Extra Credit Assignment

Sarah Marshall

Culture Connect with Korva Coleman

(MECHANICSBURG, Pa) - Last night The Department of Communication at Messiah

University hosted a Culture Connect with special speaker Korva Coleman, NPR Newscaster, in

Hostetter Chapel’s Sanctuary. After Emilie Rush, a Messiah student and acting emcee of the

event, introduced the audience to the speaker, Coleman took to the stage to address the highs and

lows of Public Radio Journalism in today’s culture.

Coleman began her speech with thanks and a special nod to all journalist students, “I am

particularly thrilled to be speaking to the student journalists out there in the audience.”

Coleman explained that journalism was a calling and that, “...responding to that calling is one of

the most profound feelings ever.”

Coleman offered her audience a little bit of her background, explaining that she first started

working in radio at her school in Phoenix, Arizona. She said that she was “scared to death” that

they let her be a volunteer in media at the time, but she was ultimately very thankful that she had

put herself out there.

As a journalist Coleman explained, “No experience is too small. No deadlines are meaningless.”

She advised student journalists not to be afraid of either putting themselves out there or being

afraid of failure.

Despite the political topics she addressed, Coleman held an air of calm and accompanied quick

wit throughout her speech. When addressing the state of Twitter at this time, she laughed and

remarked, “I shouldn’t laugh at things on fire.” and then continued to do so anyway.

Multiple times Coleman asked, “Where were you when you realized George Floyd was killed?”

She sought out the memories of the audience, reminding them that events like his death mark

turning points throughout American history and that it is important that they be acknowledged.

At the end of her speech, Coleman stated, “I am concluding by asking you, especially student

journalists, to be dedicated to ethical principles no matter what professional course of life you

choose, but as you make those choices be aware of what other peoples’ lives are like.”

The night concluded with a brief period of Q/A with Rush and Coleman, along with a few

questions from the audience, followed by an informal reception.

All those who left that night got to experience a professional talk about very real issues in Public

Radio Journalism, as well as the courage and compartmentalization it takes to hold such a

position in a field on fire.