How A Student Organization Changed My College Experience

October 2023

NABJ Class of 2023

Three years ago, I completed high school in 2020, during the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic. I spent all summer inside, anxious about starting university because I didn’t know what it meant. Would I even be able to go? 

I lived in the dorms my freshman year on a quiet campus with an experience primarily online. I knew that I wanted to be involved somehow, even if it was through a screen. I found the UO NABJ (University of Oregon National Association of Black Journalists) instagram, and was impressed by what they had to offer. “BIPOC student organization that creates portfolio work centering around culture and social change” sparked my interest. I kept a close eye on them my freshman year, but many clubs were on pause due to the pandemic. 

Once my sophomore year came around, I was ecstatic to get a taste of that college experience. I would chat with people in class (rare now), said hi to strangers on campus, and stopped by a meeting of almost every club that interested me that year. That’s how I stumbled upon NABJ. 

Though outgoing, I was intimidated during this first meeting because I knew that I wanted to stay. I left that meeting feeling like I gained a handful of new friends & family, who were just strangers an hour prior. I came back every week that I could, and built a connection with the board, who were all seniors. 

Eventually, the president asked me to take over the club when they all graduated and I happily agreed. I consider that year to be so beneficial to my college experience and stepping outside of my comfort zone. I had friends of all different ages, and could walk through Allen Hall (Journalism & Communications Building) feeling confident because I knew people around the building and was creating with them. 

NABJ provided me with a creative outlet and a sense of community I never connected with anywhere else on campus. I walked in that first day and saw people with similar backgrounds and interests, and I didn’t have to act in any particular way to understand what was going on. They felt like home. I still connect with the values of the club, and find it amazing that we can create portfolio content and be a creative outlet for those who need it. Many clubs on campus can be a bit more exclusive, so I stress to create that same environment every meeting for anyone new that comes to an NABJ meeting. 

I want someone to walk in and feel at home and inspired. As president of the club my senior year, I hold this position with a lot of pride. Many people disregard student organizations because “it’s just a club.” I disagree, and find my pride just being a part of the community. 

I go to a PWI (Predominately White Institution) and I walked into a BIPOC club that welcomed me with open arms early in my college experience. That changed my college experience. I knew I had my community and supporters. The students, staff advisors, and other clubs that we collaborated with, we all let our presence be known more on the University of Oregon campus. 

I can look back and be forever thankful for my college experience because of NABJ.