other courses, there wasn’t just one overarching subject matter to focus on. Writing, photography, video and design were all major components of the class as a whole.
As the semester carried on, I honed my skills as a writer and photographer, covering news on the local and regional level. I took part in projects that would go on to win national awards and took every opportunity to travel with the Journalism Club.
Once the spring semester ended and summer came to a close, I found a job working full time, and could no longer put the same level of effort into journalism as I once had. My career as a journalist had ended just as quickly as it began.
I’d go on to spend the next two years working, with very little time for photography or journalism. It wasn’t until January of this year that I would return, this time as Editor-in-Chief. Although I had worked as a video editor for the publication a number of years earlier, this role was sure to be a significant step up.
“The most valuable experience lies within the journey, not the destination.”
To my surprise, I found myself picking things back up right where I left off. I continued to publish photos of breaking news events and provided video editing for other staff projects. I traveled to the Capitol many times to cover several protests, and plan to do the same for the upcoming election cycle.
A photo-series of mine covering a pro-Palestine protest in Washington, D.C. has been nominated for “best photo package” for two-year colleges, with one photo in particular being nominated for “best breaking news photo,” also for two-year colleges. Other video projects and articles I assisted in creating have since been nominated in their respective categories as well.
Owl Media recently gained nine new students on staff, and I find myself in a position to share my knowledge with an incredibly talented and promising group of future writers, photographers, and designers.
The opportunity to teach these students and open future opportunities for them is infinitely more important to me than any award. I was blessed to have professors so clearly invested in my success, and the current staff, along with myself, strive to reach the same standard set before us.
Three years ago, I didn’t know what to expect when I walked into class for the first time. I didn’t know what to expect nine months ago, and I still don’t today. What my time here has taught me is that it’s alright not to know what to expect, and that the most valuable experience lies within the journey, not the destination.
I want others to experience the fun of being on a staff like Owl Media’s. The collaboration and opportunity for storytelling is endless.
To those interested, please reach out to us at harfowl@harford.edu.