unljnews

By JENNA GIBSON
J Alumni News staff

It’s a tough time to go into journalism. Many newspapers and broadcast networks are cutting staffs. Internships are harder to find. Online markets are cutting into the demand for professional news coverage.

But that’s not stopping some University of Nebraska–Lincoln students from transferring into the College of Journalism and Mass Communications.

In 2009, 156 students from other colleges became journalism or advertising majors, according to Michael Goff, who advises students in the journalism college.

“We get good transfer students,” Goff said. “We are fortunate that we have a good reputation around the university, and as a result of that, the transfer students who come here are pretty darn good students.”

The decision is not all about money

Natasha Richardson

Natasha Richardson has fleeting thoughts of what her life could have been had she stuck with engineering, but she doesn’t regret her decision to transfer to the journalism college.

“I knew that even though I could make more money and get a job easier, I just couldn’t do it. It wasn’t worth it,” she said. “My heart just wasn’t in engineering.”

When Richardson decided to leave engineering, she transferred to English for a short time during her sophomore year. She quickly realized that English majors usually end up teaching English either in high school or college, which did not appeal to her. So she transferred again, starting her junior year as a news-editorial major. It took some hard work and a lot of summer classes, but Richardson is set to graduate in four years.

Richardson’s situation is rare, Goff said. The college doesn’t get many students transferring in from engineering, and those who do usually find themselves taking at least an extra year to graduate. Engineering, art and architecture students tend to have the hardest time transferring to the journalism school because many of their credits are major-specific and sometimes won’t count toward a journalism major. Most of the transfers come from areas more similar to journalism or advertising such as marketing, English or education, Goff said.

Students who transfer late in their college careers also have a harder time finishing in four years, Goff said.

“If somebody waits until they’re a junior — and many do — then they probably are not going to look at a four-year program anymore,” he said.

Students want to do what they’re good at

Bethany Hebert

Bethany Hebert is another former engineering major who has become a journalism major. But for her, the problem wasn’t that she didn’t enjoy engineering; she just didn’t like the extreme workload and some of the required classes.

“I really did like engineering; I just wasn’t very good at physics,” Hebert said. “My next favorite thing is writing, so I’d rather do that if I can’t build things.”

Seniors Megan Wirth and Carissa Rose both transferred to advertising from the College of Business Administration, and both are glad they came to the journalism college.

“Classes are smaller here. You actually get to know your professors,” Rose said. “They’re with you through the whole process. … It’s a more personal experience and they really care about you.”

Students polish their talents at CoJMC

Wirth switched because advertising matched her personality and goals better than business.

“I like the J school because it fits me better. It’s a lot more creative,” she said. “I can use more of my talents, and I’ve been able to discover more of my talents.”

This may be a tough time for journalism, but Richardson recommends that anyone who is passionate about the field and willing to work hard should consider transferring.

“Honestly, I don’t really know what I’m going to do after I graduate, after my internship,” Richardson said. And while she’s been thinking about pursuing other interests, she said, “I just can’t imagine doing anything else.

“I can’t imagine my life without journalism.”