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Meet Nicole Mistretta, a mass communication major from Baton Rouge, LA. With her concentration in journalism, she plans to make an impact on modern media. 

“I hope to become a source which someone, somewhere can trust,” Nicole said. “I chose to study journalism at UL Lafayette because I was drawn to their embracing of old news principles. The journalism department at the University avoids sensationalizing news and aims to present solid, factual news.”

In addition to the curriculum, Nicole appreciates the intimate learning environment UL Lafayette offers. 

“I love having a smaller major,” she said. “In each class, we come together and help each other become better writers while having an absolute blast. I’ve never felt closer to a group of classmates."

"Not only are we close with one another, but we are close with our professors," she added. "Dr. Stephenson Waters and Dr. Jim Lovel work incredibly hard to give us individualized attention.”

Both Professor Lovel and Waters have had a particularly strong impact on Nicole’s experience.

“Dr. Lovel has inspired me and pushed me to become a better writer in all his classes,” she said. “He is cutthroat and no-nonsense when it comes to a story but on a personal level, he is a goofball who cares about his students.” 

Nicole said Lovel’s Intro to Newswriting class (CMCN 212) helped her feel “grounded in my advanced journalism classes.”

“[The class] confused and frustrated me but in the end, I felt confident in my writing,” she said. "I have full confidence that without him pushing me out of my comfort zone, I would have been lost in more advanced classes.”

Dr. Waters also prepared Nicole for her future by teaching her data journalism, which teaches students how to analyze large data sets and apply them to stories. 

“Data journalism is new to the University and has opened so many doors for me,” she continued. “That type of reporting is my current focus at my internship and what I believe is ultimately going to land me my first job.”

“It's something that the journalism world really needs and not a lot of people are very comfortable with," she said. "At first, I really didn't want to take a class that revolves around numbers because part of why I chose my major was to avoid math. Now I can't really imagine not including some form of data in an article.”

Nicole’s confident in the foundation she’s receiving in all of her journalism classes.  

“Our entire program is dedicated to preparing us for our job,” she said. “Rather than taking tests and doing homework, we go out into the field and write stories like real reporters. I feel confident in my craft and I learn something new about journalism every single day.

"I am constantly pushed out of my comfort zone, and that’s not a bad thing at all."