May 18, 2026
According to the National Center for Education Statistics, up to 70% of students under 25 enter college undecided, and over half of all undergraduates change their major at least once. If you’re afraid of those numbers, you shouldn’t be! Just talk to Karalynn Davis about the sheer joy of achieving clarity when exploration suddenly snaps your future into focus.
“I came to GRCC, as did all of my siblings, because my mom works here,” Davis said. “Like many students, I came in the door with multiple interests. I couldn’t decide between journalism and music, so I started with music because I love it so much.”
Finding Clarity and Purpose
Davis says it only took one semester for her to figure out that music, while fulfilling, was not the right path for a career.
“The GRCC music program is exceptional,” Davis said. “Everyone here is so high caliber. Ironically, that’s one of the reasons I realized music was not for me. Trying to make a living from something that brings you solace is not necessarily the right career move.”
Fortunately, Davis had a second passion in her back pocket
“I did a lot of journalism in high school and loved it, but didn’t really think about it as a career because I had been so enamored with music,” Davis said. “The light bulb clicked for me in my recording technology class. I spent far less time on the recording than I did on the video that was supposed to go with it! I can’t tell you how many hours I invested in perfecting that silly video. I realized that the fire and passion I felt while editing, and that incredible feeling of getting it done and published, were things I wanted to do for the rest of my life.”
Working Toward a Goal
Once she figured that out, Davis locked in on her goals. After completing her Pre-Multi-Media Journalism A.A. at the end of summer 2026 semester, she plans to attend Central Michigan University to pursue a Media Arts major with a Journalism minor.
“My goal is to be a news anchor,” Davis said. “My ultimate, ultimate goal is to host CBS Sunday Morning.”
In a surprising plot twist, however, she will be attending CMU as the first-ever transfer student to be awarded the prestigious Lem Tucker Journalism Scholarship.
“After I visited CMU, Mike Potter of the journalism faculty recommended I explore this scholarship opportunity,” Davis said. “I dove headlong into Lem’s story to see if the opportunity made sense.”
Davis spent hours upon hours researching Lem Tucker…his stories, his life, and his significance in the world of journalism. She studied, wrote, edited and fine-tuned her application with the advice and critique of her grandmother, a beloved confidante and former English teacher.
“Something about Lem really resonated with me,” Davis said. “I found his reporting and storytelling to be magnetic. He injected every story with an ardor that made me want to listen. That’s the kind of reporter I want to be.”
Pursuing Journalistic Dreams
Davis says that winning this scholarship has been transformative.
“The quality of my life has skyrocketed,” Davis said. “Before, I was working four jobs and still didn’t know how I was going to pay for my degree. I was overcommitted and highly stressed. Now I can spend time with my family and my boyfriend. I’m getting more sleep. I’m down to two jobs, which is much more manageable. And I can pay attention to the world around me, which is a critical part of my future career success.”
As Davis prepares to pursue her journalistic dreams, she is undaunted by the challenges she knows are lurking, especially as they relate journalistic integrity.
“To me, journalism is a human profession,” Davis said. “It’s about humans showcasing another person’s story in a way that only a real person can. My goal is to earn public trust by telling the truth, even when the stories are hard. I hope that someday, people value both my bluntness and my dedication to the truth.”
In her scholarship essay, Davis wrote, “Lem Tucker’s legacy is one of candor. He told the truth, even if shying away from it was more convenient. Lem Tucker’s commitment to reporting with candor and fervor is one in a million. As I enter my first year at Central Michigan University as a transfer student, I hope to grow in my skills to emulate his legacy — no matter what I’m covering.”
Visit the Journalism web page to learn more about this program at GRCC.
This story was reported by Julie Hordyk.