By Hannah Hanson
“Be bold. Your ship is not going to sail to you, you have to swim to it” – Natalie Joseph
Natalie Joseph graduated from Longwood in May of 2016 and currently works as a reporter in Newport News, VA. During her four years at Longwood, Natalie was bold enough to make herself into a brand she calls NatJo..
NatJo described her experience at Longwood as being “all over the place,” holding positions in organizations all across campus: from SGA senior class president, having her own radio show “The NatJo Show” on WMLU, to working on every section within The Rotunda, or even her part-time job as a desk aid position. Natalie barely had a second to herself during her years at Longwood.
Although NatJo had a busy college career, she said it was well worth it. “My experience at Longwood was overall very positive. It had its ups and downs, but I got the opportunity to meet some pretty amazing people and do awesome things.”
Currently, NatJo
is working as a feature reporter at the Daily Press in Newport News. She focuses on the entertainment and lifestyle in the area. She has written pieces about bands that have come to play in the area, big events in Newport News, authors of recently released books, and even a food column about local restaurants. Natalie was also given the opportunity to host a live election night broadcast, record a sound bite for a Thanksgiving radio commercial, and run a consumer blog for the people in the community. NatJo says her job is “really fun, always different, and there is never a dull moment.”
Natalie claims that she has gotten all of these opportunities because of her experience at Longwood. “I would have never gotten the job I wanted if I did not work for the Rotunda or have my own radio show. The Comm department pushes you to get involved from freshman year and I’m so glad I took their advice. Going to Longwood is a unique experience. It’s different from other public schools,” Natalie explained. “The Comm department has so many resources and opportunities that everyone should take advantage of.”
NatJo continued her bold brand into her career by inserting herself into the working world. She continues to promote herself and tirelessly puts in effort to show everyone that she is not afraid of hard work.
“Inaction and indecision kills dreams more than anything else. Don’t be failed to fail and take risks.” – NatJo