Cadence Harvey Communication: Print and Digital Journalism

My name is Cadence Harvey, and I am a senior communication major with a concentration in Print & Digital Journalism. I chose this major and concentration after a lot of trial and error with other avenues of study — psychology, environmental science, wildlife and English. I finally landed where I am after discovering that everything I enjoy comes back to writing, editing and learning, and I can pursue all of these things through a journalism concentration!

What I love most about my concentration is that my assignments force me to get out of my comfort zone and find out more about different areas of campus, Starkville and life in general that I would not otherwise expose myself to. This has helped to expand my knowledge about things outside of my own world. I have also learned to be more observant of everything around me and to pay more attention to the news. All of this has shaped me to be a more well-rounded individual with an ability to consider more than just one perspective when looking at a situation. I have probably enjoyed this aspect of my concentration more than anything else.

Something else that I have really enjoyed doing in my concentration is getting comfortable asking questions and talking to people. I have learned that everyone really does have a story, and you have absolutely no idea what experiences and knowledge someone else has until you ask them. Learning how to ask questions and talk to people has made me more open, more extroverted and much, much more curious. While some people might disagree – I think these are good changes!

One project that I have completed for a class that I have really enjoyed is writing a long form feature story about someone I was unfamiliar with. I completed this assignment last semester in my Feature Writing class, and I chose to write about an undergraduate student who I knew had a young child. Delving into this assignment, I unpacked so much of this person’s life with her – I learned about her hardships, her triumphs, her childhood dreams and how they slipped away, her journey through adolescence and adulthood and how she found her way back to those dreams she lost. This was someone I passed by every day with a story that was so complex and inspiring, and I never could have guessed any of it. I love assignments like these because they just go to show that everyone around you has a story, and if you just stop and ask them to talk, you can discover so much depth in a person.

My favorite part of media to work with is writing. Writing has always come naturally to me because it has always been something I enjoy doing. I think it is extremely important to be able to convey your thoughts, feelings and observations through words – whether they be written or spoken. Because expressing myself verbally has never been my strong suit, I have always found myself writing out my thoughts instead. Since starting this concentration, I have learned a lot more about professional writing which has helped me to become a more effective storyteller. I am always trying to improve how I communicate through my writing.

I have tried my hand at photography and done very minor videography work, but I have never put too much work toward those areas. I feel like writing comes more naturally to me because it is something that draws my attention more. Whereas photography and videography are things I enjoy observing more than doing, so the technicality of both has kept me away from experimenting with these forms of media.

Photographic communication and TV production classes have given me some insight into photography and videography. I hope to learn more about these two mediums in this class. I would like to be able to include my own photography and videography in my articles in effective ways that contribute to my story. I think this class will help me accomplish that.

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Currently, I am the Managing Editor to The Reflector. My major and concentration has prepared me for professional and journalistic communication, but I have also taken classes in creative writing and poetry. I have a real interest in creative writing, and I would like to pursue that somehow in my career.

The part of my studies that I like the best is editing. I do not think I will end up becoming a journalist because I do not think I have the passion and drive for it that others do. I would like to use my experience editing to go into the publishing industry one day. Right now, I am looking at moving to Chattanooga, Tennessee after I graduate in May. There, I hope to get involved as an editor with a news or publishing company. One day though, I would like to write and publish children’s books.

I have learned a lot about a lot of different things in my time at Mississippi State. I am very excited to power through this final semester and see what the future holds! I am sure this class has a lot to offer, and I am excited to learn from it.

Email me at cmh1189@msstate.edu with any questions