College Experiences That Helped A Journalist At ABC 10News KGTV Succeed

I did everything in undergrad to set me up for success. There were two main things I focused on.

One was experiencing every aspect of the journalism world. This included working in print, radio, and television. Print provided me with essential writing skills. Radio helped me develop the ability to read for long periods and hone my vocal skills. TV, of course, equipped me with the visual skills I needed.

Having all three experiences in your back pocket makes you valuable coming out of college. I remember in interviews, I'd mention being editor-in-chief, a radio anchor, and a video reporter. Interviewers often responded positively, saying they also had experience in radio or newspapers, and they really liked that diverse background.

The second thing I did was influenced by COVID, which took away a lot of my in-person school time. I only had one year at Cal Poly to use all the facilities, like the set and the radio station. I had no free time because I was on the video team, joined Mustang Game Day, participated in three radio shows a week, and worked a part-time job outside of school.

I was incredibly busy every single week and day. I also worked through the summer. Since I lived in SLO, I continued working for the newspaper. I created my own video series during the summer and was able to report on a high-stakes murder case, the Paul Flores Christmas Smart case, which many people are familiar with.

I really took advantage of my time at Cal Poly, utilizing all the resources and the people who could help me. I joined every news organization I could on campus. While I had no free time, I learned so much and was able to secure a great job before I even graduated. That's what I did in college.