david dishman

As the digital editor for the News-Capital, I was responsible for all digital content published across all platforms. Website management, social media posts and more fell under my supervision. The job required constant attention to detail and close monitoring at all times. During my time, I helped reorganize the McAlester News-Capital website in order to more efficiently serve readers and digital subscribers. Emphasis was placed on photos and local content. Our numbers of followers on Facebook and Twitter saw significant rates of increase during my time as digital editor. Consistent, professional and high-quality content timed out for peak traffic helped propel our platforms to new heights.

During my time with Cru, I worked primarily at Colorado State University with college students. Serving in various leadership development roles, coordinating public service outreaches and leading teams were all in the job description. I spent a portion of my time working with ROTC students in Colorado and New Mexico as a branch of my work within Cru. I spent six weeks in Cape Town, South Africa, as part of one leadership role. I helped oversee a team of 30 college students and young professionals as they spent time working in local communities and on South African college campuses. I also served as a reporter for the "Gospel in Action" magazine produced by Cru. Writing content and highlighting company events, I was given the opportunity to travel to Greece and India in order to report internationally.

I spent six months covering city council meetings, police, crime and general assignment news during my time with the Columbia Missourian. Perhaps my biggest story, I reported on a case of alleged excessive force by a police officer on a citizen as it progressed through a hearing before the Columbia Citizen's Police Review Board. The board found evidence the officer used excessive force, the chief of police declined to heed the recommendation of the board to take disciplinary action and there was an ensuing public outcry about the case. It provided a foundation for a career of controversial and difficult reporting.

I worked in several capacities during my time as a staff writer at the McAlester News-Capital. I was a general assignment reporter and movie critic. My regular beats included education, social welfare, regional economics and healthcare. My writing earned state and national awards, the most prestigious of which being the Society of Professional Journalists' Sigma Delta Chi award for Public Service Journalism in 2015. I also received national recognition for my movie review column after winning the 2016 Best Reviews award from the National Newspaper Association. Additionally, I received numerous state awards from the Associated Press, Oklahoma Press Association and the Oklahoma chapter of SPJ.