by Aaron Bowersox and Caroline Shanks
The Man | The Memory | The Moment | The Morrow
The Man of Legend
Todd Fettig looking quite dapper.
The Memory
Todd Fettig knows a thing or two about outlaw journalism. In fifth grade his paper was shut down by a teacher after it was discovered he was violating school policy with his rogue establishment. Since then, Todd has been striving to perfect his craft at the Grand Rapids Press. His ambitions do not die there, however. Todd has struck an immortal balance between what he wants to do and what he must do. He has never compromised his journalistic integrity and he has remained steadfast in obtaining his goals.
Todd is a 1992 graduate of Lakeville Memorial High School in Flint, Michigan. There, he helped to revive the school’s ravaged newspaper. Prior to his high school foray into the printed arts, Todd started a student newspaper in both his elementary and middle schools. It was in elementary school that his spirit of journalistic justice took over and he knew that he would forever be linked to this world through the use of his pen.
“I’ve always had an interest in writing and current events, even in fifth grade when I started my own newspaper,” he says, musing by the light of his softly glowing monitor. “ I sold it for a dime until my teacher shut us down. Turns out, I was violating school rules by running a business from my classroom desk.”
After high school, Todd entered the hallowed halls of Central Michigan University where he studied journalism and political science. He spent all four years working for Central Michigan LIFE, the university’s newspaper, holding positions such as photographer, reporter, assistant news editor, and eventually editor-in-chief. He graduated in 1996 with a Bachelor of Science degree. Yet his thirst for education would not be satiated with a mere bachelor’s degree.
He entered into a master’s program at Grand Valley State University and graduated in 2003 with a Master of Science in Communication. The stage was set and the actors were in place. Todd Fettig was moving up in the world.
The Moment
One of Todd’s biggest influences in the field of journalism was a man by the name of Robert Myers. Myers owned a newspaper in Lapeer, Michigan and with his wife, and established a scholarship for CMU students pursuing journalism. The scholarship paid most of Todd’s way through college. Although he never got to meet Myers face-to-face, if not for him, Todd wouldn’t be as successful as he’s been in his 13 years as a paid journalist.
During college, Todd had reporting internships for newspapers including The Muskegon Chronicle and The Flint Journal. After college, Todd was hired full-time as a reporter and weekend editor at The Muskegon Chronicle, and for the past five years has been the copy editor for The Grand Rapids Press.
As a copy editor, Todd is responsible for editing, proofreading, selecting and placing photographs, and writing headlines. The schedule of a copy editor fluctuates quite a bit, and many of Todd’s coworkers start their workday at 3 a.m. to meet deadline.
“The copy desk is the last line of defense before the news page hit’s the press, so as a copy editor, I am one of the last people to see a story before our readers do,” he says. “No work day is ever the same. I love and hate the unpredictability of the news business.”
In addition to his work for newspapers, Todd has been an active volunteer in the community. He has been involved with various publicity committees, including the Muskegon Summer Celebration committee, and the City of Muskegon Adopt-a-Park program. Todd has also volunteered as a reading and writing mentor to students at local elementary schools.
The Morrow
Currently, he teaches a section of news reporting at Grand Valley State University. Todd has also taught communications courses at GVSU and Muskegon Community College. He plans on perhaps teaching full-time in the future.
“I want to stay in journalism in some capacity, but beyond copy-editing,” he says. “I might return to writing, or, if I can get through law school, become a lawyer defending media rights.”
Todd Fettig has remained steadfast upon the course of professional writing. Since he was a young tot in the fifth grade he has had the drive of a writer. His story is not one of exceptional circumstances but of hard work and the desire to achieve a goal. This is the story of a lone professional warrior standing against a shifting world.