REBORN— Albert Fulcher survived a terminal diagnosis to become America's top student media leader. He is now Editor-in-Chief of the East County Californian newspaper. Photo by Serina Duarte

REBORN— Albert Fulcher survived a terminal diagnosis to become America’s top student media leader. He is now Editor-in-Chief of the East County Californian newspaper.
Photo by Serina Duarte

Albert Fulcher was a dead man walking. Diagnosed with HIV, he was told by his grim-faced doctors to get his affairs in order.

After months and over the course of a year Fulcher relished his waning life until he realized one day that he was still alive and relatively healthy well past his doctor’s predicted expiration date. An experimental drug cocktail seemed to have worked. Fulcher was reborn.

F. Scott Fitzgerald was wrong. Fulcher got a second act and the United States Navy veteran used it to become America’s best student media leader, a multiple award-winning writer and a warrior for the First Amendment. He was recently named Editor-in-Chief of The East County Californian.

Fulcher found journalism accidently after his Navy career. He said he was hit with the fact that without a diploma he would not be able to find work that made him the same kind of money he was used to.

“Everywhere I went and looked for work,” he said. “The best I would find without a diploma was $25,000 a year despite all my experience. The sad thing was that no one cared what kind of degree I had, they just wanted to see I had some kind of schooling after high school.”

Fulcher began attending Southwestern College and said he chose to take a writing class solely because he did not want to be another person who could not write a proper email. After two semesters of classes with Professor of Journalism Dr. Max Branscomb, he fell in love with print media and it with him. An article he wrote in Branscomb’s Writing for Publication class was purchased by Newsweek.

“I got so hooked on journalism that it got to the point where money wasn’t an issue anymore,” said Fulcher. “I had finally, at the age of 50, found what I loved to do. I had come to school to make more money and I could easily be making three-to-four times as much as I am now, but I don’t want to anymore. I don’t care about the pay.”

Fulcher used his national award-winning column in The Sun, The Human Chord, to fight against former superintendent Raj K. Chopra and the corruption that engulfed SWC during a very tumultuous time in the school’s history. Fulcher was an editor at The Sun in September 2010 when Chopra ordered the paper to stop publishing. Despite countless attempts to silence him and the rest of The Sun staff, Fulcher said it was that very struggle that elevated him as a journalist. In 2012 he was named America’s best student media leader – university and college – by the College Media Association.

“If I had to give one kudo to the infamous Chopra,” he said, “it would have to be that he made us into real journalists. He made it more difficult than anyone else could have if they tried and that pushed us to be the best that we could be, and taught us to be professional journalists.”

Fulcher picked up a few fans along the way, including students who served under him at The Sun.

“I find him to be an amazing journalist with a great attention to detail,” said Angel Huracha, a former Sun columnist. “The fact that he is editor of the East County Californian speaks volumes about his dedication to the art of journalism.”

Former Sun staff member Rebecca Niebla Paredes said Fulcher was an inspiring leader.

“I’m happy for him,” she said. “I met him while I was a staff writer at the Sun and knew he was a great journalist. I’m sure he is going to do a great job (at the Californian). This is a huge step in his career.”

Fulcher, as always, was quick to give credit to others.

“The freedom Max gives The Sun staff makes it, in my opinion, the best journalism program in the country,” he said. “It attracts the best and it creates the best journalists. I feed off that. I’m like a vampire. I will suck the best thing out of every person and I will morph it into myself.”

Fulcher said his experience at The Sun prepared him well for his job at The East County Californian.

“I have this job because The Sun made me such a well-rounded journalist,” he said. “One of the main reasons I love this job is because it reminds me of The Sun. I get to do a little bit of everything.”

Amanda Abad, former editor-in-chief of The Sun, said Fulcher “made his own luck.”

“Albert worked hard during his time at The Sun to learn everything and to keep up with the younger students,” she said. “He definitely kept pace and outran many of them. He caught the journalism bug and it’s hard to shake. He loves what he does and it loves him back.”

The weekly East County Californian, formerly known as The Californian and The Daily Californian, has served San Diego’s East County since 1892. Fulcher has breathed new life into the publication, and is winning fans with his talent, energy and empathy.

“When I got hired I was told to be ready to be the mayor of six communities and they weren’t lying,” said Fulcher. “I’m busier than I’ve ever been, but I never feel overwhelmed and I love every second of it. This isn’t a profession where you go to work and then just head home at the end of the day. You really have to live, breath and love this job.”