photo credit: Quintin Brown
Take a flick // Gathering all together, journalism students take a selfie with Allie Spillyards before she daparts. Students got up close and personal with the NBC News reporter, and got a chance to dive deep into her world of journalism.
NBC 5 news reporter shares career experience with journalism students
February 8, 2019
On Wylie Way Day, Feb. 6, journalism adviser Casi Thedford invited one of her former newspaper students to speak to her first, second and third period journalism classes about her professional career in the field of mass communications. Allie Spillyards, NBC 5 DFW reporter, showed students her video news stories while working as a reporter and answered students’ questions on the difficulties in the field of journalism. The students got a chance to see the professional side of journalism and what it takes to be successful.
“Journalism isn’t an easy job,” said Spillyards. “You have to be very open to change.”
Spillyards showed the aspiring journalists her video news stories, some heartfelt and some exciting. Her different stories ranged from toilet malfunctions to deaths in family.
“I liked hearing about how she ended up back in Dallas working,” said sophomore Kyndal Nystrom. “Even though she traveled throughout the states, she found her way back home.”
In her discussion, Spillyards explained how she moved around in the field facing different experiences and challenges along the way.
“I think she has a lot of courage,” said junior Dylan Ashley. “I admire how she just walks up to strangers fearlessly just to bring the news to the public.”
The students got a chance to ask several questions along the lines of safety and public backlash of the media. Spillyards explained that it will happen in journalism but that comes with the job.
“It was a really cool experience because we got a chance to meet somebody who is a part of the industry we desire to be in,” said sophomore Audrey Wentz.