Columbia Missourian
As an upperclassman at the Missouri School of Journalism I have a unique opportunity to take journalism classes that are much more than just the three hours of lecture each week. These classes are part of the J-School’s “Missouri Method,” and throw students into real-world journalism situations under the guise of learn-by-doing.
In classes like reporting, editing and design, students get the chance to work with professional, experienced editors on real stories for a very real community newspaper called the Columbia Missourian. These editors also serve as professors in the J-School and teach great classes alongside the real world experience they provide.
Last year, I spent two semesters covering higher education in Columbia, specifically at MU and the University of Missouri System and had the opportunity to cover MU’s move to the Southeastern Conference and the naming of UM System President Tim Wolfe (which got a third place nod in the Society of Professional Journalists “Breaking News” category for the Mark of Excellence Award).
This fall I’m taking on a new role as an Assistant City Editor. It’s a paid position — not for class credit like my previous reporting and copy editing — but it lands me back in the world of education. Now I work with Liz Brixey to manage our group of about 20 reporters to cover all things K-12 and higher education in Columbia.
Check out my Missourian reporting portfolio and follow me on Twitter at @zach_murdock for the latest.
