Brigham Tomco
Introduction
I am Brigham Tomco, a BYU student studying journalism and
philosophy. I have loved my time here at BYU and have tried to
take advantage of the valuable resources it offers, taking electives
in economics, political science and creative writing. I love to ask
questions and then feel my worldview shift and expand as I am
exposed to new ideas. But the thrill of learning would not mean
much if it did not enable me to change and improve the world.
Journalism, when practiced properly, has the capacity to create community, speak truth to power and foment the public dialogue necessary for social cohesion and progress. My career goal is to practice journalism in a way that inspires empathy, encourages critical thinking and contributes to a thriving, free and pluralistic society. I hope to practice this kind of journalism at the local level here in Utah so I can strengthen the community bonds that already exist while simultaneously making them more inclusive, as is the 'Utah way.'
Accomplishments
Covering local politics for BYU's Daily Universe has given me direct experience publishing in a newsroom setting. This last semester (Winter 2022), on top of a full class schedule, I produced at least one written story and one visual story each week, engaging in a fast-paced cycle of researching, interviewing and writing. This content was submitted under the pressure of hard deadlines and the high expectation of editors. My first week in the newsroom, I was assigned to cover the Utah Lake Restoration Project and its most vocal critic BYU professor Benjamin Abbott. Reporting on this story taught me the importance of ethics, balance and impartiality to quality journalism. It required extensive research of civil and statutory documents and several lengthy interviews with expert sources. The hard work paid off; it was the most read article on the website the week it was published, earning nearly 7,500 views.
Understanding the irreplaceable role journalism plays in a democratic society has also motivated me to pursue journalism independent of a school setting. @Betterdialoguenews is an Instagram account I started as a convenient one-stop location for the most significant local, national and world news. It gained over 250 followers during the five months I was actively posting Mon.-Fri. and had over 50 consistent daily readers. I also started a blog, Betterdialogueblog.com, almost two years ago as a place to post opinion essays, many of which have received more than 100 views.
About me
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I am 22
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I am from Heber City
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I have been married to Melissa Fellows since May 2020
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Our son, Elliot James, was born in June 2021
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I served as a missionary for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Paraguay from Aug. 2017-Aug. 2019
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I enjoy listening to podcasts, reading nonfiction and classical literature, playing guitar and going to the park with my wife and boy
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I was a member of two high school rock bands
