Each year, five Rollins students are selected to participate in the R-Journalist program. The award-winning program provides prospective students with an insider’s look at Rollins. As one of the first school-sponsored student blogs in the nation, the R-Journals stand out as a unique program that offers students’ points of view.
Each R-Journalist is asked to complete a minimum of 12 blogs and four video entries throughout the school year. Each blog generally has a different theme, allowing both prospective and current students to take a detailed look at many of the activities and events available on and off campus. The two offices that run the program, the Office of Public Relations and Community Affairs and the Office of Admission, hope to showcase authentic student experiences by offering uncensored looks at student life at Rollins.
This year’s new batch of R-Journalists contains two international students, first-year Amy Teixeira of Trinidad and Tobago and first-year Tristan Wakely of England. Two highly active upperclassmen, sophomore Lucas Hernandez and senior Amy Iarrobino, were selected to blog about their experiences as well.
Being a first-year R-Journalist myself, I am eagerly awaiting the posting of my first blog about my new life at Rollins College. All of the R-Journalists seem to be excited to post stories and videos about their time at Rollins. “There is so much to get involved in at Rollins; an endless amount of opportunities,” said Teixeira, thrilled by all of the different experiences she will be able to write about throughout the year.
Lauren Bradley of the Office of Public Relations and Community Affairs enjoys “watching the students grow over the course of the year. No matter the students’ class year, first-year or senior, with each entry you see them trying new things, getting involved in new activities, and taking advantage of the diversity of events and organizations Rollins has to offer.” Throughout the year, the R-Journalists stand out as leaders in the Rollins community, while growing as writers and becoming more involved in college life.
In addition to the aforementioned five on-campus R-Journalists, the Office of International Programs helped to fund four International R-Journalists. These students report about their exciting, unique overseas adventures, share their experiences with Rollins students, and help to promote the various options for study abroad. This year, Steven Madow ‘11 will be reporting from China, Aditya Mahara ’11 from England, Ciera Parks ’11 from China, and Christian Kebbel ’12 from France. The International R-Journalists’ blogs allow for current and prospective students alike to take a closer look into how students at Rollins are making an effort to immerse themselves in Rollins’ mission of becoming global citizens.
The R-Journal program is truly valuable for anyone who really wants to get up close and personal with life at Rollins. In the words of new blogger Hernandez, “[it] allows current students to provide an honest and positive perspective to the Rollins community and its students, one that is rarely found on college blogs. Also, it provides prospective students and parents a sampling of the very dedicated and passionate Rollins students that are relatively unknown to people outside our community.”
Make sure to check out the first entry of this year’s RJournalists next week at www. rollins.edu/blogs/journals/rjournals.
Be First to Comment