Name: Jason Collington
Degree: Bachelor of Science in News Editorial Journalism
Expected Graduation Date: 1998
Company: Tulsa World
Engineering student Jason Collington had a moment of truth his sophomore year and realized he needed to rethink the path he had chosen.
“I discovered I wasn’t put on this earth to be an engineer,” Collington said. “I thought for a long time. When was I happiest? I decided I loved writing.”
Realizing his passion, Collington went to The O’Colly office seeking an opportunity. The editor-in-chief at the time, Barbara Allen, gave Collington his first writing assignment. He was on The O’Colly staff from that moment forward.
Collington became the editor-in-chief for The O’Colly in 1998. After graduating, Collington started working for the Associated Press in Oklahoma City as a breaking news reporter in 1999. Later that year, Collington began his career at the Tulsa World in the Features Department. He has been in his current position since 2006.
Like many SMSC students, Collington spent a majority of his time in the Paul Miller Building. Unlike many SMSC students, his favorite memory of the building involves a run-in with police. Collington was rushing to get a story to the news press at the Paul Miller Building when he was pulled over for speeding.
“The police asked me what the story behind me speeding was,” Collington said. “I told them “Well, I actually have a huge story.”'
After Collington told the police details of the story he was rushing to get in by deadline, they let him go without a ticket, and he got the story in on time. He remembers this day as one where great journalism happened at The O’Colly.
In addition to his full-time position, Collington teaches. He credits much of his success to the encouragement he received from professors and uses teaching as a way for him to encourage others.
“It’s really important to encourage,” Collington said. “So, in my teaching, that’s what I do to give back. I try to say the same things that were told to me.”
Collington began teaching at Tulsa Community College in 2004. He has also taught at OSU-Tulsa and OSU-Stillwater. He teaches at 36 Degrees North, a base camp for entrepreneurs in Tulsa. Grateful for the chance to teach, Collington encourages students to find their way to give back, too.
“The best way to make a network is to give,” Collington said. “If you don’t give and you’re just taking, it’s not going to work out. You have to give to and connect with everyone around you.”