Pictured Above: ‘Crow’s Nest’ Adviser Rob Hooker has decades of experience in journalism.
Courtesy of Rob Hooker
By Sophie Ojdanic and Annalise Anderson
After eight years with The Crow’s Nest, Rob Hooker will be stepping down from his role as adviser.
Department of Journalism and Digital Communication Chair Casey Frechette sent a notification email out to journalism faculty on March 23.
“Under Rob’s guidance, Crow’s Nest reporters and editors have produced a dizzying lineup of stories about our campus community, culminating, in recent years, with indispensable coverage of consolidation,” Frechette said.
Frechette recognized Hooker’s devotion and style for teaching students how to develop their journalistic skills.
“One story, one issue, one student journalist at a time, Rob has helped establish our paper as a true gem among collegiate publications,” Frechette said. “His focus on accuracy, fairness and shoe-leather reporting built a bedrock for excellence on which our students could hone their craft.”
Tyler Killette was editor-in-chief when Hooker first joined the paper in 2013.
She said Hooker’s advice has stuck with her through her career. Killette now runs a public relations firm in St. Petersburg.
“I’m confident I would not have the career I have today without Rob’s guidance and support,” Killette said. “He only served as an adviser to the paper, but as a mentor to our whole staff … I always felt Rob believed in me and my abilities. Knowing I had someone like him in my corner was really encouraging when I graduated and began my career.”
Killette said Hooker’s critiques were a highlight of her time at The Crow’s Nest.
“Even when we really goofed things up, he had a way of teaching us to do better without ever letting us feel that we failed, which ended up encouraging us to try harder each week,” Killette said.
In 2019-20, Hooker worked with former Editor-in-Chief Emily Wunderlich.
Wunderlich said that Hooker’s expertise on writing is still helping her.
She said she hears Hooker’s “voice in my head, pressing me on what the story is about in five to 10 words,” even when writing stories now.
But advice isn’t the only thing Wunderlich valued.
Wunderlich recalled a time when she was online editor, and Rob came into the office to review the past week’s issue. He made a comment “completely out of left field for him” acknowledging the growing relationships between Wunderlich and other staff members.
“I show up to this advisory meeting, I’m flexing these brand new, high top Vans that are super colorful,” Wunderlich said. “I’m like, so excited that I got these shoes. I don’t go shopping. I don’t get excited about stuff. But these shoes I was so excited about because they were colorful.
“So Rob walks in; he sits down. He looks at that pair of shoes, and then he looks at (my boyfriend,) Jonah. And he says: ‘So Jonah, have you complimented Emily’s shoes yet?’ And it was just completely out of left field for him. Like Jonah and I were not dating (yet), we were friends.
“…But I think that that memory just shows a lot about how Rob made an effort to connect with us,” she said. “You know, like it’s one thing to be an editor who just is old fashioned by the book,” Wunderlich said.. “And an editor who obviously wants to see his students succeed. But he becomes a mentor when he does stuff like that and tries to understand us a little bit more.”
According to Wunderlich, Hooker has developed “a cult-like following” of former students.
“A lot of us who worked with the paper, we’re still friends in real life, you know, our friendships survived working at The Crow’s Nest,” Wunderlich said. “And we still reflect on Rob’s lessons all the time. And we still wonder like how he’s doing, you know, we’ll talk to him occasionally. And then we’ll tell each other ‘Oh, I talked to Rob, here’s how he’s doing.’
“It’s so refreshing talking to him. I can’t even put into words how much of an impression he’s left on me and it on other people too.”
Jennifer Bauer, who worked for The Crow’s Nest under her now-maiden name Jennifer Nesslar, served as editor-in-chief in 2014-15. Before that, she had contributed and worked as the assistant news editor.
Bauer fondly reflected on advisory meetings with Hooker.
“He allowed me freedom to oversee the paper as I saw fit, while also giving invaluable critiques of our work,” Bauer said. “His feedback helped me produce a better product then, and molded me as the writer I am today.”
Bauer’s successor, Samantha Putterman, became editor-in-chief in 2015-16.
Putterman offered a list of fond memories with Hooker:
** “His classes, where he brought tons of award-winning journalists to speak with us. Getting to hear their stories and advice, and having to write our own articles about it, was an invaluable experience.
** “Him telling me he arranged an interview that would land me my first published article in the Tampa Bay Times.
** “His weekly feedback on each Crow’s Nest issue. It always made the next one better, and us better as student journalists (even though I hated seeing his red pen…
** “Him hollering at me about journalists needing to be tough, that we can’t take anything at face value. He always makes me think of that journalistic adage: ‘If your mother says she loves you, check it out.’ ”
Putterman said she owes a portion of her professional success to Hooker’s insight and guidance.
“You are the reason why I am where I am in my career today, and I know I’m far from the only one,” Putterman said.
Bauer feels fortunate to have learned from and worked with Hooker, who consistently gave more effort than the adviser position initially demanded.
“Rob, working with you at The Crow’s Nest was worth the cost of my tuition,” Bauer said. “You devoted more time and energy than was required of you, and I benefited. I’m grateful. Your classes were also a bright spot in my college education. I wish you the best in whatever comes next.”
Longtime Crow’s Nest Contributor Nancy McCann also shared fond memories of Hooker.’s humor. McCann said, in working with Hooker, she learned to focus on the story at large, rather than getting wrapped up in the details of a complex situation.
“Most of the time Rob is all business when it comes to journalism, so when his keen sense of humor surfaces it is a tremendous treat,” McCann said.
In working with Hooker, McCann said she learned to focus on the story at large, rather than getting wrapped up in the minute details of a complex situation.
“I’ve gotten better at hearing Rob’s voice in my head right away telling me that I’m writing a snoozer,” McCann said. “The big picture is that Rob painstakingly taught me the special niche of explanatory journalism. If you want to learn, he will tirelessly teach – down to every sentence and each word.”
Colleagues in the journalism department also shared their thoughts on Hooker’s work with the paper.
Professor Tony Silvia wrote in an email that Hooker “is a journalist of the finest order as well as a great gentleman.”
“His care, concern and mentoring of our students is a legacy that will remain long after his term as adviser ends,” Silvia said.
Deni Elliott, a respectable force within the journalism department, praised Hooker’s work with his students.
“Rob, you have done more to inspire novice journalists than anyone I know in journalism or in higher education,” Elliott said in an email. “You have taught them skills far more important than simply how to structure a news story. You have taught them never to back down. You have taught them how to access documents that some people want to hide. You have taught them that they indeed have the power and responsibility to change the world. And they learned their lessons.”
“Because of the high standards that you have taught young journalists that they can achieve, St. Petersburg is a better community, citizens in and outside of the university understand its workings better and the consolidation of USF is far more transparent than it would have otherwise been. Thank you for all that you have given.”
It is undecided who will serve as adviser to The Crow’s Nest starting summer 2021.
“Finding the next adviser won’t be an easy task,” Frechette said. “And The Crow’s Nest faces unique challenges in the months and years ahead, with the full implications of consolidation on student media still unclear.”
For the next adviser, Bauer offered simple advice.
“You have the opportunity to coach the next generation of journalists,” she said. “Give them your time.”
Editor’s Note
This article was updated on April 5, 2021, to provide additional comment from Tyler Killette.
Speaking for a legion of current and former journalists at the St. Petersburg/Tampa Bay Times, what a wonderful parting gift to the kid from Chapel Hill. Rob Hooker has always been the editor you hoped you’d get to work with. Insightful, patient and someone who made you feel like he was a partner in the process. We’re all indeed lucky to have worked with this kind, decent man. Great job Sophie and Annalise. The boss would be proud.