Who is Ben Wiley?
When asked, Ben’s face lights up at the question.
“That’s a good question. I should have asked you that.”
He takes a moment to ponder the question. Then he takes another moment – then he considers the answers he came up with. At first, he considered beginning with neurodivergent but opted not to use that answer stating that being neurodivergent doesn’t define people.
He starts again, this time saying he’s kind, genuine, a hard worker and responsible. And by all accounts, that’s exactly who Ben Wiley is.
Ben Wiley is a master’s student entering his second semester at the Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication. Through my encounters with Ben, I would say that he nailed his description of himself perfectly.
Coming from undergrad at Seattle University, this isn’t the first time Ben has lived away from home for school. A former Southern California native, Ben got his undergraduate degree in General Journalism. At Seattle University, Ben wrote articles for the school’s newspaper, “The Spectator.”
At first, Ben was nervous to join the newspaper, citing nerves as the reason he was hesitant to become a writer for the paper. But once he joined at the end of freshman year, the articles he wrote there helped prepare him for the rigorous writing courses at Cronkite.
It’s no secret that Ben wants to become a baseball columnist or writer, hopefully for the major leagues one day.
“I could become like a beat writer covering a team for like, say, a newspaper or online publication. Or maybe working for the team, putting out like content on their behalf, or working with their communications department.”
These aspirations of Ben tie directly into his “hardworking” analysis of himself. During his time at Seattle University, Ben utilized his time efficiently, gaining knowledge in all forms of multimedia content.
And despite living away from home for school before, this time is different for Ben. This time, he shares his space with three other roommates – a stark difference from his time in Seattle.
While it’s taking adjusting, such as getting his groceries consistently and walking to and from school each day, Ben hasn’t let that set him back.
I have never seen Ben be late to class, he’s always engaged and attempting to learn. What impresses me most about my short time knowing Ben is the answers he gives during class discussions. Ben is informed and thus, he offers very informed and insightful answers when called upon.
With the class discussions we’ve had in our ethics class, you must have empathy and understanding to really grasp the nuance of these topics – Ben has that. Which is another reason why his answers are so insightful.
Ben truly is a kind and genuine person, another part of his self-description that he nailed. As the interview with Ben winded down I wanted to ask him another question.
To want to pursue a master’s degree in journalism, you must have a passion for the industry. The pay increase and the opportunities that come with this dazzling piece of paper are nice, but you need to be passionate about something in the field.
I asked Ben what he’s passionate about in the field of journalism. Again, he lights up like a Christmas tree as he ponders the question.
“I’ve thought about it in the past. I wrote this somewhere. I want to tell you stories (about) this society beyond sport or like, say, who the person, the player or coach, is.”
Ben continued – I could tell he was thinking deep into the question.
“Why does he feel the need to do this? Why does she feel the need to do this? I feel like those are the stories that need to be conveyed more beyond just writing about the game.”
And as if he wasn’t already shooting one hundred percent from the field, Ben Wiley again showcased his thoughtfulness and genuine nature. Throughout our interview, Ben showcased each of the qualities he used to describe himself.
But the most important one he hit on was the very first one. At the top of the column, Ben said that being neurodivergent doesn’t describe him – and he couldn’t have been more correct.
Neurodivergent doesn’t describe Ben Wiley at all. So who is Ben Wiley?
Well you heard the man – his answers and actions reflect that tenfold.
