Callie Fausey, Managing Editor
I entered USF as a psychology major, but the trajectory for my college career began to change before I even stepped foot in a USF classroom. It all started when I saw the Foghorn’s table at the Fall 2018 involvement fair. It had a magnetic draw to it, as if an opportunity to be a part of something bigger than myself was beckoning me to take it by the hand. I was writing my name down on the sign-up sheet before the staff at the table had even finished their recruitment spiel.
The first article I wrote for the Foghorn was a Scene story about poet Kevin Young’s poetry-reading held on campus in 2018. I was incredibly nervous. I had never written a journalism article before, did not know what to expect, and was afraid of making mistakes.
After the main event concluded, I anxiously found my place in the line of students waiting for a chance to speak to the poet standing behind the Fromm stage’s podium. When I finally reached Young, my hands were shaking profusely. I’m pretty sure I had a death grip on the little black USF notebook in my clammy hands, where I had quickly scribbled down some questions to ask him. My voice cracked as I introduced myself and complimented his work, and I ended up asking him only a few of the questions I had planned to. I walked away from the experience feeling embarrassed that my nerves had gotten the better of me.
However, during the editing process for the article, the Foghorn editors at the time were encouraging, friendly, and, to my surprise, impressed with my work. Their positive reaction to the piece and the support they offered me were driving factors behind my decision to write again. Writing consistently eventually led to me being offered a space on this team, made up of some of the most incredible and influential people I will ever meet.
The shy, insecure “Contributing Writer” who choked during her first interview would have never guessed she’d eventually be promoted to Managing Editor of the Foghorn one day, but here I am.
My romantic and, at times, tumultuous relationship with journalism took off after writing that first article. I was in love. I kept learning, improving, and the realization that I was doing exactly what I wanted to do for the rest of my life increasingly began to dawn on me.
I made the decision to change my major to Media Studies before the start of my sophomore year. Looking back on it, I think it is one of the most important decisions I have ever made.
Every single one of the more than 35 articles I have written now has had a defining impact on me and my connection to the incredible people that make up our city’s vibrant community. But that first article I wrote is still one of my favorites. It marked the beginning of the rest of my life.
I still make mistakes, I still get nervous, and I am still learning. But reporting requires a commitment to learning from your mistakes, pushing yourself out of your comfort zone, opening yourself up to new ideas and perspectives, and overcoming obstacles. I doubt Kevin Young remembers me, but I will always remember him. I will always remember that first interview, and I will never, ever forget the Foghorn article that catalyzed my love for reporting.
Miguel Arcayena, News Editor
With every challenge posed to society, threats to stability and democracy, and continued mischief by powerful people, journalism is seen as a tool for accountability. A unique job where profession, passion, and principle converge.
Can that be said with the same fervor for us student journalists? I think without a doubt. Even on small campuses such as USF, where the communal spirit isn’t its main quality, a voice is needed to uncover and highlight its achievements as well as its mistakes and chicanery.
In my time as a Foghorn staff member, I’ve witnessed all of it. I’ve experienced the joy of writing stories about a men’s basketball program that finally felt the madness and tasted history. I felt proud and emotional typing the experiences of the USF Filipino-American community, a large demographic on campus though not often given the spotlight, to share how the pandemic has impacted them. I observed the passion and determination of faculty members pushing for their right to a fair salary and students speaking out about the truth, against an unhidden and shameful reality of abuse. That is where journalists are really needed. This is where student journalists are most demanded.
Issues like rising tuition and administrative mistrust are problems that previous Foghorn members have written about and future members will continue to report on. No one else can bring such gravitas, weight, and dedication to being the loudspeaker and voice for a community where they might feel hidden or unheard. Even more so, it is also our small but mighty words that can highlight accomplishments and moments of honor for groups that are often unseen in our own little world.
My last two years as a Foghorn member have been challenging, eye-opening, and most importantly, a learning experience. The articles I’ve shared will forever be available in print and cyberspace, and the words I’ve written will always be connected to my time at USF. However, it’s the unwritten moments, the people that I’ve met in each of those stories that have impacted me the most because their stories are what make our little, but distinct campus stand out.
Reilly Brown, Layout Editor
I stumbled upon the Foghorn’s Layout Editor position opening in January of 2022. Though of course I was familiar with the paper, it wasn’t my plan to become a part of this journalistic team. I had never considered layout design. But sometimes doors open and present new experiences. Sometimes life offers what you didn’t know you needed.
This position was certainly an unexpected blessing. After so many months of pandemic isolation, the Foghorn offered me the chance to work among others again, in a team devoted to meaningful collaboration and journalistic excellence. This position was fulfilling to me in so many ways, and although my time with the Foghorn was all too brief, the impact it had on me was profound.
I am a graphic design major with a passion for social justice. This is, in part, why I jumped at the opportunity to join the Foghorn team. It seemed to be a chance to take part in spreading valuable information that both educates and uplifts the University of San Francisco community. In working as a layout designer, I learned an entirely new skill set among people generous with their time and knowledge. I became responsible for arranging all of the elements of a newspaper — stories, headlines, photographs, graphics and captions — in a visually appealing and cohesive format. As well as accommodating the stylistic choices that the writers envision for their stories. In the end, I discovered what it was like to create space for talented writers to present their words to a broader audience in a beautiful and celebratory manner. However, beyond learning what it takes to be a layout designer, the Foghorn staff also taught me what true teamwork looks like. Without fail, each person fulfilled their role to the best of their abilities to ensure the timeliness and journalistic integrity of the paper as a whole.
