Why Student Journalism Matters at Lynchburg

By Dr. Ghislaine Lewis | Critograph Advisor

As this extremely challenging academic year comes to a close and as we celebrate World Press Freedom Day this weekend, I can’t help but reflect on what truly sustains a thriving liberal arts campus community. At its core is the unwavering commitment to empower students to ask difficult questions, share diverse stories, and pursue the truth without fear. This is not a mere academic exercise; it is the foundation of a vibrant, informed, and resilient community. Student journalism is essential to this process. It is a practice that strengthens critical thinking, nurtures confidence, and fosters a deep sense of civic responsibility.

This is my eighth year as advisor of the University of Lynchburg’s campus newspaper, The Critograph. Both in the newsroom and in my classrooms, I have always told my students that we are not a campus that retaliates against curiosity, inquiry, or difficult questions. This semester, more than any before, tested the ideals that I have worked hard to instill in our students. In an era of heightened political tensions, economic pressures, and shrinking public trust in institutions, the value of independent student reporting has never been clearer or more necessary.

For me, journalism on our campus is not just about meeting deadlines or checking boxes on a rubric. It is a confidence-building exercise. It’s about providing students with the space to learn, make mistakes, and grow into the professionals and citizens they are destined to become. Journalism education at Lynchburg is not about dictating content. It is not my job to tell students what to cover or how to cover it. My role is to ensure that they are grounded in strong industry practices, including verifying facts, reporting fairly, making ethical decisions, and taking pride in their work.

Teaching journalism today is, admittedly, a more complicated task than it was even a decade ago. National debates around free speech, institutional accountability, and media trustworthiness inevitably influence our campus environment. Financial challenges at small colleges like ours add additional complexity, creating an atmosphere where asking difficult questions can sometimes feel risky. But it is precisely in these moments that student journalism must be defended and encouraged.

My understanding of our liberal arts tradition is built on the idea that education is about exploration, dialogue, and the relentless pursuit of knowledge. Journalism embodies these ideals. It gives students permission and power to question decisions, amplify underrepresented voices, and shed light in corners that might otherwise remain dark. When students are trusted to tackle real stories, when they are encouraged to investigate, interview, and interpret the world around them, they do more than fulfill an academic requirement. They learn to take themselves seriously as contributors to the public good.

This year, our campus newspaper, The Critograph, survived and thrived against what at times felt like insurmountable odds. We moved out of a newsroom that has been our home since Schewel Hall was built. The 2024 – 2025 staff was small and inexperienced but dedicated, balancing coursework, athletics, jobs, and personal commitments with the demanding rhythms of the weekly news cycle. Their work covered issues that mattered, from campus events to broader policy decisions that affect our campus and our community. Every article, every editorial, every social media post was a testament to their dedication and their belief that student voices matter.

To our community who wrote stories, submitted letters to the editor, proudly wore Critograph sweatshirts and tote bags, agreed to be interviewed, or shared vital information and data: THANK YOU! You made this work possible. You demonstrated that even in a challenging climate, the spirit of inquiry cannot and should not be silenced. Your efforts mattered more than you know, and you are part of a long and necessary tradition of truth-telling.

As we look ahead, we must recognize that student journalism is not a threat to be managed or a liability to be minimized. It is a resource to be nurtured. The Critograph is not the public relations arm of the university; it is an independent student voice committed to asking important questions, telling honest stories, and reflecting the full complexity of campus life. Supporting student media means supporting academic freedom, democratic engagement, and personal growth. It means trusting students to be thoughtful, rigorous, and brave, even when the work they produce challenges us to see our community more clearly.

This work is not easy, and it is not always comfortable. But comfort is not the goal of a liberal arts education. Growth is. Critical thinking is. Empathy is. And storytelling, good, responsible, deeply reported storytelling, is central to achieving all three.

The challenges facing student journalists today are real, but so are the opportunities. In a world saturated with misinformation and polarization, the skills they are building: accuracy, curiosity, ethical judgment, and resilience, are more crucial than ever. Our responsibility, as faculty, administrators, alumni, and peers, is to champion these efforts, not hinder them.

There will always be easier paths than asking difficult questions. There will always be safer choices than telling the complicated, nuanced, sometimes uncomfortable stories that genuinely need to be told. But easier and safer do not build strong communities or responsible citizens. They do not honor the vision of Dr. Josephus Hopwood and Sarah Eleanor LaRue Hopwood or the broader mission of a liberal arts education.

At Lynchburg, journalism is more than classroom lessons or stories published on The Critograph; it is a living, breathing record of who we are, both as a campus and as part of a rapidly changing global community. Student journalism plays a critical role in documenting the university’s history, capturing the voices, challenges, and milestones that define each generation. It teaches students to think boldly, act ethically, and engage thoughtfully with a world that demands both courage and clarity. For all these reasons, it must be celebrated, safeguarded, and championed every day as an essential part of the Lynchburg experience.

To the Critograph staff and to everyone who championed and supported student journalism this year: THANK YOU. Your extraordinary work upheld the spirit of curiosity that defines the University of Lynchburg. You proved that thoughtful, courageous storytelling not only endures, it thrives. Because of your efforts, the voice of this campus remains alive, engaged, and unafraid.

As we close the academic year and wind down the newsroom’s publication schedule, may the summer months provide time for reflection, renewal, and most of all rest. 

Congratulations to the Class of 2025. I hope you carry Lynchburg’s legacy with pride and fly its flag high wherever your next chapter leads.