Crafting a resume, creating a portfolio, networking and building connections, and learning communication skills — you’ll quickly learn that these are all essential parts of beginning your professional career during your time at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.
Luckily, you can do all of these and more at The Daily Cardinal.
The Cardinal provides its reporters with a variety of real-world experiences they can’t find anywhere else.
On Badger gamedays, Cardinal reporters take to the press boxes, field and floor at Camp Randall Stadium, the Kohl Center and the Wisconsin Field House to do first-hand coverage of all Wisconsin athletics teams.
In the evenings, Cardinal reporters head to the Sylvee, High Noon Saloon and Majestic Theater to listen to their favorite touring and local artists perform.
During the day, Cardinal reporters head to the Wisconsin State Capitol building to get one-on-one interviews with legislators and state politicians, including Gov. Tony Evers.
On special occasions, Cardinal reporters travel across the state to report on visits from President Joe Biden, Vice President Kamala Harris, First Lady Jill Biden and other high-profile political figures as they travel to the key swing state of Wisconsin.
At a moment’s notice, Cardinal reporters are on the ground reporting on breaking news as it happens — whether it be the collapse of the Memorial Union pier, gunshots fired on State Street or protests against university administration.
But what matters most to the Cardinal is our community. The Cardinal prides itself in its history of delving deep into the issues that plague UW-Madison students, showcasing the efforts of local businesses and organizations, and holding those in power accountable for their actions.
What matters most isn’t the voice of those in power. It’s the voice of our collective community. And that’s what we highlight at the Cardinal.
The Cardinal has been an integral part of the UW-Madison community for over 130 years, providing community-oriented coverage that matters. In fact, the Cardinal has generations of living alumni across the entire world who dedicated their time to highlighting the efforts of the UW-Madison community during their time in college.
Over 20 Cardinal alumni have gone on to win the famed Pulitzer Prize, and others have gone on to become high-profile journalists in their respective fields. Big Ten basketball reporter Andy Katz, Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Anthony Shadid, former Madison Mayor Paul Soglin and The Onion co-founder Scott Dikkers all wrote for the Cardinal during their time at UW-Madison.
Currently, the Cardinal holds the two highest awards for student journalism in Wisconsin — the Wisconsin Newspaper Association’s General Excellence award and the Society of Professional Journalists’ Mark of Excellence award — something no other student paper in Wisconsin can claim.
Cardinal editors work hand-in-hand with our writers to produce the best journalism at UW-Madison. Whether a writer is a seasoned journalist or has never written an article before, the Cardinal’s editors work carefully and diligently to train our reporters to be the best they can be.
News-writing and communication are invaluable skills, and the Cardinal can teach them to you. Whether you’re looking for a career in journalism, communications, marketing, public relations, publishing, screenwriting or none of the above, the skills you learn at the Cardinal will serve you throughout your career.
If you’re considering what to do with your time at UW-Madison, consider joining The Daily Cardinal.
Drake White-Bergey is the former editor-in-chief and photo editor of The Daily Cardinal. As a photojournalist, his coverage focuses on politics and protests. Drake is a 2024 graduate with a degree in History and Journalism.
You can follow him on Instagram at @whitebergey.photography and on Twitter at @DWhiteBergey. You can view his portfolio at https://drakewhitebergeyphoto.wordpress.com/
