NPR’s Next Generation Radio newsroom project at the University of Southern California has further incited my passion for journalism. After this experience, I can say I am walking out of here as a stronger individual. I am proud to have participated in this project because it got me out of my comfort zone, pushing me to address a science topic like climate change. I’m so grateful for my mentor Isabeth Mendoza, as well as the whole Next Generation Radio crew, for believing in me and giving me the tools for success. Thank you all for being present throughout the process and for giving me the opportunity of a lifetime. I am extremely grateful to all of you.
I am appreciative to have interviewed a person who cares for a cause, such as climate change. Even though the interview got tricky at times when my interviewee changed the subject, I made sure I re-shifted the conversation. There are times when we as journalists feel that the interviewee isn’t giving us much information, but that is when I stepped in and asked the right questions to get the story. This was meaningful because it made me practice my interviewing skills.
One of the biggest lessons was getting more comfortable with the audio editing software Adobe Audition. Learning the software is a huge boost to my career because it is essential to telling stories. I learned amazing shortcuts from our two engineers that allowed me to be faster at cutting and editing. Another lesson was learning what it was like to work under pressure and at a fast pace. I am proud of the effort I put in this week and moving forward, I am going to use this experience as a standard for all of the work I do. The Next Generation Radio project has opened my eyes to how much I can hustle if I simply dedicate myself to doing what I love. That is another lesson and motivator I am to use as a way to approach life as I continue this chapter of my life.
Like Kobe Bryant once said, “Great things come from hard work and perseverance, no excuses. If you love a thing you will overcome all difficulties.”