Faith Lee
Get to know some of our College of Media students! Faith Lee is a Class of 2025 journalism major.
What brought you to Illinois?
It's close to home, only about an hour-and-a-half away, which is great because I can take the train home. I had visited UIUC before I made my decision, and I liked the campus. One of the faculty within the College of Media gave me a call one day and asked about my plans, so I really liked that personal touch that they reached out to me, and it really confirmed my decision to choose UIUC.
How has the college changed since your freshman year?
The college has really tried to give its students the best in terms of facilities, classes, workshops and professionally-enriching opportunities. I think that they’ve really made a dedication to their students, and it's evident in the remodel of the Frank Newsroom at Richmond Studio. I've been able to help be a part of that change working as a Brandt Fellow for the Frank Center. I’m grateful to be a part of that change.
How did you get started working with Illio yearbook?
Prior to joining Illio, I didn't have any experience working on a yearbook. I heard about Illio through my membership in the National Association of Black Journalists. During my sophomore year, one of the executive board members mentioned that they were looking for a copy and reporting editor, so I decided to apply and got the job. In this role, I managed the writing and interviews and made sure that all articles were according to AP style standards. Fast forward, they were looking for an editor-in-chief, so I decided to step up and take on this new role.
How has your experience as editor-in-chief of Illio been?
Where a newspaper comes out daily, weekly, or even monthly now, the yearbook only comes out once a year, so we have the entire school year to gather materials, pictures, interviews, and all of that good stuff. We also have to make it look pretty on the pages, so it's really a creative process. I've enjoyed building a team, managing them, working with them, and going out to shoot pictures. I feel that I'm a lot more immersed in campus life. I have to know what's going on around campus in order to send someone out to go cover it, or go cover it myself, so I really took the opportunity to step up as the editor-in-chief and bring the book to life. We're currently in that process now, and hopefully it will be done by the end of May.
What are some of the biggest lessons that you've learned through the College of Media? I've learned how to be persistent and not to give up. A lot of times in my classes, I’ll have an assignment given on a Monday and due on a Wednesday, or a week to pursue a story, and sometimes a source might not come through, or they might not want to talk to me, and then my whole story could fall apart. I might find out that there's not as much to a story as I had thought there would be, so then I have to move on and find a completely new story. I have to build a new one from the ground up, finding sources and events. I’ve definitely learned to be persistent, to never give up, to show up to people's offices and to not let things like a source falling through stop me from pursuing a story. I say that if there’s something that you really want to do, then go for it.
Who are some of your role models?
One of my biggest role models is my mom. She's just a huge inspiration for me. I've seen her live such a selfless life. She's also very giving and compassionate, so I've tried to bring that in every space that I've been in. Seeing her live with such compassion has helped me in my work because, when I'm talking to certain people, interviewing them about a hard topic, I've been able to bring that same compassion, and it's really become a character trait of mine. My mom is also a very hardworking and determined woman, so just having her model that for me has encouraged me to never give up and always show up. Both of my parents— my mom and dad—have instilled in me what it means to show up, even when I don't feel like it, and to have that go-getting mindset.
Where do you see yourself in five to 10 years?
I wish I knew what the future held. I wish I had a crystal ball and could see myself in five to 10 years, but what I would hope, as of this moment, is that I am doing whatever makes me happy, and what makes me happy right now is telling people’s stories, especially the stories that are often untold, especially within my community—the African American community. Right now, I'm drawn to using documentaries and short films to tell stories, and I've always been passionate about writing. I'm open to any way to tell people’s stories, whether it’s through writing or film. The College of Media has been great with giving me experience in those fields.
—Interview by Brendan Gallian, New Voices Intern
