Editing & Leadership
Asking the Right Questions
By 11th grade, I was the go-to source of guidance within my school’s journalism program. I’d never viewed myself as a leader––yet, the staff’s trust in my abilities nudged me toward becoming Editor-in-Chief.
Heading a team of 120, I could no longer answer every question, though I stretched myself thin trying. A passing comment from an editor shifted my perspective––"You don’t have to shoulder it all yourself,” he said. During our coverage of the Israel-Hamas War, I reframed my approach. Instead of offering immediate solutions, I began asking questions––What content would best serve our readership? Should we address Hamas’ released footage of hostages? Our website now hosts an entire section dedicated to the conflict.
Leadership, I’ve learned, transcends expertise. It’s not about possessing all the answers but rather posing the right questions. Letting go and embracing vulnerability aren’t easy tasks, but I’ve come to recognize they’re value.
Motivating Change
As an online publication, Scot Scoop evolves rapidly and can be updated with the click of a button. The real challenge comes with motivating the staff to make these changes. My approach is to narrow the focus by giving everyone a task with which they can contribute to addressing the issue.
For example, when I noticed a lack of gender equity in our sports coverage, I executed and presented an audit of diversity in our coverage. To motivate the staff to work towards more balanced coverage, I gave every role in the publication a task. You can read more about this presentation under "Commitment to Diversity" in the "Law, Ethics & News Literacy" category of this portfolio.
Presentations
