Student involvement can be an opportunity for students to learn valuable skills, have an impact in their university, and meet like-minded individuals. There are over 200 student organizations at the University of North Georgia that allow students these opportunities and Vanguard Student Media, a student-run news organization, is one of the clubs.
In just this semester, there are about 30 members from the different campuses sharing newsworthy stories that directly or indirectly affect the students, university, and community. Vanguard ensures that ethical journalism and unbiased reporting is used to benefit readers, as well as develop good journalistic skills in their members.
“Everything we do is student run, edited, and for the most part, photographed. We want to make sure that students can showcase their raw talents in journalism, communication, and photography and gain experience for the real world.” – Emma Keisler, Editor in Chief of Vanguard
Vanguard isn’t a club just for students who have interests in writing, but can be a place where students learn other skills like photography, graphic design, and marketing. Keisler has been a member of Vanguard since 2020 and said “I think everybody should join Vanguard because it’s a club that has something for everyone… It’s also great to just get involved and make yourself a college community of like-minded individuals.”
Vanguard benefits anyone who joins. It’s crucial to be a good communicator in today’s professional world and this club pushes students to reach that ability. Student journalists are constantly building relationships with members of the community and different networks around them in order to gain content for stories and share valuable information.
Some other benefits of the organization also include being a published journalist when the stories they write get published, and making their resume stand out for future employment. The skills gained at the club provides the student journalists with the knowledge they need to succeed in the future.
Melody Arispe is currently the Gainesville representative of the Vanguard Student Media. She said, “I joined Vanguard because I love sharing my own stories, knowledge, and experiences with everyone.” This group of students enjoy listening to each other’s ideas, talking to people about their life experiences, and having fun.
Student journalist, Trinity Cromwell, is a new member and she said “It’s enjoyable!” More students are being encouraged to join the team and benefit from it, this can be done through UNG connect. They regularly meet on Thursday’s, 3-4 p.m. in Nesbitt 4206 on the Gainesville Campus.
Follow UNG Vanguard:
Instagram: Vanguard_UNG
Facebook: Vanguard_UNG
Twitter: Vanguard_UNG
TikTok: ungvanguard
