Pictured Above: Sophie Ojdanic is a senior mass communications major and editor-in-chief of The Crow’s Nest.
Patrick Tobin | The Crow’s Nest
By Sophie Ojdanic
When I was an 11-year-old sixth grader entering my first student newsroom at John Hopkins Middle School in St. Petersburg, an editing position at a newspaper was just a twinkle in my eye.
I spent four years in the Journeys in Journalism program, sponsored by the Tampa Bay Times and the Pinellas County school district. These four years hold some of my fondest memories. I worked with excellent journalists who are still major factors in my life. (Tom Zucco and Cyndi Vickers – this one’s for you.)
In my time in the program, The J.Hop Times won the National Scholastic Press Association’s award for best middle school newspaper in America – twice – and was once a runner-up for the award.
This led to experiences I will cherish forever, as journalists from Tajikistan to South Sudan to Guyana stepped into our newsroom and shared what it was like reporting from their homes.
I also spent a year working under Kathleen Tobin and Alecia Stephenson at Lakewood High School’s Spartan News Network, which is another NSPA award winner. My experiences in the SNN newsroom were invaluable.
Eight years after my first steps into the newsroom at J.Hop, I’m the new editor-in-chief of the student newspaper at USF St. Petersburg, The Crow’s Nest. I’ve come a long way from my old opinion pieces on the WWE, horror movies and J.Hop’s shaky reputation.
My goal as editor-in-chief is to improve transparency between USF and its community through our coverage.
The newspaper’s work on consolidation and adjunct faculty members’ campaign to unionize was saluted in March by the Pinellas County chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union. I hope to make the paper even better. This means more in-depth coverage of USF itself and its surrounding communities.
New projects I envision for The Crow’s Nest include regular features on members of the USF St. Petersburg student body that will help readers learn more about what makes USF, USF. The first edition of this student spotlight series can be found on page 8.
I hope that through the difficulties of online learning and printing a paper during a pandemic, The Crow’s Nest can provide its readers with information on some of the things that may have been pushed to the back burner.
Like, hey: USF has officially become a consolidated OneUSF, bringing about a plethora of campus changes that many students may not yet realize.
To conclude, I’d like to offer a quote I use to keep my spirits up, especially in these times of our not-so-good friend, ‘Rona:
“The world is a lot better than you think it is.”
Yes, I am quoting that dorky psychologist, Dr. Sweets, from the show “Bones.”
I have no doubt Sophie will do great things for the Crows Nest, and continue to soar to great heights in the future. Keep an eye on Sophie because she is going to do great things!