Homecoming weekend marks a special time when current students and alumni rekindle their friendships once again on their favorite campus. It gives alumni the chance to see new changes at the University, and awards current students with the opportunity to network and reconnect with recent graduates who have had tastes of the “real world.”

Below features some of the post-graduate experiences had by past Bucknellian editorial board members.

Morgan Gisholt Minard ’17, former Editor-in-Chief

Since graduating 18 months ago, I’ve gone from waiting tables to cover my rent while I interned at the BBC, to becoming a producer who’s sent to cover breaking news and feature stories for the largest broadcast organization in the world. I’m now a freelance producer for BBC News in their Washington bureau, which is the largest BBC bureau outside their London headquarters. Making the transition from print to broadcast wasn’t entirely intuitive, but the skills I gained working for The Bucknellian were easily re–purposed in learning to navigate the TV and radio broadcasting world.

My day-to-day changes all the time — I could be planning the logistics and locations to film at for an upcoming trip, or venturing to the White House for an Oval Office pool spray with President Trump, or traveling outside the “Beltway Bubble” of Washington, D.C. to assess public opinion of whatever is currently dominating the news cycle. Becoming a producer for the BBC has provided me with the opportunity to learn the ins and outs of a whole new medium outside of print, and the skills I’ve picked up along the way are aided by the rock-solid foundation of journalism provided by my (amazing, formative, fondly remembered) years on staff at The Bucknellian.

Madeline Diamond ’17, former Editor-in-Chief

Since graduating in 2017, I completed a six-month internship at INSIDER, the lifestyle component of Business Insider. I worked with the food and travel team, writing about everything from incredible abandoned sites around the world to which fast food chain makes the best iced coffee. Getting to talk to people in the food and travel industries and taste-testing all kinds of treats were definitely some of the best parts of the internship. Since my time at INSIDER, I’ve been freelancing, both for a production company and literary agency. It’s nice to have flexibility and a chance to explore different industries while I’m applying to creative writing MFA programs.

I look back on my four years working on The Bucknellian fondly — without the experience I gained there, I definitely would not have had the same opportunities in the journalism field out in the real world. And now, almost 18 months after graduation, as Morgan Gisholt Minard has so rudely pointed out, just enough time has passed that I am even starting to miss the long hours of production night on Wednesdays!

Barbara Bell ’18, former Editor-in-Chief

I started a job a little over a month ago in advertising as an assistant account executive at Deutsch Inc. in New York City. In my new role, I am part of the account team that oversees all advertising for ACUVUE (part of Johnson and Johnson Vision) globally. In account management, we manage our creative, production, and strategy teams in the same way that an editorial board keeps track of its writers, layout staff, photographers, etc. Wrangling writers, coming up with a point of view for editorials, and managing content calendars, for example, are all skills I developed on staff that apply directly to my job now. I’m still getting acclimated to the role because every day brings something new. The same can be said for commuting on Metro North!  

Advertising, as an industry, is an exciting and dynamic space with great creative energy and talent. Deutsch’s culture reminds me a lot of The Bucknellian newsroom. We have comfy couches, camp out for free food, and run internal meetings like we did for ed boards. I’m still working on a quoteboard, though! Stay tuned.

Elizabeth Worthington ’18, former Editor-in-Chief

For some reason that has yet to be made apparent, I was in a BIG rush to get to the “real world.” I only gave myself two weeks of playtime before starting my job as a Reporter/Multimedia Journalist at WETM 18 News in June. I now live in Elmira, N.Y., which is not all that different from Lewisburg (just with more crime, yay!).  I immediately fell in love with my new job. That love must have translated into decent work, because within about a month I got promoted to Morning News Anchor. My life is now incredibly strange. The station is too small to have both an anchor and a producer, so I do both. My schedule is 12:00 a.m. – 8:30 a.m., so I’m in bed by 4 p.m. every day.

I still maintain that The Bucknellian is one of the primary reasons for that promotion. Through my leadership on the editorial board, I learned the importance of teamwork — something that stood out to my superiors immediately— journalistic integrity, and good news judgment. However, the biggest thing The Bucknellian gave me was my writing skills. I have learned in my short time out of the “Bucknell bubble” that people who know the difference between they’re/their/there are few and far between. I have also learned that Bucknellians are an entirely different breed, and I’m so proud to be one.

Lynn Korsun ’18, former Print Presentation Director

This summer, I worked for a few months as a bartender and waitress to earn some extra money before moving up to Boston. It’s a good thing I did that, since I still haven’t officially started at the VA Medical Center up here — the government is quite slow these days and backed up in their hiring processes. However, I have been able to begin some research from home for when I officially begin work at the VA. I’m joining four studies that are in various stages of production, and all involve Vietnam War veterans and improving their day-to-day lifestyle through wellness programs, tai chi (it works!), trauma interventions, and more. I can’t wait to begin working with talented doctors from around the country and helping foster research to better veterans’ day-to-day lives.

My current daily life consists of reading research studies, writing literature reviews, napping, and going to the gym. Oh, and I’ve picked up cooking. Last night, I made garlic and lemon shrimp scampi with spaghetti squash. My roommates asked me where I found the time to do this, until they remembered that I was home pretty much all day. It really makes me miss spending 36+ hours in The Bucknellian newsroom every week! I am beyond grateful for the time I had on The Bucknellian as a layout editor and as Print Presentation Director, and have so enjoyed seeing how it’s grown since I have graduated.

Ellen O’Donnell ’18, former Print Presentation Director

Shortly after graduating in May, I began my summer like most others before… interning! For about four months, I served as an intern in the Creative Department at BBDO’s New York office before being hired full time just last week. I now work as a Junior Art Director primarily on the GE, Visa and KIND accounts. BBDO is one of the world’s largest advertising agencies and responsible for creating some of the most awarded work in the industry. The opportunity to learn hands-on from so many creative and inspiring people has been incredible.

As an Art Director, I work alongside my copywriting partner to design and concept ads that range anywhere from simple print posters to complex out-of-home activations. Much like I did on The Bucknellian, I continue to spend plenty of time working with the Adobe Creative Suite and attribute to my keen attention to detail as a result of many hours spent on Bucknellian layouts. And while late nights in the office don’t usually involve parm bites, the fast-paced nature of the industry is quite similar. I truly believe this tiny campus publication shaped both my University experience and my future, as it provided me not only with a place to express myself but the confidence to pursue a creative career as well. I’m so proud to have played a role on The Bucknellian and can’t wait to pick up an issue this weekend!

No matter where our editors go, they always know how to find their way back to the herd (especially those from our Bucknellian family). Welcome back all alum! Enjoy your time here and continued luck out there in the world!