I recently had the opportunity to meet James Stewart, Pulitzer-Prize winning columnist for The Wall Street Journal and Bloomberg professor of business journalism at the Columbia School of Journalism.
Acknowledging Americaís current economic crisis, Stewart offered advice to anyone interested in pursuing a career in journalism ó a profession that, as time passes, seems to be dying faster than the Wooster Democratic Socialistsí faith in Barack Obama.
Stewart told us in his acutely casual, lackadaisical tone that one should never try to get a job simply to be advanced to another job. He said that we should always aim for the job that we want ó not the one that will help us get the one that we want. This theory, he told us, can also be applied to graduate schools. We should not apply to a school because it will get us a job, we should apply to a school for the education and learning experience itself.
This theory reminded me of my life before college, when I was helplessly searching for a restaurant job, but had little luck because my resume consisted only of my name and contact information. It took me a few weeks to get hired and I considered myself lucky to get a job without having any serving experience. What a horrible cycle ó and with the economy in a worse state then it was in 2005, I can only imagine what it is like to initially break into the job world today.
I am not sure I would have attended Wooster if I had taken Stewartís advice into consideration during my college search four years ago.
I probably would not have proclaimed Wooster as my college of choice ó attending the C.O.W. was not my goal. I knew Wooster would serve as a great prerequisite to the ìreal world” (think: I.S.), but I was not crazy about the laidback Midwestern lifestyle ó (something that I did, in fact, grow to love as the years went on.)
Today, I have no regrets in choosing Wooster for my undergraduate place of study. The College has provided me with what I have needed in the past four years ó an individualized education.
I initially wanted to attend Wooster because I knew it would prepare me for the professional world and graduate school ó but now, with a different perspective, I am glad I attended Wooster for one reason: it was the best fit for me at the time.
It is difficult for me to apply Stewartís advice today ó with the job market tanking (mind you a scary increase in paper cuts), it almost seems too ambitious to ìshoot for the stars.” I have read too many articles in the news cycle that discuss how people are just trying to keep any job, so what gives me the right to think I stand a chance in landing my dream job right after I graduate?
Well, I can answer my own question. I will be a College of Wooster graduate ó and that alone qualifies me for whatever job I want to have (whether I get it or not ó it still qualifies me for it), simply because I have learned the importance of an individualized, novel education.
Working (and I cannot stress that word enough) at The Wooster Voice has fully prepared me to enter the working world (and even graduate school). Slowly, throughout my past four years here, I have grown to love Wooster and realize that it is not just a prerequisite for the ìreal world.”
As I get ready to head back to the East Coast after next Tuesdayís graduation ceremony, I find it hard to forget Stewartís advice. Why not aim high? If I can offer you any advice, it is to keep this in mind: nothing you do should be done to forward you onto something else.
Sydney Bender has been the 2008-09 editor in chief of the Voice. She can be reached for comment at SBender09@wooster.edu.