By JOURNALISM I

Potential journalists learned about the craft from a seasoned veteran in a Journalism I class last week at The College of Saint Rose. Paul Grondahl, a  reporter at the Times Union, told students that focus and dedication are two of the most important qualities of a modern-day journalist.

Journalism is not a dying field, contrary to public belief, Grondahl said. He stressed that there are always stories to write about and journalists need to dedicate time and hard work to produce a quality product.

Grondahl visited Monday Feb. 11 to share with young writers his experiences from  his 29-year career practicing newspaper journalism.

The most rewarding part of his job, he said, is that he meets so many people, he learns about all different “walks of life,” and about the “wide variety of the human condition.”

“People want to tell their story, that’s why people have Facebook and Twitter,” he said.

While technology is an imperative tool for today’s journalists, Grondahl said it is also a big distraction. Since so many people multitask sometimes the focus is lost, he said.

Grondahl spoke about his recent trip to Newtown, Conn. where he practiced perseverance as door after door was shut on him.

He graduated from the University of Puget Sound in Tacoma, Wash. where he majored in English. He told the class he prefers to spend his time writing and reading than watching television. At the moment, he is reading Tracy Kidder’s Good Prose, and he also reads magazines including The New Yorker and Rolling Stone.

“You can achieve goals if you cut out the unnecessary entertainment in your life,” he said. Grondahl said he never goes anywhere without a book, a quality he mirrors from well-known author, Stephen King.

“Writing and reading always help form a writer,” said Ariana Wilson, sophomore, Communications major with a concentration in Journalism.

At the end of Grondahl’s speech, he gave the Journalism I students advice to write what interests them and that anything can be a story as long as the eyes, heart and mind are open.
“I hope you strive to do quality things you’re proud of,” Grondahl said. “It’s still worthwhile to feel you did your best at something.”

Reported and written by: Angelina Angeliotti, Ryan Anglim, Lolita Avila, Courtney Becker, Eamonn Coughlin, Laura Kirker, Robert Konteh, John Janitz, Cari McKenzie, Victoria Ortiz, Sydney Paluch, Nina Scibelli, John Slagg, and Ariana Wilson.