Scott Wells
Prospectus Publications Manager Kelly Youngblood has always had an interest in journalism.
“I can remember being a very young kid and wanting to be a TV anchorwoman,” she said.
Youngblood grew up in Mahomet, Ill. Her years in high school fueled the passion she had developed early on.
“I was the yearbook editor and fell in love with writing articles and taking pictures,” she said.
Youngblood ultimately graduated from Eastern Illinois University with a major in Journalism and a minor in psychology.
She has been with The Prospectus for approximately a year and a half. In her role, Youngblood oversees the student writers, editors, and photographers.
“Working with college students was definitely something I hadn’t done before,” she said. “But that part has actually been pretty fun. I enjoy getting to know the students and learning more about their interests and passions.”
Youngblood also serves as a reporter for Chambanamoms.com, a local internet publication geared towards families with young children in the Champaign-Urbana area. Her experience in that position has proven helpful as she faces the challenges that The Prospectus brings.
“One challenge I’m always facing is the fact that The Prospectus is a learn-as-you-go experience for students,” she said. “It’s not a class or lecture, there is no syllabus, and I’m not a teacher. So the students are pretty much learning through trial and error.”
Youngblood realizes that everyone has to start somewhere, and she welcomes students who show an interest in the publication.
“Many students come to the newspaper with zero journalism experience,” she said. “I always tell them the best way to improve their writing is by doing it and then learning from any constructive criticism they might receive.”
For Youngblood, the rewards are in the results.
“There’s a great satisfaction in knowing you have done the research on a topic, accurately reported the facts, and then written an article in a way that’s interesting for others to read,” she said. “I just really enjoy writing stories.”