WKU News

Lauren Howe, a junior from Owensboro, wanted to study photojournalism at the “best school in the nation,” and she hasn’t looked back.

“The photojournalism program and the WKU School of Media and Communication is one of the best in the nation. From winning numerous Hearst Awards to various graduates working at some of the biggest name brand companies in the world, you can’t deny that this program excels in what they do. I knew I wanted to be a part of that, learn from some of the best professors and work alongside like-minded peers,” Howe said.

Howe hopes the skills learned as a photojournalism student will remain with her throughout her career.

“I’ve gained all this knowledge within the classroom, and now I can confidently go out and put what I’ve learned to the test. Having hands-on experiences within the classroom, or lab and studio in this case, is invaluable. I’m able to retain the information and apply it to a photoshoot. I’m constantly learning new things, and I know that I can rely on my peers for help when needed and in return, I can also help them. We bounce ideas off each other to help get the creative process going because when you’re in the photojournalism program, you can’t always do things alone,” Howe said.

Going to a school in-state to keep the cost of college down was a huge consideration for Howe.

“I was unsure how I would pay tuition and extra expenses, but I’ve been extremely thankful to receive scholarships through WKU and the College Heights Foundation that have helped cover a majority of the costs,” Howe said.

The connections she made on the Hill have been the highlight of her WKU experience.

“The best part of my WKU experience is the people I’ve met. It sounds cheesy and cliché, but I truly can’t imagine my life without everyone I’ve built a relationship with. From my peers, professors, alumni and so many others I could name, I’m truly thankful for all of them. They all helped shape my future and are always pushing me to be the best version of myself. There have been countless days where life gets hard, but someone is always there for me. As a photojournalism student, our major isn’t that large to begin with, so we’re all close to one another. It’s like one big family who I can count on for anything,” Howe said.

Howe is gaining a wealth of knowledge in the photojournalism field through participating in WKU’s Mountain Workshops.

“Mountain Workshops would have to be one of the best experiences I’ve had in pursuing my degree. It’s an annual documentary workshop that WKU’s Visual Journalism and Photography program puts on. Each year, Mountain takes place in a new town in Kentucky. People from all over the world can come and participate in it. There are three different workshops people can be a part of, including photo editing, photojournalism and video storytelling,” Howe said.

“It’s a weeklong, life changing experience that you don’t fully understand until you actually go for yourself. It’s immersive and intense, but you’re surrounded by like-minded people who are there to work with you and help improve your skills as a storyteller.”

Howe also had the opportunity to join the Talisman during the first semester of her sophomore year, and she’s still loving the work she is doing there.

“As a staff photographer, I’ve been able to take my photography to another level and take pictures of people and things I never thought I would be able to. Being assigned to different stories within the WKU community and the greater Bowling Green area has led me to have a deeper appreciation for the people who live here and their stories. Not only does the Talisman cover people’s stories, but also campus-wide events.”

Highlights of her time at the Talisman include taking pictures of country music singer, Jordan Davis, and pop singer, Flo Rida, at pregame concerts hosted by WKU. She traveled to Fort Knox with her photo editor and another staff photographer to cover a story about WKU’s ROTC cadets and a competition with other colleges across the nation. Additionally, she collaborates with writers to produce stories and discover new things on campus.

“The skills that I’ve learned in the classroom can be applied when I’m out on assignment for the Talisman. Whether it’s looking for the best composition or framing, everything I learned in class has been stepping stones for what I do in my academic career,” Howe said.

Howe developed strong connections off campus too, through worship, membership and volunteerism with a local church in Bowling Green.

“I’m a member at Living Hope Baptist Church and serve with the kid’s ministry every other Sunday and Wednesday. Being around younger kids is a nice change of pace after being surrounded by college age people and young adults most of the week. I learn a lot from them, and I hope that they’re able to learn a lot from me in return. Not only do I serve in that aspect, but I’m also on the creative team for the church and Hope Collective, Living Hope’s college and young adult ministry. I’m able to use my photography to assist in providing them with visual content that can be used wherever needed. It’s important for me to live out my faith by serving the church in this way,” said Howe.

Another favorite volunteer activity for Howe is serving as a Student Alumni Ambassador with the WKU Alumni Association.

“As an ambassador, I am the bridge between current students and WKU alumni. Networking plays a huge part in the photojournalism industry because you never know who might know someone who could help land you a job one day. For this school year, I was elected to be the Public Relations Coordinator on our executive board. I’m tasked with providing and collecting visual content to help keep our social media channels updated as well as keeping everyone, students and alumni, engaged with one another to help build that community between past and recent WKU students,” Howe said.

After graduation, Howe plans to pursue a career in photography and creative marketing.

“I want to work for some sort of creative advertising or marketing agency. This will allow me to take the experiences and skills that I’ve learned from being at WKU and showcasing them to my future employers. I honestly just want to be able to travel and meet new people. I’m a very social person and enjoy hearing what other people have to say. You never know what someone might tell you that you could turn into a future story or photograph,” Howe said.

For more information about a degree in Visual Journalism and Photography, visit https://www.wku.edu/smc/degrees/visual-journalism-photography.php.