Journalists from Axios, Meta, NJ.com, and NPR told student journalists during a recent campus discussion that writing for the Beacon can sharpen their critical thinking skills and lead to job opportunities.
The discussion, held in Cheng Library on Tuesday, Dec. 3, marked another step in the revitalization of William Paterson’s 88-year-old campus newspaper, which went defunct and lost student government funding after the pandemic.
Dr. Nick Hirshon, a journalism professor who is serving as the Beacon’s adviser, recruited six journalists to form an advisory board designed to help mentor students who are reviving the Beacon. Four of the six journalists came to the event billed as “Pizza with the Beacon Board.”
“The friendships you build here can last a lifetime,” said Isaac Avilucea, a reporter for Axios in Philadelphia. He shared how friends he made at his own campus newspaper, the Daily Lobo at the University of New Mexico, supported him when he was hospitalized with testicular cancer. “These people are lifelong friends, and I wouldn’t have that camaraderie unless I had spent the four years at the student newspaper,” he said.
Master’s student Susmita Majumder, the vice president of the William Paterson campus chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists, described the event as “a great experience.”
“Witnessing the revival of the university newspaper felt like being part of a historic moment,” she said. “The room was filled with passion.”
NJ.com columnist Daysi Calavia-Robertson encouraged students to immerse themselves in good writing. “I’ve always believed that it’s hard to become a great writer if you don’t know what great writing looks like or sounds like, so read, read, read,” she said.
Bruce Konviser, a 1988 William Paterson alum who freelances for NPR, encouraged students to become beat reporters covering different subjects on campus, like student government or a university sports team. “Beat reporters become masters in their niche,” he explained. “And when you know your topic, you become a better writer.”
For example, one current Beacon reporter, Daniel Karp, conducted Q&A’s with women’s basketball players for a series named “Off the Court.” In just a few weeks, Karp produced 12 stories.
Avilucea also highlighted the essential skills that students gain from writing for a campus newspaper. “The ability to convey a message is the building block of every venture,” he said. “If you can tell a story, you can succeed in any field.”
Yelena Dzhanova, a news strategist at Meta and adjunct professor at Pace University, described how campus newspapers build critical thinking skills, even for non-writing roles like graphic design, photography, and social media management.
