Student media is more than dust-covered newspaper prints that inevitably end up in the recycling bin, Editor-in-Chief of the UW Oshkosh student newspaper, Katie Pulvermacher said.

“Student media provides so many outlets,” she said. “If you’re interested in broadcast, writing, photography, editing, producing or graphic design, student media has it all. There’s something for every facet of journalism.”

Pulvermacher, finishing up her junior year at UWO, first joined UWO’s student-produced newspaper the Advance-Titan as a reporter and columnist.

She worked her way up the ranks as News Editor, then Managing Editor. Within this role she spearheaded the Advance-Titan’s winning of 11 awards at the 2022 Wisconsin Newspaper Association Foundation Better Newspaper Contest.

She also used her experience to earn a media internship with Experimental Aircraft Association (EAA) in Oshkosh.

While giving high school students interested in journalism a tour of the Advance-Titan newsroom during NEWSPA 2023, Pulvermacher shared the benefits of being a part of student media.

Pulvermacher said becoming involved with UWO’s student media has helped her launch her professional career in journalism, even before graduation.

“Joining student media was the best choice for my future career,” she said. “The Advance-Titan has given me so many great opportunities that I wouldn’t find anywhere else.”

Through her time at The Advance-Titan, Pulvermacher said she has been able to make meaningful connections that have prepared her for a future in journalism.

“I’ve gained a strong network through student media both with other college students and professionals already in the field,” she said. “Student media simulates real-world experiences.”

Pulvermacher said the hands-on experience, small class sizes and student organizations UWO has to offer, has helped her build the necessary skills she will need to be successful.

“The professors, classes, support and extracurriculars have pushed me to be confident in my journalism skill set,” she said. “I’m confident that the journalism department has prepared me for life outside of college.”