When I tell people that I work for The Shield I often get a lot of mixed responses. It’s unnecessary to divulge you into what those reactions are, but on occasion I get the individual who is interested in writing for us but admits they are unsure as to how to go about that process- or feel that they don’t have enough time.

Let me start off by saying on top of being The Shield’s opinion editor I also work two other jobs, and I’m a full time student. I promise you aren’t too busy. You have everything to gain and nothing to loose by choosing to write for the student newspaper. Writing for the paper doesn’t have to take an extraordinary amount of your time, and you get paid for doing so.

We all know finding employment upon graduation is next to impossible these days. It’s growing increasingly more difficult to find a job and employers are in the position now that they have more and more desperate college grads looking for a job. They reserve the right to be picky, and they have the advantage of a large sum of students with impressive resumes all competing for the same job. You need to a one-up on everyone else and writing for The Shield can help equip you with those skills.

Regardless of your major, communication is a vital part of any job and writing for the Shield can help you better effectively communicate and articulate yourself with peers, who are also learning to do the same. Showing that you are a diverse individual is never a bad thing when entering the job market.

If you’re not satisified with what you are reading in The Shield, this is also the perfect opportunity for you to help become a part of a change. Get your voice in the paper. Everyone has something to offer, and we are always looking to branch out and expand our reader base and have a more diverse voice in our paper.

Despite it nearing the end of the semester, we still need writers, and this would be an ideal time to join if you’re interested in writing for us. Currently, The Shield is accepting staff and editorial applications, and we’re all eager to get new voices in our paper. If you have expressed an interest please, drop by UC East 0227 and pick up an application or call 812-465-1645 for more information. Come meet some of the editors and writers and get involved, not only will it look good when you graduate, but you can also meet some awesome new people.