Every story begins at a single, focused point. Like many stories, mine as an Annenberg Youth Academy student has a linear narrative: a beginning, a middle, and an end. My focus point is at the beginning—my first week at Annenberg. If I had to describe my new experience as an Annenberg Youth Academy student, it would be prodigious. Nothing about this program has fallen short of the expectations one would have for the interdisciplinary curriculum offered here at the University of Southern California. In the timeframe of only 4 days, I have learned so much about journalism and communication through my professors and peers, and I’m certain my knowledge will continue to expand as time goes on. Right now, I stand proudly at the start of my journey as a civic journalist, and I look forward with hope that this story I am currently writing for myself will bring me closer to my goal of personal excellence.
The moment I began writing my story was when I entered the Annenberg building on USC’s campus. There was a feeling of unfamiliarity that loomed over me as I took my first steps on the flooring, but there was also a burning sensation of passion within me that wanted to take advantage of the content this program had to offer. I put this sensation to the test in COMM 101 taught by Professor Rogelio Lopez. I’ve always found learning to be a strong suit of mine, and throughout this week, I have used this ability to understand what communication and engagement truly mean in a broader sense. We were assigned many readings in COMM 101 as part of our first week of programming. One reading titled Communication Mosaics: An Introduction to the Field of Communication by Julia T. Wood stuck out to me most because of how it broke down general communication theories and concepts. Wood takes the time to express how communication is not a process that involves only sending words, and that there are overlapping layers of perception, feedback, and even context to consider when trying to understand its multiple frameworks. In-class discussions of readings like this only added more to my story as an AYA student, growing my perspective to become more understanding of how we connect and impact the world around us through engaging with each other.
My story as an AYA student continued with JOUR 101, taught by Professor Allan Lopez. This course explored many of the fundamentals of modern reporting, writing, and media ethics. I was instantly drawn to the fascinating ways in which journalism upholds democracy through directing public discourse. As students now, we are currently directing conversations and gaining diverse perspectives from the general public through our Vox Pop Project, essentially becoming facilitators and investigators of information.
Overall, my story as a part of AYA continues to naturally develop throughout this amazing program. I am excited to see what my progress looks like at the end of week 2—the middle of my linear narrative design.
Communicating Change 