MY STORY:

• Business owners discuss their journeys and advice for U students with start-ups

MY BLOG:

I originally developed my story ideas by beginning to think about how important it would be to let the readers know about small businesses in Utah. The reason why I wanted to focus on that was because I wanted a way to encourage University of Utah students to start their business and capture the unique experiences of several business owners.

I located one of my sources through one of my fellow classmates. A student heard my story idea and provided me the contact information for another University of Utah student who has started her own business. As for my other two sources, I was able to get in touch with them due to one of my good friends.

I found the best sources for my story because each one had a unique story to tell and each had unique advice for U students. Luckily, I did not encounter any obstacles, ethical issues or moral dilemmas. All sources were very open to answering questions and sharing their stories.

I decided my focus would be to highlight experiences of business owners. How I made sense of all the information I gathered was to revise my interview notes and highlight the most fitting information that fit my focus.

The writing process taught me a lot about my craft. I learned that I took useful notes while interviewing my sources and that recording the interview allowed me to not miss out on any important details.

What surprised me in the interviewing process was that all of my sources were happy to share their struggles, successes and what they would do differently if they could do it over again.

The overall lesson I learned from my interviews was to not let fear get in the way of what one wants to accomplish, and that being a student at the U comes with a lot of great benefits to help you every step of the way in starting a business.

ABOUT ME:

I always had a hard time figuring out exactly what I wanted to be when I grew up.

I have always been interested in just about everything, which made it hard to narrow down what I wanted to do as a career. When I was a little girl, I wanted to be a veterinarian, due to my love for animals. I changed my mind on that career as soon as I realized that I would be seeing many animals sick and injured.

I was raised having a business mindset. I grew up observing my dad run his business and teaching me many lessons. When I was around 7 years old, I began coming up with new ways to make some money. One of the ways I made money was that I asked my parents to buy me a bulk package of handmade greeting cards, and I went around my neighborhood and sold them individually. I quickly realized that I was not afraid to talk to anyone and that I wanted to have my own business someday.

When I was deciding what I exactly wanted to go to school for, it was a pretty easy choice. I am now a junior at the University of Utah and will be finishing in Spring 2019 with a BA in strategic communication. I am enjoying this major because it is setting up a great foundation for my MBA I plan to work hard for.

I am glad I have a great family that not only supports me but encourages me. I am thankful my dad taught me from a young age to be business-driven. He pushes me to be the best that I can be.

I enjoy a lot of activities in my free time. I love spending time outdoors, whether it is jogging at a park, walking my dogs, or hiking with friends. I really enjoy traveling to new places as often as I can, with my friends and family as well.

MY STORY: 

• The University of Utah brings benefits of music to local students through Piano Outreach Program

MY BLOG: 

I love the performing arts and community outreach. The benefits of being involved in the performing arts (including developing confidence, talent and creativity) shouldn’t be restricted only to individuals in higher socioeconomic classes with lots of discretionary income. Everyone should have opportunities, especially children.

My roommate is a piano performance major and during our freshman year, she was a volunteer in the Piano Outreach Program. I didn’t know a lot about it, but it sounded interesting. Fast forward to last semester when I was heavily involved in researching how to overcome socioeconomic boundaries in extracurricular arts programs. One night I was in a rut with my research, so I talked through it with this same roommate. She reminded me of the Piano Outreach Program.

It ended up not fitting in my research project that semester, but I was determined to learn more about it.

At the beginning of this semester, Professor Mangun asked each of us to think about a topic to explore for our enterprise story. I immediately thought about the Piano Outreach Program. I finally get to learn more about it!

One of my sources, Mio Cowden, the coordinator of the Piano Outreach Program, has been a tremendous help. She is very passionate about the program and its effect on students. Although she is very busy with administrative and teaching duties, she took time to answer all my emails and meet in person to chat. She has also been the key to finding other sources willing to share their experiences and insights as teachers in the program.

Another benefit of meeting Mio was getting to practice my Japanese again! She was born in Japan and I lived there for a while, but don’t get many chances to speak anymore. Part of the interview was Japanese (especially when she got excited) and the rest in English. Though all of the quotes in the story are her words, not a translation.

While thinking about a focus for this story, I was interested in how the Piano Outreach Program helps refugees and other lower socioeconomic class students. However, when talking to my sources, I heard a unified message: Who cares about their background? Music unites students because during this time, labels fall away and they are just children learning music.

 ABOUT ME:

 Musical theater holds my heart.

I grew up singing, dancing, acting and keeping my sights set on Broadway. Along the way, I loved thinking and writing about shows. At the University of Utah, I started as a musical theater major, then made my way to the Department of Communication because I love strategizing and writing. I now major in communication with an emphasis in strategic communication and a minor in theater.

In a world where the arts can make a significant impact but get rampantly cut from budgets, I want to persuade decision-makers to understand the importance of arts and make opportunities available to everyone, particularly young students, regardless of socioeconomic status.

Someday I dream of being a marketing/communications director for a fine arts organization, preferably a theater company!

MY STORY:

• Redefine beauty with positive body image

MY BLOG:

With the society that we live in it is becoming more and more common to compare ourselves to others. Media in all forms are extremely present in society even for young children. My entire life I have struggled with self-image and low self-esteem as many others have too. But what is different now than when I was a child is the easy access to social media, a platform designed specifically to show other people what you want them to see about your life.

Recently while scrolling through Instagram I came across a profile of someone who was discussing the harmful effects of social media. The profile described the connection between social media and comparison, depression and even increased suicide rates. This was terrifying to me. I know that when I get on social media it is easy to feel all of those effects and emotions but I have been able to turn it off and forget about it. However, others are not.

Originally this is the story I wanted to tell. The damaging effects of social media and how it is affecting us as adults and our youth. How easy these platforms make it for us to compare our lives, beauty and worth to others. This was until I learned of the Kite sisters. Lindsay and Lexie Kite are graduates of the University of Utah and creators of the nonprofit Beauty Redefined.

These women are some of the most knowledgeable women I have learned about. And they have created a message that should be shared with all young girls and adults around the world. The women portray everything that it means to be strong, healthy and beautiful from the inside out. Instead of discussing the damage that can come from social media these women discuss the importance of positive body image and how we can learn to deal with the harmful ideologies portrayed in the media. The identical twins travel the world teaching women how to redefine what beauty means and that our looks do not define us.

This is now the story that I want to share. The story of these two incredible sisters who have an even more incredible message to share with the world about the importance of body image positivity.

ABOUT ME: 

I am currently a strategic communication major at the University of Utah and will be graduating in the spring of 2019. Currently I run my own business as a hair stylist, which allows me to show my creativity while forming relationships with each client who sits in my chair. But what I love most about my job is the ability it gives me to make others feel confident about themselves.

MY STORY: 

• Best Friends Animal Society hopes to ‘Save Them All’ through NKUT initiatives

MY BLOG:

Contemplation leaves my mind a little confused given too much time. I felt I had so many topics to write about that choosing just one felt impossible. OK, maybe not impossible, but certainly difficult.

Actually, I didn’t even come up with the idea to write about Best Friends Animal Society. Any guess as to who did? Well, just like a lot of other decisions in my life, my parents suggested the topic.

Every initial idea I had seemed great, but I couldn’t find enough information to highlight that would make a story interesting. It was one of those necessary breakups with my ideas that ended in a, “It’s not you, it’s me.” Luckily there weren’t too many hearts broken.

It wasn’t the people or businesses involved in my potential stories, but it was me. I couldn’t seem to create ideas that deserved at least 850 words. My professor, Kimberley Mangun, told the class our first ideas were probably not going to be what we ended up writing about. I didn’t think much of this. I thought my ideas were great.

What I thought then is different than what I think now. I feel more humble about my approach to writing, like story ideas that present themselves in subtle ways are the ones that are worth further exploration.

After the mention of Best Friends from my mother, my first thought was, “Wow! I can go on a trip to Kanab and spend all day with dogs!” That didn’t seem like a bad idea at all.

I admit the idea of visiting 1,700 animals was persuasive, but all throughout my life I have volunteered with animal organizations and grown up in a family that raised what we called “muts” from the pound; otherwise known as rescue dogs from animal shelters. The topic was one I related to and felt compassion for.

To clarify, I wasn’t the “mut” nor was I from the pound, but ask a family member and they might say vice versa.

I began my story as any millennial might do. I went straight to social media. I made a post on Facebook in the Best Friends volunteer Facebook group.

My post gained a lot of interest. Employees and volunteers reached out to offer any help they could with my story.

I was shocked. I was pleased. And I was ready to start writing.

I direct messaged the individuals on Facebook who I was interested in interviewing. We exchanged our schedules and then coordinated a time to meet while I was volunteering at the Best Friend’s sanctuary.

I was inspired by everyone I talked to. I learned a lot of interesting facts as well. One woman I met began volunteering at Best Friends after she watched a TV show called “Dogtown,” which was filmed at the sanctuary in Kanab. She’s also from Wisconsin and has been volunteering for eight years now. She flies to Kanab three times a year.

I managed to interview her on one out of three times she will be in Kanab this year. You could say it wasn’t mere luck, but destiny. 

I knew No-Kill Utah was a significant movement, but I was unaware of the resources available for community members to become involved.

NKUT was my focus for a couple reasons. One being that Best Friends hopes to reach no-kill status by 2019, so proximity of time worked out great for me. Another reason being the work of Best Friends, made possible by employees and volunteers, in my opinion deserved recognition.

During my researching process, I was completely overwhelmed by the information available to me. I couldn’t find a starting point. There was so much to be written about and after my first rough draft I felt I had brain dumped a lot of information into a Word document that wasn’t cohesive.

It look a lot of editing before I was pleased with my work. Most importantly, I wanted Best Friends to be pleased by my work.

I had a rewarding experience writing about Best Friends. Writing profiles as I did showed me that journalism can be symbiotic for both the writer and the subject.

It’s personal experiences like this that make all efforts seem beneficial to my success as a professional and individual.

ABOUT ME:

Keaton Shirk grew up in Dallas, Texas, until moving away to attend Santa Barbara Community College in Santa Barbara, California, after she graduated high school. While taking in the sunshine and sea breeze, she took courses to complete her associate degree and decide what career she found herself most passionate about.

In her free time, she volunteered at the Santa Barbara Food Bank, where she gleaned fruits from community members’ trees. The gleaned fruit was then distributed to fellow community members who relied on the support of the food bank. It was an uplifting experience for her. Many of the people she volunteered with are still great friends to her now.

After completing her general academic requirements in Santa Barbara, Keaton transferred to the University of Utah in Salt Lake City. Before officially transferring, she did not go to school for one semester. She did this so she could spend time exploring Utah.

Everywhere Keaton travels she seeks out businesses and nonprofit organizations that are helping local communities. She enjoys supporting those that strive to support others on a daily basis. This passion led her to eventually becoming a board member for the Sugar House Farmer’s Market. She assisted with social media and website management.

Once university classes started, Keaton began exploring the resources offered at the U. She found the opportunity to take an internship position in Barcelona, Spain. The internship taught Keaton valuable skills that are only acquired in real-life experience. Keaton wrote for the company’s blog and enjoyed building a portfolio with creative content inspired by her life in Spain. Due to the exposure Keaton received working at a touristic company, she found an interest in the travel industry.

Since Keaton has returned to Utah, she values the knowledge she gained from her internship and is therefore exploring other internship opportunities in Utah and abroad. Currently, Keaton is majoring in communication with an emphasis in journalism and minoring in parks, recreation and tourism with an emphasis in sustainable tourism. Keaton hopes to graduate the U by 2020 and find a career that combines her appreciation for communication and tourism.

MY STORY:

• For the love of books

MY BLOG:

I have always been a reader. Even before I could read I would beg my parents to read everything to me. Naturally, when I learned that I would need to write a story my thoughts leapt to books.

My thoughts also went to my friend Sinai Valero. I’ve known Valero since elementary school. In that time, I have managed to interview her for almost every project like this that I have had.

Since Valero owns a comic bookstore and is my favorite interviewee of past projects, I started to formulate a plan to write a feature on local bookstores.

Finding resources for my story was much easier than I expected.

Getting hold of Valero was no problem, seeing as we have been friends for so long. I got in contact with Anne Holman and Ken Sanders through family. My uncle has worked with both of them. He was kind enough to put me in touch with them.

These people were perfect for my story. Since each of them run a local bookstore, they know a lot about the industry.

Making sense of my information wasn’t hard. Each of my interviewees talked a lot about the communities surrounding his/her store and the threat of online shopping. So, when I sat down to go through my notes the focus was obvious.

The actual writing was harder. The most difficult part of writing was getting started. There were many times when I sat down in front of my laptop, opened a Word document, and then immediately shut down my laptop. But eventually I told myself that I needed to get something done. So, I wrote an outline. Seeing my story laid out made it feel much more doable. Suddenly, the writing came easily.

What surprised me about this whole experience is how much I enjoyed interviewing. As I mentioned, I have already done a few interviews, but it was only with friends. The idea of interviewing strangers was daunting. But I loved it. I’m excited to see where this newfound love of interviewing will take me.

ABOUT ME:

I am a communications major at the University of Utah. My intention is to graduate in the spring of 2020 with an emphasis in journalism. I grew up around the news, spending my childhood as a “backseat listener” of NPR. I’ve always been fascinated by world events and politics. As a result, I have grown to love hearing and telling others’ stories.

Journalism wasn’t my first choice for a career. Along with an interest in news and politics, I also have a fascination with plants and animals. My plan was to go into biology. However, I quickly discovered this was not what I needed to be doing. After some introspection, I realized that writing is more suited to my talents.

I look forward to getting further into the journalism field and to learning more about what is going on in my world.

MY STORY: 

• Three dessert shops in the Salt Lake Valley you need to try

MY BLOG:

When thinking of what to write about for my story, I had many ideas in my mind. I thought about writing on service dogs, cheap airline flights and local coffee shops.

One idea stuck out though, dessert.

I am in love with dessert; it is my favorite meal of the day. Ever since I could eat sweets, I was a dessert girl!

I knew I wanted my story to be fun — there is nothing about a dessert that’s not fun! I didn’t want to write about anything serious or of a hot topic because that’s just not me.

I wrote my story on three local dessert shops in Salt Lake City. I wanted to focus on different styles of dessert. Ranging from edible cookie dough, incredible ice cream, and gourmet desserts I hit all the dessert bases.

It was hard to pick only three dessert shops; I had people giving me recommendations left and right.

I thought it was so interesting how relatable dessert is and how no one talks about it. It is always an afterthought. Maybe that’s why dessert comes after dinners. If you want me to be honest though, dessert comes before dinner for me.

To begin my story I had to hit up the dessert spots and get the best desserts

To no one’s surprise my boyfriend was ecstatic to get out and try all the desserts in Salt Lake. My original plan was to go to one shop every weekend, but we ended up going every night. It was just too much fun trying different sweets!

The first shop we went to was Dough Co. For a Tuesday night this place was insanely busy. We got delicious cookie dough recommended by the employees and talked to this awesome family who was out for family night.

This family gave me another excuse to go out for dessert! Family time!

On Wednesday night we went to Last Course in Salt Lake City. Last Course is the reason I wanted to write about dessert. This place takes dessert to the next level.

Last Course offers ice cream and gourmet treats. The workers push newcomers to taste test all the ice cream options.

We ended up with two desserts and two ice cream scoops. For two people this was more than enough dessert. We chose the Glaming S’mores and the Upside Down Caramel Apple Pie based on a recommendation of the employees.

For our last and final dessert stop we hit up Normal Ice Cream. This is a food truck but is in Trolley Square for the winter.

It features a good deal of diverse ice cream options. After reading through the menu we ended up getting the signature White Out and London Fog ice cream cones.

These aren’t like normal ice cream cones. The only word I can think of to explain these cones is: beautiful.

Going through this experience of having dessert every night for a week was amazing. I would recommend anyone to do it. I loved all the different options available in Salt Lake City.

Dessert should be everyone’s favorite meal of the day. Dessert makes everyone happy and everyone deserves to be happy!

ABOUT ME:

Growing up I never knew what I wanted to do. My friends wanted to be firefighters, veterinarians and doctors. I still had no idea what I wanted to dedicate the rest of my life to. My whole life I’ve been surrounded by marketing. My dad’s been working with the same company since I was born. I’ve been surrounded by catch phrases and commercials.

Throughout high school I was interesting in psychology and how people work. Going into college psychology was going to be my specialty, and I was excited. Like many other college students I took my first biology class and figured out science wasn’t my thing. To be successful in psychology, it is recommended to head for a pre-med route. I knew I couldn’t do that since science and math just aren’t my thing. My second idea was to head to business school and go into marketing. When I talked to advisors they recommended strategic communication, because this would let me be creative but still work for a marketing company. I am currently a sophomore and starting my major. I am so happy to be starting what I want to do.

On top of studying and working I’ve been training service dogs for military veterans. This has to be the most rewarding thing I’ve done in my lifetime. Working with veterans and seeing first hand how my efforts can change someone’s life is amazing.

MY STORY:

• University of Utah Climbing Team prepares to defend its title

MY BLOG:

As a member of the climbing team, the idea to highlight the team and its success seemed very appealing. I chose a variety of sources, the first, Danny Popowski, was an easy choice as he had started the team himself a few years ago. His perspective seemed invaluable to the story, and his comments really communicated to the reader how successful the team has been.

For my other sources, Monica Barnes and Sam Enright, I wanted to highlight that the team is made up of both seasoned climbers as well as newer, less experienced climbers. Barnes, having only recently begun climbing, provided us with a fresh and genuine perspective. Enright was able to provide readers the perspective of a very accomplished, goal-oriented climber.

During the course of writing this story I was pleased to not be met with many obstacles. My interviews went smoothly and my sources were very helpful. I gathered quite a bit of information from my interviews, but I wanted to keep my focus on the experience level of the climbers, how the team has helped them, and how they are preparing for nationals.

The actual act of writing this story was pretty easy for me. I simply decided on what kind of lead I wanted, what tone I wanted to set, and how I wanted to portray my sources. I really enjoyed this story and I hope the audience is captivated by my narrative and intrigued by the climbing team and storytelling.

ABOUT ME:

Eric Jerome is a student at the University of Utah studying strategic communication. Born in Finksburg, Maryland, Eric only recently moved to Utah to pursue his love of rock climbing. Aside from climbing, Eric also enjoys making art and eating copious amounts of food.

MY STORY: 

• University of Utah fraternity partners with Rape Recovery Center

MY BLOG: 

Finding a topic for my enterprise story was exciting for me. I knew I wanted to choose a topic that would bring positivity to a world that sometimes seems dark. Beta Theta Pi’s relationship with the Rape Recovery Center was a story I felt needed to be told. The Beta members show that there are still many great people in the world wanting change. I located sources through some of my fellow Greek community members. I wanted to make sure I focused on how driven these men are. Therefore, I chose to interview sources who were putting the most effort into these events. They were the best sources for me because they were able to tell me their vision and motivation for why they work so hard with the RRC.

During my interviews, I never ran into any moral dilemmas because sexual assault is something everybody can relate to. This helped me choose my focus. I chose to focus strictly on Beta’s relationship with the RRC and the fundraising efforts. Writing this story was extremely humbling. I have watched young adults take a lot of backlash lately. Society believes all young people are careless and selfish. Writing about men my age who are out there making a huge difference is so amazing. I am so glad that I chose to highlight the men of Beta. I truly believe these men have started a movement that can change campuses across the country. It was a privilege to get to know the members of Beta Theta Pi. They pride themselves on being “men of principle” and it shows.

ABOUT ME: 

I am a 21-year-old junior at the University of Utah. After debating between marketing and communication, I decided to major in strategic communication. I have always been very outgoing and personable. I love expressing myself in anyway I can.

Some of my hobbies include tennis, golf and traveling. I am passionate about seeing new places and experiencing different cultures. My favorite place I have been so far is Costa Rica. I am constantly striving to explore opportunities and to grow as an individual.

Writing has always been something I have been interested in. It allows me to say how I am feeling in a creative way. I love being able to write about issues that are often misunderstood. In the future, I hope to find a career that allows me to be creative while also letting me meet new people.

MY STORY:

• It’s all about the bread: the history and legacy of the Village Baker

MY BLOG:

For my enterprise story, I went through an entire process to develop an idea that would draw my audience in from the very start.

In the beginning, I started thinking too big. I wanted to do interviews with people I’d have no way of getting in contact with. So, I really had to narrow down my thoughts on something more obtainable.

For my story, my sources were very easy to obtain. The Village Baker is a family company, with my uncle being the CEO. For my other sources, I interviewed the managers of both the original location and a new location. My cousin was one of the managers so it was also easy to contact him.

They provided very good insight into what happens behind closed doors. Especially for my uncle, it was easy to see how things worked before they finally franchised the stores because he is the original owner. The manager of the Salt Lake store has also been with the company for years so he has also seen the growth before and after.

My focus was unclear at the beginning, so I started with the interview questions. When I started to develop these questions, I could see a direction that my story could head. I thought it would be fascinating to shed light on how the Village Baker has grown over 25 years running.

While I was writing, I would think back to documentaries I’ve watched or other profile pieces I’ve written, and tried to mimic that style of organization and professionalism. It made my process clear and easy to write after finishing an outline that organized my thoughts.

I want to know more about the Village Baker’s past before they opened. I know that my uncle had a partner who helped start this with him, but he eventually left. I want to know more about him and why he left.

I was surprised by how easy it was to get motivated by a story. Most writing I’ve done in college has always been dry and boring. But my enterprise story was one of the most exciting stories I’ve written.

ABOUT ME:

Spencer Gray, a student at the University of Utah, is heading into his junior year studying strategic communication. His passion for writing has branched to multiple sources including film and directing. Gray hopes to hold a creative team-oriented position after he is graduated from the U in 2020.

MY STORY: 

• What type of note taker are you?

MY BLOG: 

For my story, I wanted to write about something that has to do with students. My first idea was writing about full-time working dads and my second idea was to write about the one thing all students do, and that is note taking. I thought the working dads idea was a fun twist on all the articles about working moms. However, I chose to write about students taking notes in class because that topic hits closer to home.

When I decided to write about note taking in school, I wanted to make it geared more toward communication majors. I chose to use one major because there is such a vast number of majors there would have been too much information to write about. By sticking to one major, I was able to eliminate several obstacles of trying to use different majors.

I chose to interview two students and a professor. Each student attends a different university in the state of Utah and the professor teaches at the University of Utah. I chose to interview students from different schools so that I could eliminate a bias. The bias would have been that all of my sources came from the U and I wanted different viewpoints. I was able to interview students I knew from Utah State University and Southern Utah University. Both of these students came to Salt Lake at different times and I was able to interview them while they were here. For the professor, I had the opportunity to take her class last semester and thought she would be the perfect source for a story on note taking. I chose her because she does not allow electronic devices during her class times.

My focus was on the different ways of note taking and how one type is better than the other, according to research. I wanted to explore whether taking notes by hand is better for students compared to taking notes with a laptop or electronic device. I gathered a lot of information about note taking from the students and chose to use only the parts that they said why they chose the way they do and how it impacted their grades. For the professor, I chose to ask why she doesn’t allow electronic devices and what advice she would give to students about taking notes and studying.

I found this story interesting to write. I have never taken a newswriting class, so I was only used to writing papers/essays in APA style. This was definitely a learning process for me. I found that once I started writing, it became easier for me to write according to news style. Overall, I was able to broaden my writing style and thoroughly enjoyed this assignment.

ABOUT ME:

Bailey Caldwell is a senior strategic communication major at the University of Utah. She started at the U in 2016 after receiving her associate degree from Southern Utah University. Although Bailey loved going to SUU, she chose to move closer to home to finish her schooling. Graduating from the U was always a dream of hers and now she will be able to.

Bailey has worked two part-time jobs throughout college while still being a full-time student. Balancing work and school has been tough at times but Bailey has become a well rounded person because of the time management she had to learn. Keeping busy has always been a lifestyle for Bailey.

After graduation, Bailey plans to start a career in event planning and social media marketing. She has always wanted to plan large-scale events along with learning about social media marketing and advertising.

MY STORY: 

• University of Utah students discuss their passion for medicine and science

MY BLOG: 

While doing my research and formulating my story, I was really unsure where my thought process would take me. I figured that it would either turn out really successful and that I would gain valuable insight into the lives of STEM majors, or it would be a flop and I would be left with meaningless interviews and struggling to find an angle.

However, I’m happy to say that this was not the conclusion I came to. My experience was really enjoyable, and I did end up learning a lot about what I was studying. My favorite part was getting to know the people on a more personal level and learning about what motivates them, what they hope to accomplish, and the kinds of impact they hope to have.

The sources I interviewed were my friends and classmates, which is usually a bad demographic to tap into. However, I felt that for this story, it would allow me to access the beat I was looking for best. Interviewing a doctor or former medical student wouldn’t be as effective because they would already be far along in the process of practicing medicine. Instead, I wanted to talk to people who were just starting out and see what their thoughts and experiences were like. This gave me a better grasp on what it’s like to pursue these kinds of majors and helped me answer my questions I had beforehand. I was most surprised by my sources’ insistence on staying dedicated and not straying from their long-term goals.

ABOUT ME: 

Ryan Matthew Thurston is a freelance writer and sports journalist from St. George, Utah, who now resides in Salt Lake City. During high school, Thurston was the captain of the debate team and won the 3A state tournament in 2016. He also swam and played volleyball for Snow Canyon High School. In college, Thurston has worked as an athletics communication intern for Utah Athletics, the Pac-12 conference, and ESPN. Thurston hopes to one day publish articles for ESPN, Vox, or FiveThirtyEight. His favorite sports include basketball and baseball and his favorite teams include the Utah Jazz, Chicago Cubs, and Philadelphia Eagles.

MY STORY:

• Medical marijuana versus the opioid epidemic in Utah

MY BLOG:

For my enterprise story I wanted to make sure I was writing about something really meaningful to people. I thought about what could make a difference in people’s lives and I decided to write about opioid addiction and if medical marijuana could be a better solution.

I wanted to educate people about opioids and let them know the dangers of taking them. I also wanted to find out if there are better alternatives so people can avoid starting them in the first place. A family friend works as a neurologist in Provo, Utah, and I knew he would be a great source to interview. I also know a medical assistant so I interviewed her as well. My final source was a friend who lives in California who currently uses medical marijuana as a replacement forhis pain pills.

Some issues I encountered was that the neurologist wanted to remain anonymous because medical marijuana is not legal in Utah. I asked him what I could refer to him as and he said Dr. R. The medical assistant also wanted to remain somewhat anonymous, so she said I could use her first name and last initial, Michelle C.

After my interviews it became clear that all three of my sources believed medical marijuana was a better alternative than opioid medication. So while writing this I tried to tell each of their stories in an informative way that correctly represented their beliefs. I wanted to interest my readers while giving them the facts about opioid use and the destruction it can cause.

I really enjoyed interviewing Dr. R because he was so knowledgeable about this topic. I learned a lot about opioid addiction and how common it is in Utah. I was surprised by how many patients come to a doctor just seeking opioids, or to try to sell them. It was also surprising that two medical professionals both thought medical marijuana could really help people, and yet it’s not legal in Utah.

I enjoyed writing this story and I am glad I chose this topic. I think it is really important to spread awareness of this opioid epidemic and show people there are other alternatives to these drugs. If anything I hope my story can stop people from taking them because all it takes is one prescription to ruin a life.

ABOUT ME:

I am 25 years old and currently attending the University of Utah. I love to read and I’m obsessed with Harry Potter. I love traveling and exploring new places. After I graduate I hope to travel around Europe before starting a career. My family is the most important thing to me, along with my cat named Khaleesi.

I will be graduating from the U in fall 2018 with a degree in communication. I have been planning on applying to law school but I am still keeping my options open. I enjoy working with people and working in the business industry. If I don’t end up going to law school I will hopefully start a career in business.

MY STORY: 

• Their brothers’ keeper — Utah charity targets refugee men

MY BLOG:

Every Wednesday and Friday morning, I arrive at the Catholic Community Services of Utah building in Salt Lake City, where a colorful mural depicts likewise colorful people giving and receiving help. I’m an intern there for the Preferred Communities Department, where I assist the star source of my story, Leul Mengistu, with the fledgling Men’s Wellness Support Group.

Can someone say, “conflict of interest?” I in fact reported on the same program I am working to launch. I scratched my head for a bit over whether I was the right person for the feature or some other reporter-in-training should handle it. But then again, I was and am the only student in COMM 1610 with close access to the Men’s Wellness Support Group. So I gave it my scout’s honor to be as unbiased as possible and proceeded to write.

My focus was difficult to drill into. Should I tell the story of a single refugee in the support group? What about a feature story on Mengistu and his program? But there were problems with these: no male refugees were yet recruited and I doubted 850 words could fit a good feature on Mengistu’s past and his program’s future. It was Mengistu who delivered the story’s focus — a local charity was starting something new in the world of refugee resettlement: a curriculum-based program tailored to men. There’s the slice of the ham I wanted!

Leul Mengistu and Aden Batar were the best possible sources for such a story. Both men experienced the difficulty of American integration and were now heading programs to help people like them. I especially loved Mengistu’s quote: “I don’t want them to fall between the cracks.” It proved a good backbone for the story and captured the urgency to help male refugees today.

Batar surprised me when he dropped this bomb of a quote: “The most welcoming state in the U.S. is Utah.” I doubted him and thought, “Really? The beehive state? What about New York or California? Massachusetts or Washington?” But because it came from the man in charge of the Department of Immigration and Refugee Resettlement, it carried some legitimacy.

I intended for the story to shed light on why the Men’s Wellness Support Group is needed and what Mengistu is doing to start it in Salt Lake City. However, certain grandmothers made the valid point that although the story is about refugee men, it fails to include their perspective. The story’s done and submitted, but if I had another go, I would include a lead about one of the very refugees who currently needs help.

ABOUT ME: 

I’ve given up a lot for stories.

My time, money, grades and even eyesight have been swallowed by my voracious appetite for a good story. My eyesight left when I read books by the light of a Happy Meal glow toy when my parents thought I was sleeping. My grades went after I couldn’t put “Fablehaven” down in elementary school.

In high school, I wrote the beginnings of stories about people trying to cheat fate or run futuristic governments. But my dreams of being a novelist took a turn when I went on an LDS mission and discovered the flesh-and-blood face of stories.

I met people all over Louisiana who suffered. Old ladies whose kids never returned home, fathers who raised children in the shells of battered houses. These people had stories that changed my own. My narrative was no longer about Peter Johnston climbing the academic ladder or Lisa and Jeremy’s son wasting time with a book — it became one of Elder Johnston praying with and for the downtrodden in New Orleans and Baton Rouge.

Nearly a year later, I’m an Eccles Scholar with a major in International Studies at the University of Utah. A main focus of mine is my internship at Catholic Community Services, where I’ve developed a support group for refugee men in Salt Lake City. Theirs is an untold story, and I aim to help them write a better one for themselves in this strange land called America.

I doubt the cards hold a job in print journalism for me. But I am still a storyteller and will both write and build the stories of people who need it most.

Stories have given me so much.

MY STORY: 

• Two single moms open medical spa in Salt Lake City

MY BLOG: 

After reading the syllabus for my news writing class for my upcoming spring semester I was terrified. I had never taken a news writing class and have always had a hard time writing papers for school. This was a whole different kind of writing. The AP style rules that you have to follow, the short paragraphs, it was completely different from what I had grown up learning, and after reading about the requirements for the enterprise story. I was very overwhelmed.

When I was thinking of ideas for my enterprise story I really wanted to do something that interests me as well as other people. I am very into skin care and when I heard a new medical spa was opening up in Salt Lake City I had to find out more.

I got the phone number of one of the owners of the medical spa and contacted her about possibly setting up a time I could meet with her and the other owner of the business because I wanted to do a story on the spa they were opening.

I have never met up with someone I didn’t know and having to ask them personal questions about their life was scary. Coming up with questions that I felt comfortable asking was also a battle. But when I met Devynne at her medical spa she was so nice! She answered all of my questions without hesitation. She was an open book. These experiences made making this article fun and enjoyable.

ABOUT ME: 

My name is Ashleigh Zaelit and I am currently working toward a bachelor’s degree at the University of Utah studying communication. I also have an interest in interior design. After getting my bachelor’s degree at the University of Utah I plan to get an interior design degree.

MY STORY: 

• Can a Mormon be a feminist?

MY BLOG: 

I chose to write about feminism in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints because I was raised in the Mormon church but growing up I always noticed inequalities between women and men, especially when it came to things like leadership. To me, it is important that women are visible leaders. I wanted to see what other people thought.

I located sources in two ways. First, I utilized my contacts and they helped me a lot by pointing me in the right direction. I interviewed Dr. Martha Bradley and Prof. Margaret Toscano because they have both done research on Mormon history and feminism. I also utilized the Facebook group Aspiring Mormon Women to find people who did not have research backgrounds but instead personal experiences with the Mormon church and feminism. This is where I connected with Marjorie Smith and Joseph Peterson.

At first it was difficult to decide on a focus because after the interviews I had gathered a lot of great information. I had a lot of information on the history of feminism in the Mormon church as well as people’s personal experiences. I decided to narrow the focus to personal experiences because I believed this would be more interesting to readers. Also, I wanted to write something that had not been written before, and there has already been quite a bit of writing on the history of Mormon feminism.

The writing process was difficult. It was hard to explain some things related to the Mormon church. Since I was raised LDS, I often forget that some of the things in the religion might not make sense to others outside of it. Also, writing in a news style in which you need to be concise and quick was new to me. Overall, it was a challenging but worthwhile experience in which I got to strengthen my interviewing and writing skills and learn more about a topic I am interested in.

ABOUT ME: 

I am currently a sophomore at the University of Utah studying strategic communication. I work as the campus representative for Universal Pictures and as the social media coordinator at the Bennion Center.

I hope to work in the entertainment industry in the future. I have loved comedy and television for as long as I can remember, and I plan on focusing on these two things throughout my career. I want to create content that is uplifting and funny, while also having honest and accurate representation.