Why do you study Journalism and Political Science?

My interest and passion for both fields I feel can be mostly attributed to an incessant desire within me to inform my community on the issues that directly impact them and to do so in a way that accurately, effectively and ethically deconstructs the complexities that characterize the political process. Today more than ever, the ability of citizens to understand the institutions in which they and the rest of society operate within should not be exclusive to people who have the privilege of earning a political science degree. This is ultimately why I am so passionate about my fields of study and why I feel so unbelievably lucky to advance my knowledge of both through the CSU College of Liberal Arts.

Aside from the expected academic skills I have developed in my time at CSU, I have discovered so many skills within myself that I not only did not expect to ever uncover but also skills that I for so long believed I would never be capable of employing. Examples of these are clarity and brevity in verbal and written communication, multicultural consideration and appreciation, interpersonal relations, multimedia content creation, critical and independent thinking, the ability to empathize with and find the merit of ideologies that do not align with my own, and — above all — confidence in my own abilities and knowledge.

One of the most rewarding aspects of my liberal arts education at CSU has been the hands-on experiences afforded to students both inside and outside of a traditional classroom setting. Whether it be creating portfolio-worthy multimedia pieces in journalism production courses or the ability to apply coursework to practice while working with Rocky Mountain Student Media, I have never felt as if the skills and information gained from classes serve no real purpose. Further, the way I have developed and evolved as an individual throughout my time at CSU is perhaps what I am most proud of.

The ways that both of my majors fuse and overlap, along with my personal passions, have led me to pursue a career in political journalism. Specifically, I hope to work as a photojournalist in the D.C. area reporting on political issues ranging from legislation to civil demonstrations. With the experiences I have gained as I pursue my degrees, such as covering protests in D.C., Denver and Kansas City, I feel that this career path is perfect for me to achieve my larger, conceptual goals. Lastly, I do hope to eventually go to law school, so the interdisciplinary legal studies minor created by the College of Liberal Arts has given me even more of a focused background to pursue this.

What clubs/organizations are you involved in? (oncampus or off)

Outside of school and serving as a College of Liberal Arts Ambassador, I have also been involved with Rocky Mountain Student Media since the beginning of my freshman year. I started by joining the Collegian’s photo desk as a staff photographer and have since worked as the Photo Editor and Director. Additionally, throughout this past semester, I have been involved in creating a community startup project called Rock On Fort Collins which is a digital media hub where the stories of the faces and places of the city are shared.

Why are you involved in these clubs? What does involvement on campus (or off) provide you both personally and professionally?

Through both of these opportunities, I have gained so much hands-on experience that has been and will continue to be invaluable to me as I pursue my career. The Collegian has given me a background in working as a journalist in a newsroom, managerial tasks and the practice of reporting, while Rock On Fort Collins has allowed me to be a part of the process that goes into creating a brand from deciding aesthetics, voice and making and managing digital platforms and social media.

What's your favorite class and why?

My favorite class that I have taken at CSU is ECON 212, racial inequality and discrimination. I took this course the first semester of my junior year to fulfill credits for my minor and was not sure what to expect from it. Although I have long been interested in politics, my curiosity was focused on social issues as opposed to economic or financial ones. However, this class shifted my entire perspective on government and politics as I realized more and more throughout the semester how the social issues I care most about relate to and are influenced by the economy. Additionally, it developed my commitment to racial equity even further and opened my eyes to many aspects of the topic that I had never before considered. This course struck such a deep nerve in me that I ended up basing four of the journalistic pieces that I am most proud of on its contents.

What's your favorite CSU memory?

The thing that has made me love this university so much is not one specific event, but rather a trend I have noticed in myself since being here. Before coming to CSU, I was never the type who would be considered a ‘go-getter,’ let alone have such a passion to pursue a particular career path. However, that all changed as soon as I stepped on campus freshman year and was surrounded by people who were so passionate and driven, while also being provided with so much support from professors and the Liberal Arts faculty. If not for coming to CSU, I’m not sure I would have ever found the passion in myself to pursue any specific career.

What do you love about your major/College of Liberal Arts?

I love studying journalism and political science at CSU so much because I feel that I am given the freedom to focus on what I really care most about and being able to make an impact through my work. I anticipated that there would be overlap between all of my areas of study, but I am continually surprised by the scope of that overlap. Because journalism instructors care so much about giving students opportunities to pursue what they care about most, I constantly find myself using information and concepts from my political science courses to create the type of journalism I hope to make a living from. The applicability really makes me appreciate my time here because I know that everything I do builds on itself in order to for me to get where I hope to be.

What's next?

As much as it saddens me to think of my time at CSU eventually coming to a close, I am simultaneously so excited to see where my liberal arts education lands me. After I graduate, I hope to make it to D.C. and work as a political journalist before eventually pursuing a law degree. After that, I’m not sure what the future will hold for me but I am confident that whatever direction my life goes, I will be well-prepared because of my time and experiences while being a Ram.