February 6, 2019 — Write shorter, leave the office, use fewer acronyms, be a journalist not an environmentalist, recognize that every beat covers the environment, be creative across diverse platforms. Be a tough watchdog, a policy expert, a feature writer.
That’s often my classroom litany as the senior associate director of Michigan State University’s Knight Center for Environmental Journalism. But this time it wasn’t coming from me.
“Ever hear that before?” I asked my students when I played them a video recording of the panel at SEJ’s annual Journalists’ Guide to Energy and Environment.
They had. But now it was advice coming from some of the nation’s most accomplished environmental reporters. You can’t beat that for powerful reinforcement.
And so I added that video to the SEJ tools that make me a better teacher of future environmental journalists.
Supporting SEJ is an investment in environmental reporting right now. But it’s also an investment in the future.
It helps SEJ provide education, encouragement, role models and inspiration for those yet to launch their careers.
It makes sure that the coverage of the world’s most important beat will continue to be in the hands of people as hardworking, accomplished and dedicated as SEJ members are today.
David Poulson - SEJ Board Member
Senior Associate Director
MSU Knight Center for Environmental Journalism
School of Journalism
Director
Translational Scholars Program
MSU Global Center for Food Systems Innovation
Michigan State University
