ABOUT ME
Before I came to college, I had no journalism experience. I came from a small town, and my high school didn’t offer any journalism or writing classes. Because of this, I was ecstatic to be able to attend a university with such a strong journalism program that offers valuable classes and student organizations to enhance my skills. I started my freshman year knowing very little about journalism, and while I am certainly still learning, I can see how far I’ve come since then. Currently, I am the News Director at WPGU-FM, a student producer and reporter at Illinois Public Media News, and a communications intern at the Institute for Sustainability, Energy, and Environment. I am excited to see the next opportunities that arise for me at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign and beyond.
The classes and student organizations at the University of Illinois have already brought me valuable skills and professional-level experiences. Working at WPGU has allowed me to see what it’s like to manage a news team and work as a host and writer at a radio station. At the Illinois Public Media student practicum, I have been able to learn more about audio journalism, hear my stories broadcast on professional radio, mentor other students and edit their work. I’ve enjoyed seeing my passion for journalism grow as I increase my skills and knowledge in the subject. Before college, I was unsure as to how much I would enjoy journalism since I hadn’t had experience in it. Now, it is one of the things I am most looking forward to in my life. I love that every day brings something new, and I constantly feel like I am making a difference in people’s lives by sharing their stories with the public. In the past year, I’ve covered protests, scientific studies, politics, city council meetings, human interest stories, and so much more.
One of my goals before starting the journalism program was to involve myself in as many types of journalism as possible (print, audio, TV, etc.). As just a junior, I have been able to gain experience in multiple forms, but I still have much to learn in the coming years. It was also a goal of mine to cover extremely varied topics to become a well-rounded reporter; I wanted to ensure that I wasn’t constantly writing about the same subjects, and I wanted to learn as much as possible. I am glad to say that I have been able to do just that; I’ve covered many different topics, ranging from a study being performed using a high-tech MRI scanner to the effects of the Dobbs decision on Illinois. Through these experiences of reporting on different topics, I’ve learned how important it is for a journalist to produce many stories of varied subjects. I feel that I am becoming a well-rounded journalist because I am constantly learning new things and applying them to my way of thinking.
One thing that I want to improve for the future is creating a “brand” for myself. Too often, I compare myself to my peers, convincing myself that I am further behind than them or not as successful. However, I’m learning that every person in the journalism field is different. We all have different advantages and goals, but we all also have things that we personally struggle with. The journey to success is different for each of us because not only do we have different journeys, but we also have different destinations. I’ve learned that I need to focus more on my own path and how I can get myself there rather than comparing myself to the paths and successes of others. I do not want to be the same as every other journalist in the field; I want to create my own brand, my own way of distinguishing myself from others. I hope that one day, I can look back on the ways I have grown as a journalist and a person and appreciate how different I am from others.