March 29, 2024

Nosco joins Daily News staff

Van Meter native will work out of Tribune office in Colfax

Growing up in a small, rural Iowa community, Matthew Nosco wanted to see the world. So, after graduating from Iowa State University, he did just that, traveling around Europe for a few weeks before spending half a year teaching English in China.

But when it came time to pick a place to call home, he went right back to what he knew best.

“Having grown up in rural Iowa, my county newspaper was an important facet in my life and in the community around me,” he said. “It helped to educate on public policy, highlight notable achievements by community members and drive discussions within my small town. It was a community connection, a common denominator. I look forward to helping drive this community asset in Colfax, Mingo, Baxter and the rest of Jasper County.”

Monday, the Jasper County Tribune and Newton Daily News officially welcomed Nosco to its newsroom team. The Van Meter native and Waukee High School graduate will be based in the Tribune office in downtown Colfax.

“I look forward to becoming a member of the Colfax, Mingo, Baxter and Jasper County communities,” he added. “I hope to build on The Jasper County Tribune’s rich tradition of tying together these communities with an informative outlook on the area’s events.”

While studying journalism at ISU, Nosco worked for the campus newspaper, The Iowa State Daily, as well as the campus television station, ISU-TV. An avid outdoorsman, he also participated in the outdoor recreation program.

“[At the Daily,] I did coverage on the environmental beat and sustainability on campus,” he said. “[At ISU-TV,] I worked to find story ideas and create video packages on a wide range of topics pertaining to ISU.”

For his collegiate internship, Nosco worked for Renewable Energy Group, where he was responsible for creating, maintaining and disseminating companywide documents. He also drafted press releases and letters to government officials on behalf of the company’s CEO.

“I kept up-to-date on all things related to renewable fuels with a focus on biodiesel,” he said. “This included price indexing, state and federal legislation regarding fuels, media mentions and much more.”

Two days before interviewing for the newsroom opening with the Tribune, Nosco returned stateside after a seven-month stint in China.

“I served as an English instructor in Zhengzhou, China,” he said. “I worked with kids ranging from 2 to 10 years old primarily, although I also worked with high school students and young adults preparing for their [Test Of English as a Foreign Language] exam.”

Editor Bob Eschliman said he was very excited to bring a young journalist of Nosco’s caliber to the Tribune and Daily News newsroom team.

“We had more than 40 journalists from all across the country apply for this position, and while it was difficult to pare that list down with so many high-quality candidates, I’m really glad we have Matt joining our team,” he said. “Not only does he understand small community life — having lived in a community very similar to Colfax much of his life — but he has a strong desire to serve, which was one of the most important attributes we were looking for in our hiring process.”