Jessi Bock was editor of The Spectator, UW-Eau Claire's student newspaper.

Find Minong, Bock's hometown on the map of Wisconsin.

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Bock goes the distance: Small-town girl heads for city

Jessi Bock, 22, is looking for a newspaper job that will allow her a big-city life  . (Photo by Mike Dorsher)

There’s a side to Jessi Bock that isn’t always very obvious.

Many people see Bock in her most public and professional role as the editor in chief of The Spectator, UW-Eau Claire’s student newspaper. Something she doesn’t make so public is her desire to travel and lead a big-city life.

There’s little question Bock’s dedication to good journalism is first and foremost in her life. Bock estimates she spends about 40 hours each week working at the paper.

She also spent a year and a half working at Eau Claire's newspaper, the Leader-Telegram, as a part-time reporter and intern.

“There’s a lot of responsibility and always something to be done,” she said.

But when Bock gets the chance to leave the office, she thinks about traveling and adventure. This may have begun when she was just a young girl.

"It seems like when I was little, I took a trip every summer," Bock said.

As a high school junior, Bock was able to take a three-week tour of many of the countries in Europe with a group of other students. Each day was different for Bock, who enjoyed the sights England, France, Germany and Italy had to offer.

With that small taste of travel, the 22-year-old college senior from Minong is ready to explore and live outside of Wisconsin, where she has spent her entire life.

“Being a small town Wisconsin girl, I’d like to experience living in a large metro area,” she said adding a year-round warm climate would be preferable. “Some place warm sounds good but Chicago is cool too.”

Moving to a large city is no small feat for someone that has spent her life in a town with a population of 585. But the college senior remains undaunted by the big city life.

“Mainly, I’ve been so used to never having to look up directions anywhere, that will be a big change,” Bock said.

Bock isn’t sure where she’ll end up after graduation in May, but she also won’t be overly upset if she isn’t hired immediately.

“That will just give me time to go and do some things before I settle down.” Bock said.

A long-term goal is to work at a newspaper in Minneapolis or Milwaukee, Bock said although she is willing to start small and work her way up. Starting at a smaller daily paper will allow some time to improve reporting and writing skills.

“By staying focused on writing interesting stories I know I can get where I want to go,” she said.

Bock is confident that the journalism experience she has obtained in four years of college will be an asset when it comes to reaching her goals of being a reporter and traveling. She compares her trip to Europe to her choice of career.

"Every day was something new," she said. I think that's also why I like journalism -- because every day is something new."