I've Been a Journalist for 10 years, but Recently Northwestern SPS Classes Taught Me How to Write
Despite being a professional reporter for almost a decade, it wasn’t until I attended part-time journalism courses at Northwestern SPS that I learned I couldn't actually write.
This lack of skill came as a surprise. While I had become adept at getting factual sentences on a page, I realized I had never thought much about the value of each word I wrote.
Learning in the Writing for Print and Digital Media Certificate Program
Like many journalists working today, I didn't have formal training. Instead, I learned what I knew of the craft on the job. That means I'd never had much exposure to concepts such as "strong verbs" and "dead-end constructions." My writing relied on using the words "is" and "was" – weak verbs that made my sentences an endless succession of throat clearing.
After graduating from college in 2013, I spent many years fearing a return to the classroom. I hadn’t earned a strong GPA in my undergraduate studies. On top of this, I figured my years of work experience in a multitude of positions (including a senior role at HuffPost) would have made any additional education obsolete.
Choosing the Writing for Print and Digital Media Certificate Program
But in 2018, when my employer began offering tuition benefits, I decided to take advantage and try my hand at school again. In my search for part-time journalism courses, I learned about Northwestern SPS. They offered part-time programs with night classes that would fit into my schedule. These included a Writing for Print and Digital Media certificate, which focused on making students more careful and refined in their journalistic writing efforts.
Completing the Writing for Print and Digital Media certificate program was a transformative experience for my career. I acquired skills and knowledge I would never have come across on my own or in the workplace. On top of that, the exponential progress I could sense in my writing ultimately inspired a renewed love for the value of education.
Benefiting from Part-Time Journalism Courses
Getting back into school made me realize that I was (and will always be) missing all sorts of skills. It became clear that I should go on an educational journey to learn the vast mysteries of what I don't know. Following a successful year at the School of Professional Studies, I've enrolled in a wide range of craft classes to continue what Northwestern University started.
I had gotten by for many years in journalism just fine. But my professors at Northwestern University taught me how to strive for more—taught me that my on-the-job experience could not and should not be everything. The classes I was able to take through the Writing for Print and Digital Media certificate program offered me a tangible path to becoming a better writer and a better journalist. But most importantly, the program reminded me of the importance of being a student and life-long learner.
Todd Van Luling is an alumnus of the part-time Writing for Print and Digital Media certificate at Northwestern University School of Professional Studies.
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