Embracing Authenticity in the Pursuit of Success: A Reflection on Journalism, Education, and Meaningful Academia

The pursuit of success often feels like a relentless race, with authenticity pushed aside in place of rigid benchmarks to dictate value. Knowing the value of who you are and not what you do, is integral to success.

The Vanguard Voice / Journalism & Digital Media

Over the past 3 years, I have had the privilege of acting as Faculty Advisor for The Vanguard Voice, as well as Resident Faculty of the Journalism and Digital Media minor.

When accepting this role, I jumped at the chance to invigorate Vanguard students with finding their own voice and sharing that voice with community.

I invested copious hours in The Vanguard Voice, creating the print publication that we have now.

After publishing more than 300 Vanguard articles and 20 student newspapers, I am leaving my position at Vanguard University by the end of this academic year.

As I leave the Journalism & Digital Media minor, I hope to encourage the Vanguard students to maintain their voice and their desire to write about important topics. I hope that the students will not lose their vigor and will find ways to make themselves heard.

In many of the Journalism courses I have taught, I have encouraged students to pursue topics that have meaning, ones that need to be reported.

I implore them to understand that reporting is tied to activism. Journalism wants to bring about change, as is the nature of the field.

Amanda White leading the Journalism Banquet in 2023.

Pursuit of Success

I also reflect on the needs of balance in higher education. There is a pervasive energy in higher academia to be in constant pursuit of success. The pursuit of success often feels like a relentless race, with authenticity pushed aside in place of rigid benchmarks to dictate value.

That is not to say that there is not reason to pursue success as there will always be an underlying desire in life to find material wealth or professional acclaim, but there is also the need to find deeper sense of purpose and meaning in one’s professional actions.

In today’s society, it is incredibly easy to get caught up in the pursuit of external markers of success — publishing the most articles, earning a high salary, or garnering recognition and fame; however, these traditional measures of success can often feel hollow and unsatisfying if they’re not accompanied by a sense of value and meaning.

It is important to align your career goals with your personal values and passions, so that your work becomes an expression of who you are and what you believe in.

I encourage my Journalism students to not lose their voice in the coming years and to devote themselves to work that yields both success and intrinsic value.

Professor Ona LaMotte (far left), Dr. Laurie Hatch (center left), Professor Warren Doody (center right), Professor Amanda White (far right).

Meaningful Academia

One of the most rewarding aspects of the past 3-5 years at Vanguard University has been witnessing the growth and transformation of my students over time.

Of course, teaching is not without its challenges. From navigating academic politics, adjusting publications under heavy censorship, and to fighting the ever-present prejudice against the Humanities, I have faced a myriad of obstacles in this faculty position while overseeing Journalism & Digital Media.

I implore Vanguard University to give Journalism a chance to thrive on this campus. Having a stable, prominent, and permanent Journalism presence is integral to the authenticity of an academic space. Just as I encourage my students to incite change, I encourage Vanguard University to actively do the same.

Overall, my time overseeing the Journalism & Digital Media minor and The Vanguard Voice has been meaningful. I have had the opportunity to shape the minor, the students, the publications, and the community in positive ways.

I hope The Vanguard Voice will find its way back to campus and be allowed opportunities to create meaningful, honest stories in the community.