Students taking matters into their own hands...
Barbershops on the streets, a Disney star enrolls, and photos of preachers at protests.
News
Water Drop LA brings water to unhoused neighbors on Skid Row
Colette Kanbarian, The Daily Trojan, University of Southern California
Kanbarian’s story on USC students who raised over a third of a million dollars to bring clean water to people experiencing homelessness is extremely heartwarming. She also navigates the group’s inception and how they’re continuing their community service amid the pandemic.
Students report professional movers mishandled their belongings
Katy Wilner and Chris Park, The Johns Hopkins News-Letter, Johns Hopkins
In a troubling report, Wilner and Park detail accounts of missing property and dorms in disarray. They cover the university’s efforts to retrieve the belongings that students left behind in the spring and the grievances students aired about them.
Features/A&E
Diversity in Higher Education
James Simmons, The Times-Delphic, Drake University
Simmons examines race at Drake University through quantitative analysis of its current programs and by including revealing interviews that showcase minority students’ reality. His well-rounded coverage extends to faculty and criticism of promises that the administration failed to keep.
Fame at Vandy: Disney star Ethan Wacker
Savannah Dupper, Vanderbilt Hustler, Vanderbilt University
In this profile, Dupper humanizes Disney star Ethan Wacker, who is starting as a freshmen at Vanderbilt University this year. While she does cover his TV background extensively, she balances it with quotes that make present-day Wacker more relatable to other students.
Sports
Jayden Struble speaks up about racism and diversity in hockey
Marta Hill, The Huntington News, Northeastern University
In Hill’s piece, she examines the impact Northeastern University hockey player Jayden Struble’s tweets about race had on his team and the larger hockey community. Hill also covers Struble’s experiences dealing with race in collegiate sports and initiatives that Northeastern are implementing to address it.
In absence of fans, pro players adapt to new normal
Nate Wiener and Malcolm Gaynor, The Kenyon Collegian, Kenyon College
In a piece that covers both baseball and basketball, Wiener and Gaynor review the effect that the pandemic has had on professional athletes. They cover the famous NBA bubble and the empty baseball stadiums that players now compete in.
Opinions
The Administration Has Made Its Choice. Now It’s Up to Us.
Jasper Barbash-Taylor, The Clerk, Haverford College
In this nuanced argument, Barbash-Taylor compares the pros and cons of various return-to-campus plans. Barbash-Taylor also commends their university’s plan and calls for student unity to fight the pandemic on their end.
Performative Activism: Social Media’s Newest Problematic Trend
Kaveri Pillai, Mount Holyoke News, Mount Holyoke College
Pillai examines the damage that performative activism has caused on intersectional issues such as feminism, sexism, and racism. Although they use a few generalizations, Pillai calls on historical examples of successful activism and offers these as alternatives to Gen-Z activists.
Audio
Antipsychotic Drug Use Among Youth
Danielle Smith, WKCR, Columbia University
In this interview, Danielle Smith interviews Columbia University Medical Center Professor Mark Olfson on the trends of antipsychotic drug use in children and teenagers. They also discuss initiatives that could be implemented to increase awareness around the issue.
The Star Sitdown | Episode #1
Jaden Edison, The University Star, Texas State University
In the debut episode of The Star Sitdown, editor-in-chief Jaden Edison recaps local events of the summer, including a local Black Lives Matter protest, and the process behind Texas State University’s return to school.
Broadcast
In a Reopening Roller Coaster, Barber Shops Are Cutting Profits Thin
Max Abrams, Daily Nexus, University of California, Santa Barbara
In this video and accompanying article, Abrams details the effects of the pandemic on local businesses. Abrams talks to landlords, business owners, and country officials about the constantly changing regulations, one of which includes a stipulation that makes barbers cut hair outside.
President Livingstone talks Covid-19, Penland slip-and-slide, return of fall sports
Sarah Gill, Lariat TV News Today, Baylor University
In this broadcast, LTVN anchors press university officials on the choice to return to campus and cover the university’s failure to release statements addressing a viral video of students ignoring COVID-19 guidelines.
TK: Preacher Protest & BLM Protest Photo Galleries
Hey y’all! I chose a little something different to explore today. I haven’t showcased any photography yet, so looks like I came across these just in time. Both galleries are from Purdue University and are available thanks to photo editor David Hickey and photographer Charlie Wu.
Thank you so much for reading! I truly hope you enjoyed the work of these student journalists; I leave every newsletter crafting session inspired. If you have any campus media you’d like to pitch to me, feel free to drop a hello in my DMs. They’re always open.
Signing off,
Alex