Pensacola Christian College

Date: Aug 23 2002
Major: English (This Major's Salary over time)
I graduated from PCC this May fully aware of the fact that I now have a hard-earned degree in English (and minors in journalism and history) which most likely will not aid in entering the exciting world of journalism. It's proving to be true, as I imagined, that my competition profited from 1-4+ years of experience at their student newspapers, while I did not have that option. I failed to gain the edge of reporting news from an "outsider" (or dissenting) POV, because God knows that we must be helped in maintaining our unquestioning mental hold on the straight and narrow way, which runs right down through the middle of the campus.

Several of my professors, like the AWESOME MR. Pribble, did their very best to instill solid journalism practice and principles, with all its questioning and hard facts, while others seemed to serve as mouthpieces for a purpose far removed from presenting professional and bright writers to the "outside" world.
Your best bet as an aspiring journalist/writer is to skip this one. I survived by God's grace alone, in spite of my many, many close calls with The Boot. I also profited from a more varied philosophical background and a very inquisitive mind that could not be snuffed out by anyone's contentions that such things were possible hinderances to staying in God's favor. And unless you are able to come up with some pretty creative an insightful stuff between the hours of 5:30 a.m. and about 10:15 p.m., excluding class hours, meals, chapel, church, prayer group, and work, you might find your emotional and mental resources fairly zapped before you get a few words out. I, along with many friends and acquaintances, managed to beat the system and get in some late-night studying in the bathroom tucked between the comode and tiles. Great inspiration! It's also hard to find time to get alone to think, especially if you have no car to get off campus, and, even if you do, to have to take 2 others along. No internet (ok, very limited access, in the library.)

I'm thankful to for Dr. Hunt arranging the journalism minor, and for my initial, though mostly untested, knowledge of the field. PCC, however, seems to laugh at and stand against most of what journalists aspire to, either out of ignorance or a calculated belief that the castle (sand?) could not withstand scrutiny. It's a pity, because I was under the impression that those who know the truth have nothing to fear.