My Reveille career started on a wintery night at Louie’s Cafe.
I had just gotten a grip on independence and college life as I finished my first semester at LSU in 2018 when I stumbled into then-Editor-in-Chief Natalie Anderson as she ate with some friends. I told her I was interested in working at The Reveille, and when school started again, I walked into the newsroom in the Hodges Hall basement for the first time, ready to begin reporting.
Since then, I’ve studied journalism in Austria, reported from press conferences with Pete Buttigieg and Andrew Yang and even spent three days in the Mall of Louisiana looking for a missing python.
Every work experience I’ve obtained since wouldn’t have happened without The Reveille. For that reason, I can’t help but ask you to donate during our fundraiser event this week. This money will help The Reveille provide better resources to blossoming reporters by remodeling the newsroom, covering travel expenses and upgrading our equipment.
The Reveille provides LSU with vital information about what’s happening on campus, whether it be in Student Government, Athletics, administration and everywhere in between. Our newspaper is more than just a learning opportunity for aspiring journalists — it’s a record of history for this campus, and has been for 135 years.
We’ve fought for journalistic freedom for nearly a century, from The Reveille Seven (who were expelled for reporting stories critical of Huey P. Long) to lawsuits against LSU in 2013 for keeping public information secret to sending legal notices to the Faculty Senate just last semester after a reporter was unlawfully ejected from a meeting.
Our countless impressive alumni have gone on to pursue journalism careers at local publications like The Advocate and The Advertiser, and at national publications like Politico, The Washington Post and The Associated Press. Many others use the skills they learned here to pursue careers outside of journalism, like law.
In order to be able to continue our legacy as the flagship university’s newspaper, we need the support of our readers — whether that’s with $5 or $500.
Your donation can help our newsroom meet modern technological standards with monitors and camera equipment (and get a much-needed paint job). It would help our sports reporters cover the Tigers when they play out-of-state. Our staff members can grow their skills at professional development conferences nationwide.
Your donations don’t just get students new furniture or vacation money. They allow us to provide this campus community with more coverage of vital issues.
And if that doesn’t persuade you, we also have mugs, shirts and sweatshirts that you can get with your donation. Who doesn’t like merch?
To donate, click here.
You can also support by participating in our Giveback Day on Wednesday, April 6, at Raising Cane’s Chicken Fingers on Highland Road or on West Lee Drive and mentioning The Reveille with your purchase.
Lara Nicholson is the editor-in-chief of The Reveille and a 22-year-old journalism and political science senior from Baton Rouge.
