Scholarship Spotlight Spring 2009 - Ohlone College Foundation
Eric Dorman
- Steelcase/One Work Place & Ohlone College Foundation Scholarship
“No matter how strong the winds of change blow, college has always been consistent in providing the best tools and the surest compass for navigating through the breeze.”
In a world of currency inflation, rampant change at home and general unpredictability abroad, few institutions have held their value like a college education. No matter how strong the winds of change blow, college has always been consistent in providing the best tools and the surest compass for navigating through the breeze. It is for this reason that I am confident that through education, I can find a career in the uncertain world of journalism, and this is why I am committed to building upon my Ohlone education by transferring to a four-year university.
Since I can remember, I’ve hoped for a future in journalism. Soon after enrolling in Ohlone, I joined the Monitor, starting out as a staff writer and working my way through the ranks to my current job as Editor-in-Chief. Interestingly, the Monitor has taught me far more than just quality journalism during my time as an editor – I’ve discovered that running a newspaper is as much about business and cooperation as about journalism, and that managing people is no less important than managing stories. My time at the Monitor in specific, and my time at Ohlone in general, have both been characterized by a broadening of horizons and blending of disciplines.
In addition to my work on Monitor, I’ve also had a chance to gain several real world experiences in journalism. One such experience came in fall 2007, when I worked with Faculty Member Deb Parziale to create a faculty-themed brochure about Ohlone’s Title III Grant, entitled the Title III Gazette. I also had the chance to work with Counselor Allison Bly in spring 2008 to create a student-targeted publication on the benefits of learning communities.
I believe that volunteer work and academic diversification are important, and I’ve made efforts to do both. From a young age to up until recently, I helped my family deliver hot meals to homebound seniors on a regular basis. Also, for two years, I served on the Teen Advisory Board of the Newark library, making decisions on book and music purchases and choices on teen programs for the library. At Ohlone, despite my focus on journalism, I’ve tried to take classes in other disciplines as well, such as second-semester Spanish and a number of computer programming courses.
I know what journalism’s present looks like, and I understand the rocky future it faces. However, I’m confident that a college education can go a long way toward allowing me to become a positive part of that future. I can’t do it alone, though, but this scholarship will make a great deal of difference toward furthering my education. Universities are expensive gifts, and it isn’t easy for me or my family to afford them. I ask for your help, because I know college isn’t an expense I can afford to give up.
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