When I submitted both a photographer and staff writer application to The Scarlet & Black before my second year at Grinnell, I was certain that I would be accepted as a writer and rejected as a photographer. Whether due to a lack of photographers on The S&B’s part or writing skills on mine, the outcome completely flipped my expectations. Despite being arguably more interested in taking photos, I had no experience with journalistic photography and remember sending in my first assignment with pleas to the editors for suggestions on how to improve.
Although The S&B is only a small part of my entire college experience, I find that at least one story per semester has defined that period of my time at Grinnell. When I think about fall `22, I think about the thrill of taking my first significant news photos at the UGSDW bargaining rally. Spring `23 brought me to photograph Grinnell’s synchronized swimming team, which I joined the next semester. In fall `23, I witnessed the (infamous) Vivek Ramaswamy accident and photographed his Grinnell town hall. Many of these incidents are minor events for most Grinnell students, but to me they feel like milestones.
Every semester that I’ve reapplied to work at The S&B, I’ve answered the prompt “Why do you want to work here?” by saying I’ve become more confident in my role as photographer/visuals editor and I want to continue showcasing and building that confidence in the coming semester. I think, broadly speaking, that this answer is a good summary of my time at the paper. Every semester I’ve pushed myself a bit further, taken up a bit more space, made reasonable improvements, and ultimately faced the same roadblock of failing to be slightly more assertive to create the best final product. Rather than feeling demoralized, I am hopeful that this series of lessons will continue beyond graduation and my time at The S&B.
Along with the personal benefits, I found that working for The S&B was the college experience that left me feeling most a part of the Grinnell community. There’s a thrill in rushing from class to take photos at a local protest, new small business, or even student CRIBZ; it’s the perception that we are collectively working on something important, even if those things are different. This incentive to connect with the community is probably the biggest reason that I’ll miss working for The S&B. Considering community on a smaller scale, I want to take a quick moment to thank the current editors in chief — Charlotte Krone `25 and Nora Kohnhorst `25 — as well as Zach Spindler-Krage `24.5 for giving me the opportunity and scaffolding to take on the visuals editor position once again this year.
