Lights, Camera, Action

The first night I walked into Syracuse University’s CitrusTV newsroom, the energy hit me like a wave—bright lights, tight deadlines, and the electric hum of live television. I was nervous and overwhelmed, unsure whether I belonged in such a high-pressure environment. Three years later, as news director, I now lead our coverage of local, political, business, and Spanish-language news, with broadcasts airing seven days a week. The beauty of CitrusTV is that the entire endeavor is built and sustained by students. Inside the studio walls, college journalists pass down skills from one generation of students to the next.

Here are some of the skills I learned on the job at CitrusTV: shooting stories, producing a show, and reporting live in the field. Along the way, I’ve discovered that the station is more than a training ground. It’s a place of public trust, where student journalists serve their campus and the wider community by telling stories that might otherwise go un- or under-reported.

For one such story, I worked with our investigative team to cover the efforts of the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC), a national environmental group, to get the City of Syracuse to declare a lead-water crisis. Listening to residents describe the ways in which city officials and property owners had failed to protect their families was both heartbreaking and eye-opening. What I didn’t expect was how this shared experience would strengthen the connection between my campus and the surrounding community.

I often hear professors and interview subjects complain that Syracuse University exists in a bubble and that students rarely connect with city residents who live just blocks away. I didn’t fully grasp the truth of this sentiment until I joined the newsroom. Reporting pushed me beyond the campus perimeter and introduced me to the people who fill our football stadium every Saturday and run nearby businesses, like the restaurants and convenience stores that students rely on.

The NRDC story became personal when I came home one night to find a letter in my mailbox informing me that my off-campus apartment’s water supply had tested positive for lead. Soon, I learned that most of my friends had received the same notice. Covering city council meetings about the issue, I noticed something new. Students who weren’t journalists were showing up to listen and speak. I wish it had not taken a public health crisis to bring students and city residents together, but it was inspiring to see both groups recognize a common stake in their community’s well-being. For once, the campus and city felt united, and the newsroom played a role in making the connection between the two visible. 

Today, as I lead the station’s news department of more than a hundred student journalists, I find it rewarding to pass on what I’ve learned and instill the values of strong, ethical reporting in younger students. The studio can be chaotic at times, but the final countdown before a live show never fails to give me a rush. More than that, it reminds me why this work matters. Every broadcast is both a lesson and a public service. A sense of purpose—informing our community while maintaining the highest journalistic standards—keeps me coming back, night after night, as the clock ticks toward airtime.

Photo: News director Luke Welch (right of center) and fellow student journalists gather after the live evening news broadcast at CitrusTV, Syracuse University’s student-run television studio. (Courtesy Luke Welch)