Journalism - Print

Charlotte Prong Parkhill

Charlotte Prong Parkhill, 2008 graduate of Conestoga College’s Journalism-Print program Currently a reporter at the Waterloo Chronicle

Modern journalism could borrow from Mark Twain’s famous quote, “The reports of my death are greatly exaggerated.”

Journalism is definitely not dead, but it is rapidly changing. People need accurate news coverage on an ever-increasing spectrum of topics, and they need it faster than ever.

My two years in Conestoga’s print journalism program prepared me for a job in the industry in ways I never could have imagined when I first stepped onto the Doon campus.

During my second year, I was offered a work placement at the Hamilton Spectator where I had the opportunity to be mentored by some of the best reporters and editors in the country.

That opened doors for me in an industry that is notoriously difficult to crack. After graduation, I continued to learn with a summer internship at the Waterloo Region Record, followed by an intern position at the Guelph Mercury, where my work was nominated for an Ontario Newspaper Award.

With experience in the fast pace of a daily newsroom, I eventually landed a full-time permanent position with a weekly newspaper, the Waterloo Chronicle. One of the reasons I was hired is because of the ability to wear many hats: reporter, photographer, copy editor and page designer.

I have used the skills I gained at Conestoga every day. The print program offers courses in interviewing, research and writing, copy editing, page layout and design. It also covers the basics of all the additional skills today’s print journalists need: filming and editing video, writing radio scripts, and producing web content.

Every course in my program was taught by industry professionals, including award-winning print journalists and photographers, and television and radio producers.

It was an extremely challenging two years that prepared me for an extremely challenging career.

In less than two years I’ve covered everything from a fatal fire to a federal election. I’ve written about the homeless, gay teens and gambling addicts. I’ve interviewed politicians, from mayors to MPs to former Prime Minister Paul Martin. I’ve held the Olympic torch and watched a heart surgery in progress. I’ve been shot by police (with a paintball) during training exercises.

Today, I am one of the fortunate people in life who wakes up on Monday morning happy to go to work. I have been handed a front row seat to the most joyous, most tragic and most newsworthy events of our time.

David Shoalts

David Shoalts, 1978 graduate of the Conestoga College journalism program

David has had an impressive career since graduating from Conestoga. After college he was hired as a sports reporter at the Calgary Herald, before moving on to the Calgary Sun where he was a sports reporter and assistant sports editor. While there he covered the Calgary Stampeders of the CFL and the Calgary Flames of the NHL.

During his illustrious career he has also been a layout editor at the Toronto Sun and then the Globe and Mail.

He has been at the Globe ever since, wearing many hats, including that of a sports reporter, a justice reporter, a hockey reporter covering the Toronto Maple Leafs, the NHL and international hockey (many people’s dream job!), and currently, a hockey columnist.

Among his highlights was covering the men’s and women’s gold-medal hockey games at the 2002 Winter Olympics. He also is the author of a book of humour, Tales From The Toronto Maples Leafs, and co-author with retired Globe columnist William Houston of Greed and Glory, The Fall of Hockey Czar Alan Eagleson.

In 2009, Sports Media Canada recognized David’s excellent investigative, reporting and writing skills, along with those of fellow Globe and Mail writer Paul Waldie, presenting them with the Sportswriter of the Year award for their coverage of the Phoenix Coyotes’ financial woes.

David says of his experience at Conestoga:

“I owe a large debt to Conestoga College and Bob Trotter, who was the head of the journalism program for many years, for any success I have had in the field. Bob and his colleagues taught me and many others the basics of journalism with a practical approach that emphasized practising what we learned, either by creating our own publications or through internships. It was a great way to learn."

Denis Langlois

Denis Langlois graduated from the journalism print and broadcast program at Conestoga College in 2003. He was hired at the daily Sun Times newspaper in Owen Sound upon graduation and won an Ontario Newspaper Award for spot news reporting in 2009.

Denis is the newspaper’s city hall reporter. He covers every issue related to municipal politics — from property tax hikes and funding cuts to controversies surrounding municipal spending.
Journalism has enabled Denis to make a difference in areas in which he is most interested, including politics, heritage preservation and the desire to hold municipal politicians accountable to the taxpayer.

Denis says of his experience at Conestoga:

“Conestoga College equipped me with the skills necessary to become a skilled, accurate and passionate reporter.”

“I would not be where I am today without the early guidance of my mentors at Conestoga.”

“I use the skills I learned at Conestoga each day, while in the field. I owe the college a lot.”

Jennifer Ormston

Jennifer Ormston is a graduate of Conestoga College's journalism print and broadcast program, from the class of 2005.

She also holds a bachelor of arts degree in honours political science and a master of arts degree in journalism, both from the University of Western Ontario. She worked at the Waterloo Chronicle as a reporter and copy editor for several years before joining the Corporate Communications team at the City of Waterloo as a communications specialist. She is currently enrolled in the Leadership Waterloo Region program and sits on the fundraising committee for Women's Crisis Services of Waterloo Region. On a daily basis, Jennifer uses many of the skills she learned at Conestoga College and credits her teachers there for opening her eyes to new ways of "communicating."

Laura Czekaj

Laura Czekaj, Conestoga College 2000 Journalism graduate.

As a full-time journalist at the Ottawa Sun since 2002, I use the skills I acquired while taking the journalism-print program at Conestoga College on a daily basis. The program provided me with the knowledge and the advice I needed to break into the media business and to move up the ladder to where I am today.

I am a senior reporter at the Ottawa Sun with occasional stints as a city desk editor. I have covered everything from the federal public service, to police, to education, and everything in between. Web media is also a vital component of my job. I frequently freelance for a variety of magazines and Internet publications and I am an active volunteer in my community — something that came about through my involvement in community issues as a reporter. Prior to my current role at the Sun, I worked at a daily newspaper in southwestern Ontario where I cut my teeth as a rookie reporter.

The best advice I can give to someone trying to get into this business: be persistent, be factual and be smart. The story you want is always out there, sometimes it just requires some digging.

Stacey McCarthy

It was a short journey from journalism to marketing for one Conestoga graduate. Upon completing Conestoga College’s journalism print and broadcast program in 2003, Stacey McCarthy made her splash in the workforce as a full-time reporter/photographer at The Cambridge Times.

An opportunity to branch out quickly presented itself at MacMillan Marketing Group, and as Stacey’s writing skills had already been honed at Conestoga to deliver clear and concise copy, the shift in fields was natural. As an account manager at the firm for almost seven years now, Stacey is responsible for managing the marketing and advertising needs of more than a dozen clients across Canada. From communication plans, sales programs and website development to logo design, sales material and general copywriting, no day is the same and there is no lack of opportunities or challenges.

Stacey says of her experience at Conestoga:

“I felt no apprehension or uncertainty on my first day of work – I had been delivering the same goods at Conestoga College for over a year already.”

“The diverse and comprehensive courses gave me every opportunity to develop and grow skills that were of the greatest importance to prospective employers.”

“As my firm already employed a number of Conestoga graduates, the fact that I had been educated there heralded good things before I was even interviewed!”