Long before Casey-Lee Anthony ever dreamt of studying at Stellenbosch University (SU), she was already imagining herself as part of the media world.

In primary school, she would read magazines or watch the morning news before school, fascinated by the way journalists could switch between serious reporting and entertainment stories. Soon she began producing her own homemade magazines, filling them with imagined headlines and distributing them to family members.

“I was obsessed with reading People magazine and watching the morning news before school,” Anthony recalls. “That’s where my dream to become a journalist started.”

It was the beginning of a vision that has led her from Kimberley in the Northern Cape to the demanding BA Hons Journalism course at SU.

A childhood shaped by stories

Anthony grew up in a home where curiosity and imagination were encouraged by the people closest to her. Her mother, Yolanda Rosier, and grandfather, Wilfred Paulse, were among the first to recognise her fascination with storytelling. “They would always listen to me talk about my dreams and the fictional stories I would write,” she says. 

Another early influence was her aunt, Meleney Goa, an English teacher who helped nurture her love of language and literature. “She gave me one of my first story books. I always looked at her as someone who understood my attraction to the English language and writing.”

Teachers also played a formative role. In Grade 8, Mrs Elzette Berndt – affectionately known as “Miss B” – became one of the first people to recognise the potential in Anthony’s writing. “She made me feel as though my writing ability had the potential to be much more,” Anthony says. “She always encouraged me to pursue a career in writing or English.” Even after she left school, Berndt continued to check in on her progress.

As a teenager, Anthony devoured newspapers and magazines, from the local Diamond Fields Advertiser and NoordKaapBulletin to national newspapers and television news programmes. Whenever the Northern Cape appeared in national news coverage, she remembers feeling a surge of pride. “I would get really excited to see that the place I was living in was finally getting some recognition.” 

A detour on the way to SU

Anthony began her academic journey at the University of the Free State, where she completed a degree in journalism. When she was unable to pursue an honours in journalism there, she obtained an honours degree in communication instead.

She first applied for the journalism course at SU in 2021, aware of its reputation as one of the most demanding programmes in the country. “I heard it was one of the best journalism degrees and that it was really hard to get accepted,” she says. “I told myself that if I get in, I must be good enough to be a journalist.”

Although she did not progress through all the stages of the selection process, knowing she passed the first round strengthened her resolve. Anthony begun building experience in the media field. She worked as a media attaché in the Office of the Premier of the Northern Cape and completed an internship at OFM Radio.

She remained hopeful to one day be accepted at SU. In 2025 she was finally able to take her place in the course.

Learning resilience and finding her voice

The year proved to be both exhilarating and exhausting. “Every day there was something that needed to be done,” Anthony recalls. “It felt like a full-time job, just a little more extreme.”

Deadlines were relentless, and finding time for rest was often difficult. “My mom was the reason I pushed through. She reminded me constantly that it would all be worth it.” Her father, Nathan, had always encouraged her to study because he didn’t have the opportunity to do so. “He always made sure that we know he has our backs when it comes to our education.”

Like many journalism students, Anthony experienced moments of doubt along the way. During her final in-depth project, the pressure became particularly intense. “It felt like I was having panic attacks daily.”

Yet the sense of community among classmates helped her push through. “We always showed up for one another,” she says. “Sometimes we would walk to the BP garage, buy a sausage roll and just talk about anything and everything.” 

Anthony says that studying at SU pushed her far beyond her comfort zone, forcing her to become more independent. “It challenged me to think more critically, work under pressure, and grow more confident in my abilities as a communicator and a storyteller. Professionally, it also gave me the opportunity to step into real roles and responsibilities, which helped me understand where I wanted to take my career moving forward.”

New role models

For Anthony, the value of journalism lies in its commitment to facts, fairness and responsible storytelling. “It’s easy to write an article,” she says. “But writing the full story with facts, quotes and all sides of the story is what makes it stand out.”

Looking to the future, Anthony’s childhood dream that began with magazines and morning news programmes remains firmly alive. “I’ve always imagined my career centred around storytelling and shaping narratives that matter. From here, I see myself continuing to grow as a writer and editor, gaining experience across different media spaces while refining my voice and perspective. Ultimately, I hope to tell stories that highlight people, ideas and issues that often go unnoticed, and to create work that is thoughtful, engaging and meaningful to readers.”

The celebrities she admired as a child have now been replaced by new role models. These days she’s inspired by South African journalists such as Caryn Dolley, an investigative reporter at Amabhungane, and Qaanitah Hunter, a leading South African political journalist. “I admire Caryn for her bravery in investigative journalism and her commitment to the truth, and Qaanitah for how she has made an effort in adapting to how society consumes the news while still maintaining strong, insightful political reporting.”