We all play a role in education of students

March 28, 2007

“Welcome to Journalism 3101,” I told the 20 anxious students in the classroom. “I am your lab instructor for this term. You may call me Ms. Rodgers.”

This semester, in addition to my duties as managing editor of InsideUF, I am teaching a section of an introductory reporting class in the College of Journalism and Communications. I didn’t have to take on this extra responsibility. But I am happy to do it.

As employees of the University of Florida, I believe we each have a role in educating students. It doesn’t matter if you have “professor” or “instructor” as part of your official title or whether or not you work in an academic unit. We are all teachers.

Reporting students at UF are required to seek out and write news stories on deadline on a weekly basis. They are expected to interview sources and to report their stories accurately and fairly for possible publication in a newspaper or news magazine.

Some of my students have shared with me a few of the problems they have had in getting interviews with UF administrators and other employees. I understand all too well how little time we each have in our workdays to do our jobs. To take time to talk to a student reporter may seem impossible.

I do hope if you are asked for an interview by a student in a reporting class – or a student from any other college in any other capacity – that you will do your best to grant the request. Each one of us at some point in our lives has been a student seeking information. Keep in mind how much courage it may take for a student to approach you in the first place.

“Thank you. End of lecture.”

Joy L. Rodgers

Managing Editor

InsideUF