[Ed. note: This post was written by our intern, UVM student Lea McLellan, editor of the weekly campus newspaper, The Water Tower.]

When people tell me that journalism is a dying field, I usually hang my head low, mutter “shut up” under my breath and vow to never friend them on Facebook. But after attending St. Michael’s Journalism and Mass Communication senior seminar showcase, I was able to pick up some convincing comebacks to this claim. The projects represented the work of around 30 St. Mike’s seniors within the Journalism and Mass Communication major. While there was a range of subject matter, a good number of students focused on the Internet’s effect on our social interactions as well as the growth of new media. If these St. Mike’s seniors can represent at least a small slice of the future of journalism, it is clear to me that the field isn’t dying — but it is headed in a new direction.

When asked, most students said that they would like to pursue a career in the journalism field. But “journalism” for students in this major is very broadly defined. Almost everyone I asked also said that they weren’t interested in being a writer in the traditional, print journalism sense. Many students hope to find jobs in web design, film, and other new media outlets after graduation.