By Ava Diaz
Young Tulika Bose was once a fresh mind in a college newsroom. Learning the ins and outs of what it takes to become a journalist, Bose boldly confronted the topics that most people typically tend to shy away from. After 17 years as a professional journalist, she is now a communications professor, teaching basic media production at Adelphi University and inspiring the creative minds of the next generation.
Bose, 38, who is originally from Los Angeles, said she has always had a love for the
media industry. The broad range of platforms allowed her to find exactly where she belonged. She received her undergraduate degree from the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) where she encountered harsh criticism from the editorial staff at the “Daily Bruin,” UCLA’s main campus newspaper for students and faculty.
Bose published her first major article, “Unveiled, unyielding, and unashamed,” in May 2008, winning the National Features Award. As a rookie journalist, this was a notable achievement. Having formed a foundation for her career in journalism, she realized that she had a natural talent.
“I didn’t love straight news reporting, but I loved features and in-depth explorations of people,” Bose said. She went on to complete her graduate degree at Columbia University before further expanding her career in journalism.
She said that in the world of the media there is a very substantial difference between journalism and content. According to the Northern Michigan University Writing Center, journalism allows people of all backgrounds to explore various other stories and perspectives around the world, illuminating the severity of crucial topics for everyone to understand.
“It’s like, ‘Oh this is going to make people uncomfortable’ and I like that,” she said. “It forces people to confront something they might not want to look at, ask questions and think critically.”
Content, however, is tailored to specific demographics, emphasizing the visual and emotional appeal of the story being told, she said. Recalling one of her favorite stories, Bose discussed Mashable, a digital media website that covers a broad range of themes. The story revolves around the relationship between two women who had romances with the same man. From opposite sides of the map, the women connected when their previous partner had exposed explicit images of the women online.
By word of mouth, the victims caught wind of Bose’s investigative journalism skills and reached out, hoping the right words could help share their harsh experiences. Upon receiving and sifting through hours of valuable information, Bose, accompanied by a print journalist, combined their expertise, creating both a feature article and short documentary. She said the police were able to use these pieces as evidence and rightfully convicted the suspect.
“It’s not just about storytelling,” Bose said. “I think the best journalism comes from an act of service. I did a good thing and it made a difference.”
Being a journalist entails numerous challenges. For Bose, it is the emotional load that comes along with covering complex subjects. “For weeks, I was looking at the most graphic images and text messages, things they were saying about these women. I had to not let my emotions get the best of me because I still had to work.”
Her admiration for teaching began in 2023 when working alongside Ella Weber, a 21-year-old public policy major at Princeton University. Weber and Bose collaborated on “The Missiles on Our Rez,” a podcast about the only Native American reservation hosting nuclear weapons in the country.
“Working with Tulika was really nice because she allowed me to have the space to process my emotions,” Weber said. “We talked about protecting ourselves and trusting your intuition.”
The podcast was nominated for a 2024 Webby Award. Although it did not win, Weber was grateful for the experience and proud of the final product. “Awards shouldn’t make you more proud of your work, but I would be lying if I said it wouldn’t boost my ego a bit.”
Although she is new to the role of an educator, Bose said she is ecstatic about the creativity and vivid imaginations present in young minds. As a professor at Adelphi, Bose hopes to spread knowledge about what it takes to be a journalist.
Having been in the field for more than a decade, she shared some of the lessons she’s learned through trial and error. “A big thing is your sources being able to trust who you are and your reputation,” she said, adding that a strong reputation can help a journalist build credibility. Bose believes that the more a source trusts you, the more likely they are to share your work with other people. Networking and connections are essential for any profession, and creating on various platforms ensures a diverse target audience, she said.
By conquering skepticism, Bose influences those around her to engage with the things that we are unsure of and be mindful of the world around us.
“Question everything, be relentlessly curious and never accept things at face value. Always dig deeper,” Bose said.
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