By Joe Friedrichsen | Echo
With students already busy with classes, extracurricular activities and social life, how and why should a college student keep up with world news? Professors, students, and alumni sound off about how to stay informed about world events.
Kari Travis (Alumni '14):
Kari Travis believes staying current with international news is important because students are at college to educate themselves in order to make a distinctive mark on the world. To help stay informed, she recommends using the NYT Now app, which provides a morning and evening briefing of the day's most notable events. Travis also recommends Red Alert Politics, Drudge Report and USA Today College, because they have content geared specifically toward college students. "It's completely accessible, and if a student doesn't have time to spend reading news religiously, the Circa app is probably the best bet for staying current on a personalized time allowance," Travis said.
Joseph Pak (Associate Professor of Biblical Studies):
Professor Joseph Pak believes keeping up with international news is mostly a matter of commitment and habit. "As Christians, you're the ambassadors of Christ, and to do that you have to represent him accurately," Pak said. "You have to know not only the Bible, but also the world you live in. Spend 10 minutes a day on your smartphone or computer, but at least skim through the headlines." He also recommends using smartphone apps which provide important news sources such as Al Jazeera, USA Today and The New York Times.
Caleb Nagel (senior):
Caleb Nagel prefers to get his news from online sources such as BBC News, CNN and Al Jazeera America. According to Nagel, online news gives readers the ability to choose stories that personally interest them. It is convenient and does not require a huge time commitment. He also says checking a variety of news sources is important so readers can compare the content. Although he says it is not necessary to check daily, he typically reads the news for about 15 minutes a day. "(It is) good to stay informed about the wider world, because we want to stay globally engaged as Christians," Nagel said.
Kidane Sarko (senior):
Kidane Sarko receives his news either from television or online sources such as Facebook, CNN or BBC News. As an international student from Ethiopia, he wants to know what is happening in his home country. World news also gives him specific things to pray for. "We are called to care and pray for others that are suffering, who do not have peace and freedom," Sarko said.
Raegan Flikkema (senior):
Reagan Flikkema sees Twitter as a quick and easy way to follow the news. She follows several news organizations such as The Huffington Post, Los Angeles Times and The New York Times. "I use podcasts, too. You can download it to your iPad or iPhone and you can listen to them when you are studying or at the gym," Flikkema said. Although it may seem a bit intimidating, she recommends picking a few sources and subscribing to websites that offer subscriptions.
(Thumbnail image provided by Brocken Inaglory)
