The National Press Club Journalism Institute is spotlighting the next generation of journalists, students who graduated from college or Master’s programs this spring into a challenging job market. We hope they’ll meet future bosses and colleagues here, who will reach out and support them in building journalism’s future together.
Name: Brenton Blanchet
School: University at Buffalo
Location: Buffalo, NY
Bylines: Billboard, Clash Magazine, i-D, The Face, DJBooth, more
Journalism hero: Craig Jenkins at Vulture
What have you learned from your involvement with student media on your campus?
Blanchet: Student media has taught me to be a leader, a listener and a friend. It’s given me clips in my favorite publications and memories I’ll never forget.
What have you learned from your internship experience(s)?
Blanchet: I’ve learned that the best interns can act as reporters and still bring pieces of themselves to the paper.
What’s been your best moment in journalism?
Blanchet: My best moment in journalism was when I earned my first Billboard byline last summer. I had an emotionally taxing few months — with the loss of my grandfather and a near-fatal car accident — but I still made sure to celebrate.
What’s the wackiest story you’ve worked on? (Include a link, if you can.)
Blanchet: I’m currently working on a piece for VICE’s i-D mag on the internet’s lost media community. These guys track down and archive missing pieces of television and gaming history on a wiki, and trust me when I say they know their stuff.
What do you want to accomplish in your journalism career?
Blanchet: I want to be an editor for a major music publication. It’s always been a dream of mine and I hope I can get a head start soon.
If you could meet any journalist and ask for her/his advice, who would it be and why?
Blanchet: If I could meet any journalist, I would want to meet Craig Jenkins at Vulture. His Mac Miller profile still stands out as one of the best pieces of music journalism I’ve ever seen.
What do you want potential employers to know about you?
Blanchet: I’m driven. I care. I’m just as knowledgeable in AP style as I am in underrated pop stars. And I treat every story, whether it’s a news blurb or a massive feature, like my next favorite piece.
When you aren’t practicing journalism, how do you spend your time?
Blanchet: I’m never not writing. Except when I go on jogs. That’s when I think about new pitches.
To support journalism students, contribute here to scholarships.
Tags: Class of 2020