In order to educate journalism and yearbook students about Arizona State University (ASU), Director of High School Journalism Institute at ASU and the Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication, Anita Luera, came to FC to give a presentation on the school and its programs, Sept. 28.
During her time with the students, Luera talked about the opportunities ASU provides for journalists and how they can expand their reporting abilities.
“I’m here to talk about our school of journalism in Arizona and the opportunities that we offer students once they come into journalism,” Luera said. “I’m also looking for those students who maybe aren’t sure but maybe after hearing this presentation and what we offer them in high school, will convince them that they have a shot.”
Along with informing the students about the school itself, Luera also discussed the two-week summer workshop they offer for students who want to develop their reporting skills. Throughout the course of two weeks, students stay in the ASU downtown Phoenix campus residence, take various classes in writing, video editing and reporting, and are exposed to the ropes of college.
Editor-in-Chief Tynin Fries attended the summer journalism camp and found it to be not only a great inside look on college life but also a growing experience in her journalism skills.
“I thought it was a really cool experience because I really got to experience what being a freshman on campus would be like,” Fries said. “I got to eat the food, sleep in the dorms and even talk with the professors that are really popular there.”
While getting a taste of life on a college campus, Fries also was able to learn from former ASU students and step into the role of a real-life journalist.
“It was really cool and a big learning experience for me because I got to interact with other students while interacting with seniors who had already graduated high school,” Fries said. “I got to live up to their expectations and demands while they taught us how journalism students are supposed to live, work and think all the timel.”
Within Luera’s presentation, she was able to Skype FC alumna Brooke Stobbe, ’12, who is attending ASU and is part of the Barrett, The Honors College at the Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication. Stobbe shared about her current classes and what she is learning.
“I’m taking two journalism classes right now and one of them is an online class for grammar that everyone has to take, and my other one is a lecture and I really like it,” Stobbe said. “I have it twice a week and it’s in a big lecture hall; there’s around 135 students and it’s by far my biggest class. We study the principles in the history of journalism. We talk about ethics, being in different scenarios and how to be ethical.”
Though Stobbe went out-of-state for college, she describes how the distance has not been a problem and how ASU provides comfortable living.
“I was really surprised because I thought I would get more homesick than I am. By this time, I thought it would start to be like, ‘party’s over, don’t really want to live here anymore, I want to go home now,’ but it’s nice,” Stobbe said. “I live on the honors floor so it’s quiet but there’s a lounge and people are always in there if I want to go hang out.”
In addition to enlightening the FC students on ASU, Luera was also able to explore The Feather and says that she is impressed with the work such a small staff can accomplish.
“It’s amazing what you do with such a small staff but it seems like great online web production that you do and a lot of work that goes into it,” Luera said.
This is the first time a representative of ASU has been on campus.
If you have any questions, contact Anita Luera or follow her on Twitter @AnitaLuera.
For more news, read the Sept. 26 article, PSAT fee due in office, Sept. 27.
