Adviser Update Adviser Update Winter 2018 | Page 37

37 Goldenthal. “It’s important as a citizen [to attend live events] but also very important as a student journalist.” The Spoke: “What about the other person?” Despite what co-adviser Susan Gregory calls “a long tradition of covering elections,” including a 2008 interview with a young Barack Obama, editors on this student-driven publication had no plans to cover the Trump inauguration. Before three of them jumped on a Greyhound bus, that is. As Jan. 20 neared, a student at George Washington University in Washington, D.C., offered Goldenthal three tickets in an exclusive section with seating near the inaugural dais. Goldenthal, opinions editor Matthew Soderberg and managing editor/web Caleigh Sturgeon left on a Thursday, stayed overnight in D.C. with family and friends, then regrouped Friday morning to cover the story. Unfortunately, by the time they met, the security checkpoint at their section had closed. “We spent 45 minutes trying to get in, going up and down Pennsylvania Avenue, and we finally just gave up,” said Goldenthal. But the story was all around them. “There was a lot of hope in the crowd, and a lot of intense energy from both protesters and supporters,” said Soderberg, 18. Spoke editors focused on shooting photos and video footage, and used their iPhones to record audio, monitor social media, keep in touch with Gregory via Facebook and track each other through texts. A trending hashtag led them to a fast-moving protest along the parade route, where two cars had been set on fire. ”We got there after things had calmed down a bit and the police had things under control,” Goldenthal said. “We were right up against a riot line of police.” There was inner turmoil, as well. Before the election, Soderberg and his staff had decided not to endorse Clinton even though a mock poll showed her well ahead. But as Trump took the oath of office, Soderberg struggled to maintain his editorial cool. “I was witnessing history and I was focusing on being objective, but at the same time I had a lot of “GETTING INTO GOOD TROUBLE: A STUDENT JOURNALIST’S GUIDE TO COVERING DISSENT” Having found myself in the middle of one-too-many public demonstrations and crowded eventsscrambling to prepare myself and my students for the unexpected, I wrote this primer. It touches briefly on the right to dissent and offers tips and tools for doing it, including how to protect your cellphone, file from the field and interact with police officers. And when you need to find the nearest bathroom? Not to worry—there’s an app for that.