University of Wollongong journalism alum has encouraged students to embrace the opportunities provided by UOW’s journalism program.
Speaking on RadioU’s Alumni Stories: From Here On, UOW alum Isla Evans, who works as an ABC reporter in Bega, told hosts Koda Way and Caleb Arkapaw to jump in and say yes to every opportunity presented to them.
“What I loved about UOW and what I’ve raved about for years to other people considering going down the media route is how hands-on and how broad the opportunities are,” Ms Evans said.
“The benefit of where you’re at is to just jump in and be eager and say yes to every opportunity.
“I’m also a big advocate, having done it myself, for going to work in the regions and in a smaller area; I think it’s a great way to develop skills.”
After her time at UOW, Ms Evans went on to work regionally for the ABC, starting her career in Port Macquarie before moving to Bega, where she is currently based.
Ms Evans said the diverse nature of the journalism degree at UOW prepared her for regional reporting, where journalists still work across different formats.
“The experiences at UOW shaped my understanding of how to actually be a reporter in the field, and I was able to enter offices having done a lot of that already,” she said.
“I think the benefit of going into being a regional reporter in the aftermath of university is that I still get to do everything.”
Ms Evans said she fell in love with regional reporting and everything that comes with it: the ability to report on and serve communities you otherwise wouldn’t know about.
She said it has been a great opportunity to develop her skills, one she would recommend to other journalists starting out.
“I think there’s something very special about, as a person or someone in your early 20s, going out to a community that you’ve never been to before and trying to learn that place and to build your own sense of community,” she said.
“My biggest advice would genuinely be: if it’s something you’re interested in at all, go and pursue reporting in the regions or reporting in a rural area; I can’t talk about it enough.”
Although UOW has discontinued the Bachelor of Journalism, the journalism major is still available for new students under the Communication and Media degree.
