Under the guidance of Nate Cary, a 2005 print journalism grad and recent addition to Bob Jones University’s Communications faculty, The Collegian has grown to become the place to find campus news on the web, social media, video, audio, and still in print. On Monday, Nov. 4, The Collegian, BJU’s student-run news outlet, published its first print issue of the fall semester.
The Collegian started 38 years ago—before the public internet – under the direction of Betty Solomon, a beloved BJU journalism teacher who retired in 2023. Over the years, BJU also broadcasted video to campus screens and had a small-radius student radio station.
When Cary worked on The Collegian from 2001 to 2005, the paper was still print-only. But in the 18 years Cary worked in newspapers, he went from writing print articles that were posted online, to creating multimedia pieces that might go to print. Cary said journalists today need writing, recording, and video editing skills.
The Collegian by the Numbers
- 2 podcast episodes
- 15 majors represented by 20+ volunteer student staff
- 4545 page views in 30 days
- 86483 stories read last year
“Because of the convergence of news, you need to know how to do a little bit of everything,” he said.
The Collegian adapted to this market trend, centering on the website collegianonline.com. The site includes written articles, photography, video stories, and, most recently, a podcast.
Campus Opportunity Expo, Palmetto Green, Public Policy Organization, Greenville, SC, August 27, 2024. (Derek Eckenroth)
The Collegian has won many awards over the years. However, student editor Jonathan Lovegrove points to their mission as his favorite part of the job. Lovegrove said, “After one of our first meetings this semester, I wandered from group to group. Seeing that students have latched onto the vision—that they’re ready to create meaningful content by students, for students—no award can replicate the feeling of seeing your team passionately at work.”
The Bob Pod has been a passion of podcast host Amylia Boyd. The first episode dropped on Oct. 7 featuring an interview with new BJU president Dr. Josh Crockett. Any first episode is a huge job. When the episode went live, “It felt like a huge weight had been lifted off my shoulders and I felt a sense of accomplishment,” Boyd said. “God has been incredibly gracious to me and my team.”
Cary sees changes in The Collegian as essential to training the next generation of Christian journalists. “I loved working in community journalism, but I realized I needed to train the next generation of journalists.”
Students notice Cary’s desire. Lovegrove said of Cary, “His years of real-world experience are invaluable, and he’s taught me to focus on the people. Quality journalism comes down to sharing personal stories well.”
Cary points to Jesus’ directive to love our neighbors as the core of journalism. Cary said, “We serve the audience by researching stories and offering that to people who can’t search for themselves.” This is what he’s teaching students.” “We’re teaching them the value of the news—why we do it. Who’s our audience? What’s the purpose? What’s the best method?”
Students record “The Bob Pod” with Dr. Josh Crockett.
Boyd echoed this, “Mr. Cary taught me why a story matters and how to make my stories unique to me. With each new project, he continues to teach me new lessons while also supporting me in whatever I’m working on.”
This new print edition won’t revolutionize news distribution, but it shows that the 38-year-old Collegian continues to serve the university family—on campus and beyond—by bringing them student news. If you missed the distribution yesterday, you may still be able to find a copy of the print edition at The Welcome Center.
Spirit Week Faculty Football, Bob Jones University, Greenville, SC, October 10, 2024. (Derek Eckenroth)
