Sophia Healy

Emmy Award-winning producer, journalist, and avid gardener encouraged students to consider passion in their search for success.

Doug Oster said he went through many job changes to find what brings him the most joy: engaging with his community through gardening. Oster said he started working for a local newspaper at 19 and discovered his interest in photography, which he had always enjoyed. He worked for multiple weeklies as their only photographer, and he loved it. He then spent 17 years working for the Pittsburgh newspaper, The Post Gazette.

Further down the line, he said he found his true passion in writing and his dedication to gardening. From there, he launched a website with a forum focused on gardening, Oster said.

The producer earned an Emmy Award for his special “Gardens of Pennsylvania”. He hosts “The Organic Gardener Radio Show” on KDKA radio and produces gardening content for WQED-TV. Oster has written multiple books on gardening and was the Pittsburgh Post Gazette’s “Backyard Gardener.”

Oster told students how important it is to find what you love and stick with it. The journalist said, “Find something that gives you this joy.” He recalled the disdain he’d seen on people’s faces as they came out of offices downtown after work, and he said he felt bad for them. “If you dread it, find something else to do,” Oster said.

Oster stressed that not every day will be perfect while working a job, but that finding joy in what one chooses to do is important. “I’m not retiring because I love what I do,” Oster said, “ I love telling these stories, and I love meeting these people.”

“People love learning about other people, their struggles, and their joy,” Oster said. Making connections with others is a major driver of Oster and his work. He told the audience

about giving away garlic bulbs for free at Hal’s Bottle Shop. Oster said one of those people would have a story, and they did. “I’m going until I die,” Oster said, “I want to tell these stories.”

The award-winning producer said that sometimes in the journalistic field, one is given an assignment to find a story and is uninterested or unmotivated to do so. Oster said, “If you roll your eyes and have it in your mind that it’s not going to be good, it’s not going to be good.” But, he said, if one is optimistic about one’s abilities, one will find a great story. Thinking back to connections one has made, or stories they’ve written in the past, can be used as motivation, Oster said. He mentioned there’s nothing wrong with hard work, and it feels good to do it.

As a father of a La Roche University alumnus, he stresses that there is such a diverse community on the campus alone. Whether it’s an athlete, the librarian, one’s professor, or even the classmate sitting next to you.“Everybody has a story,” Oster said, “It’s your job to find it.” He continues to share his gardening expertise with his community today.

Oster spoke to journalism students at La Roche University on Monday, November 18.