TOP JOURNALIST STUDENTS HONOURED
USP ACKNOWLEDGES 10 OF ITS BEST STUDENTS Over the years, the University of the South Pacific has nurtured top students for the media industry in the Pacific.
Being a journalist is having a front row seat to history whether breaking news on civil emergencies, political scandals, sporting events or important public policy discussions.
A career in journalism is anything but boring; a person does not have to be leaking the pentagon papers to have a good time.
Getting to tell the stories of ordinary people is rewarding for many journalists.
Over the years, the University of the South Pacific (USP) has nurtured top students for the media industry in the Pacific; some have obtained jobs at the Fiji Sun. The university, on Saturday night, held an awards night to honour its top 10 students.
One of the top students is Sera Tikotikoivatu-Sefeti, who claimed the Tanoa Award for the most outstanding journalism student.
This is not the only award the Kadavu beauty has won this year. The former Miss Hibiscus and actress also scooped the 2022 Vision Pasifika Media Award in October.
The 2022 Vision Pasifika Media Award commemorates the role of Pacific media in amplifying Pacific voices on climate change.
She said every journalism student were winners on Saturday night because they all managed to adapt and learn in the changing environment.
“I took up journalism because I was passionate about sharing the stories of our people to make the difference by amplifying the voices of those usually left behind,” she said.
“Good journalism to me does not only amplify this but also keeps people accountable, empowered and inspire people in the process.
“The journalism programme has opened my eyes and pushed me out of
my comfort zone to do more,” she said.
The mother of two has been through several acts during the wave of the pandemic, through the turmoil of the university’s saga, to the struggles to meet deadlines for school.
“I did not know what to expect, to be honest. I was just excited that for the first time in two years since the pandemic my journalism friends and I
were able to come together,” she said.
The university’s journalism coordinator, Dr Shailendra Singh, said journalism was an important and a noble calling in the region.
Despite this, Dr Singh said the sector had its own share of challenges.
“Our research shows that the Pacific Island journalists are amongst the lowest paid in the world,” he said.
“This is not necessarily the fault of media organisations and investment, but it is the economics and the fact that the media sector in the Pacific Island region is small.”
He said the Pacific region had a proud history of journalism.