Sharon Stark has been involved in supporting journalism, especially the UW–Madison School of Journalism and Mass Communication, for many decades. She even supported Madison Commons back when it was just a fledgling news site in 2006, an essential infusion when founder Professor Lewis Friedland was getting it up and running. An alumna of UW–Madison and a Madison native, Stark spent many years with her husband, Peter Livingston, nurturing the credit union industry into vibrancy here, and she is now engaged in many arenas of philanthropy, including the arts and various community-based organizations. Madison Commons is grateful for her generous support and friendship.
Madison Commons: Why are you so passionate about supporting local journalism?
Sharon Stark: I believe in journalism at all levels of society. It’s what keeps us informed. Honest, fact-based journalism gives voice to democracy. It’s the essence of democracy. Especially now when it’s threatened. Daily life takes place locally, within our neighborhoods, schools, apartment buildings, churches, parks, governments and institutions. Local journalism tells us what’s happening in our communities. It helps us utilize available resources. Through storytelling, it can introduce and bond us together. When we know about one another, when we share our different cultures and backgrounds, we become more connected and less alone. We achieve a sense of belonging that enhances us personally and keeps our communities strong. In the turmoil of daily life, that’s important. Local reporting can build trust between journalists and those who feel ignored and/or don’t trust the media. When journalists engage with Native populations, for example, both parties start to build a relationship. When reporters talk to underserved, neglected populations, they start a conversation of understanding. It’s community building.
Madison Commons: What kind of stories do you think are the most important?
Sharon Stark: Stories that help us know and understand each other. Without a sense of camaraderie, we build barriers around us. We divide our conversations into them and us. By exposing ourselves to people of different cultures, we gain opportunities to grow as people. We don’t have the right to judge if we don’t try to understand the people we’re judging. We may think unfairly of those without jobs. We must ask ourselves why they’re not employed. Maybe they’re cut off from readily available transportation. If so, it’s hard to interview for a job —let alone get one. Do disadvantaged people have proper clothing for an interview? Do they know how to prepare for an interview? I had the resources, tools — and parents — to help me get my start in life. I also lived in a close-knit, help-each-other neighborhood. Many people in our community don’t have, and haven’t had, that kind of support. To build community, we must know and care about each other.
Madison Commons: What are the most important lessons or skills we can teach student journalists, in your opinion?
Sharon Stark: Employ the five Ws (who, when, where, what and how). These simple words reveal amazing stories. I once asked a German architect how old he was during Hitler’s Germany. Almost an hour later, I had learned about his father being forced to join a Nazi youth group, his family’s desperate fight to leave Europe, and then the church group that helped them flee to the U.S. and start new lives. He gave me a slice of history with my one simple question. Ask follow-up questions. Journalists irritate me when they don’t. By not following up with a who, what, when, where or how, they often miss the full story. Challenge answers. If you’re not getting the truth or if the answers are simplistic, press for more information. Resist the urge to take answers at face value.
Madison Commons: What do you think about the Madison Commons renewed focus on community collaborations?
Sharon Stark: Collaboration stretches resources, introduces us to each other, and lets us share expertise. It’s also fun. The outreach by Madison Commons to the Odyssey Project is a perfect example. Students in the School of Journalism and Mass Communication expose themselves to vibrant but struggling UW English students whose experiences and views are different from theirs. Because of tough backgrounds and ongoing challenges, Odyssey students express themselves with deep passion and feelings. Their stories are compelling — usually unrelated to how many of us think and feel. By having their stories published in Madison Commons, Odyssey students are paid for their work. It’s a win/win for two very different sets of UW–Madison students.
