Reflection 4 Megan Monroe Specific Focus

It was both exciting and reassuring to hear from a recent Westmont graduate who is doing well in a job that has piqued her interest. Sarah Haydocks story about finding a job after graduating from Westmont is particularly relevant to me, because I will be following a very similar path when I graduate this May. It was encouraging to hear how her experiences doing two internships as an undergraduate contributed to the skills she needed to land a job at Mercer Advisors, even though she had no idea that she would end up working for an estate planning firm. She did an internship working with ill children at the hospital and at Westmont working with Kenon Neal, the director of foundation and corporate relations. Though these environments were very different and the skills she learned in them didnt seem connected, this experience proved instrumental in her job application to Mercer advisors. The path ahead wasnt clear but there was a way forward that God knew about and directed her on. Ive been experiencing similar worries about my own path ahead. My work and academic experience has been so diverse, and its difficult to identify a single thread that runs through everything I have done. I dont know where I will end up a year from now, and Im not sure how the skills I have gained from working at Noozhawk will translate to jobs outside the field of journalism. One potential way that what I am learning now might influence the job I do after graduation might be that the writing skills I am developing at Noozhawk could make me a valuable asset to companies that need to write copy for

marketing materials, their website, or for documents for clients to read. I know that skill will help my job search, even though I am not sure exactly how it will do that. Reading Focus For my individual reading assignment, I read a chapter from Living Without Enemies, by Samuel Wells and Marcia Owen. In it, they discussed four distinct models for engaging with people who are struggling. These methods vary in the degree of agency they permit the beneficiary of care, the complexity of the relationship between helper and helpee, and the level of action taken on behalf of the recipient. The first model is working for, in which one steps in to accomplish something on behalf of another person. Though this method often has tangible results, it can be patronizing to the recipient of the help and may not create any lasting change. The next model is working with, in which one volunteers to help another person on that persons own terms, submitting to their requests about the best way to proceed. This way preserves much of the agency that is lost in the first model. The third model is being with, where one keeps company with the person who is struggling and does everything to understand their pain and empathize. The last model is being for, which involves caring and understanding, but not necessarily a relationship with a struggling person. Though it is valuable, it is not worth much unless it is a precursor to some kind of relational engagement with the person who is suffering. Christians should strive to model their engagement after Christs engagement with the world. He worked for us to do what we could not do, atone for the sin of humanity by dying on the cross. He works with us in a covenant relationship so that he can involve mankind in his own work. And the incarnation marks a transition from Gods being for humanity to Gods being with humanity.

In my own experience serving society this semester, I have learned that a blended approach is necessary to effect real change, and that change depends on relationships rather than tangible achievements. I have had the opportunity to learn about many nonprofits by writing articles about them, from Muhammad Yunus and Grameen Bank to GirlsRock to MAD Academy to the Santa Barbara Rape Crisis Center. Ive seen many different models of engagement, but the most effective seem to be working with and being with. What both of these models have in common is a relationship that is deep and complex. Much of the success of the nonprofits I have written about is due to their presence within the context of communities and their willingness to enter into long-term relationships of care. General Reflection Noozhawk is governed by a code of conduct regarding journalistic integrity. Because of the controversial past of the Santa Barbara newspaper world, it was important to the founders of Noozhawk to have guidelines for ethical reporting. On their site, they say: Weve adopted as our platform one written by the late T.M. Storke, the legendary Santa Barbaran and Pulitzer Prize-winning newspaper publisher. I think the policy is very strong in that it emphasizes integrity as a core value of journalism. I definitely witnessed my coworkers and supervisors exercising this integrity. Noozhawk is not afraid to publish the truth, even if it will anger someone. They feel it is important to publish all the relevant details about a situation, whether those details are flattering or not. I think the only potential weak spot in the policy might be that there is no mention of sensitivity and understanding, which are crucial when reporting on events that are tragic. Though it is important for the public to know the truth, news writers also

have responsibilities to the subjects of their stories and their families. Stories about deaths are particularly important, and they must be handled with care and sensitivity to people who are grieving. Reporters also must understand that what they write about organizations and people can have a huge effect on those groups reputations, and so must exercise caution not to critique hastily or unfairly.

Noozhawks Seven Core Principles: 1. Keep the news clean and fair. 2. Play no favorites, and never mix business and editorial policy. 3. Do not let the news columns reflect editorial comment. 4. Publish the news that is public property without fear or favor of friend or foe. 5. Accept no charity and ask no favors. 6. Give value received for every dollar taken in. 7. Make the publication profitable if possible, but above profit keep it clean, fearless and fair.