The first week of the USC AYA program was an amazing experience filled with knowledge. Though the first day was nerve-racking, the breakfast with all the students and parents helped to make me feel a lot more comfortable and ready for the day.
One of the things I was immediately excited about was the guest speakers. Honestly, I was not expecting to be so invested in this part of the program but as the week passed I only became more and more interested. I got to learn so much about what a career in media and pr looks like and the different pathways you have. I cannot wait to hear from more guest speakers throughout the program and gain more insight on careers in media and journalism.
On Tuesday June 20th, the second day of the program, Prof. Turner took our class to the broadcast and podcast room. Though this experience wasn’t entirely new to me because I am in broadcast at my school and have a podcast with some friends, I was still able to grasp so much new information about listening to co-hosts, staying on topic, and what broadcast is like in a more professional setting. It was also very fun to see the different studios and I hope to utilize all this new information for my future podcast and broadcast projects when school returns.
Over this past week I have fallen completely in love with the USC campus, the village, and the architecture. In between classes, during lunch, and during journalism on Thursday, I have had the opportunity to explore the different libraries, areas of study, and other beautiful parts of the university.
To wrap up the week we got to go on a field trip to Olvera Street. I had been here many times as a child with my family and have always appreciated its charm and celebration of culture and I still consider it a very nostalgic and significant place to me. That being said, it had been a while since I had visited Olvera Street and was eager to go back and experience it though a journalism perspective. On Olvera Street I got to witness a variety of beautiful pieces of art, decoration, cultural expression, and much more. I also had the privilege to speak with some very knowledgeable and passionate people and learn so much more about the history of Olvera Street and Mexican-Americans. Overall, my experiences in the AYA program have been nothing short of incredible.
Communicating Change 