Political Journalist turned College Mentor: Climbing the Ladder in an Evolving Media Industry
Lawrence Stuelpnagel has interviewed Ronald Reagan, won an Emmy for 1980s HIV/AIDS reporting and even had a chance encounter with George W. Bush Jr. — who amusingly labeled him an “East Coast liberal-type.”
But to the students of Northwestern, the veteran political reporter is a professor and a mentor. Stuelpnagel met with ProMazo to share insights from his reporting days and give advice to aspiring journalists.
Outside the classroom Stuelpnagel serves as the faculty advisor for the Northwestern News Network (NNN): a student-run weekly newscast that has won three national Emmys and ten Chicago Midwest Emmys.
“The students produce a first rate product,” Stuelpnagel said. “NNN gives them a resume tape. It gives them something they can show to somebody. It gives them a continuous opportunity to improve their skills and it allows those who are really passionate about it to stick with it for four years.”
Stuelpnagel also praised many other outlets of Northwestern student-run media, including The Daily Northwestern, North by Northwestern and NNN’s Sportsnight, Politicat and Nightcap. These are just a few of the valuable opportunities available to students, he explained.
“In general, my advice for anyone going into any kind of career is to get as much practical personal experience as you can while you are still in college. One of the beauties about Northwestern is all the connections you have with the world that allow you to jump into the workforce,” Stuelpnagel said. “Students should do things that are going to get them networking within the industry. If you have a passion it is not going to become onerous.”
“Students should do things that are going to get them networking within the industry. If you have a passion it is not going to become onerous.”
Northwestern students are training for a perpetually evolving media industry — for better or worse — and journalists today will find jobs demanding work on many platforms beyond traditional reporting. Much has changed since the days when Stuelpnagel submitted footage to television news producers through the 2:20 Greyhound bus.
Nonetheless, Stuelpnagel acknowledged that the way a journalist succeeds remains largely the same: a strong work ethic, professional ambition and as much real world experience as possible.
Stuelpnagel resembles this rise to success. He attended California State University Chico as a journalism major in the communications program, where he wrote for the newspaper and hosted a biweekly interview program. He continued to work in local television reporting after graduation.
“I did everything I could do there,” Stuelpnagel said. “I was radio, I was a TV reporter, I was the public affairs director, I was the news director, I was the anchor for the 6 and 11 o’clock news.”
Perhaps the greatest reporting of Stuelpnagel’s accomplished career, however, occurred during the 1980s HIV outbreak.
“I am very proud of the work I did there,” he said. “At the time there was a lot of misinformation and unnecessary fear being spread around. I was proud I was one of the reporters who didn’t do that.”
We see a lot of these same credibility issues resurfacing today in the media industry. However, according to Stuelpnagel, this should not discourage students from pursuing journalism.
“There are still brave journalists who are going out and doing hard news and sometimes risking their lives to bring information to us.”
“There is still terrific journalism being done,” he said. “There are still brave journalists who are going out and doing hard news and sometimes risking their lives to bring information to us.”
Hopefully with Stuelpnagel’s aid, these journalists might come right from Northwestern’s Medill.
