Category Archives: Professor Kimberley Mangun

Intermountain Healthcare announces groundbreaking policy that removes pharmaceutical representatives and medication samples from Utah practices and hospitals

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Story and photos by BERKLEE HAMMOND

Effective May 1, 2019, Intermountain Healthcare has prohibited industry-based pharmaceutical representatives and medication samples from entering practices and hospitals throughout Utah. 

Intermountain believes this new change will increase patient safety, refine adherence to clinical guidelines, improve prescription patterns, decrease cost of medicines and eliminate operational complexity and burden.

According to a statement by Dr. Mark Briesacher, senior vice president of Intermountain Medical Group and Medical Staff, this change has been made to fulfill Intermountain Healthcare’s vision of being “a model health system by providing extraordinary care and superior service at an affordable cost.” 

Pharmaceutical representatives received a document titled “Removal of Pharmaceutical Representatives and Medication Samples from Intermountain Clinics” issued by Intermountain Healthcare. The document explains why samples and pharmaceutical reps are no longer permitted. It also states that patients are commonly given verbal instructions about appropriate use of medication samples and side effects.

This can lead to product labeling and written patient instructions that are often inadequate. These new regulations will decrease the chance for medication errors and improve patient safety.

Intermountain plans to improve adherence to clinical guidelines by removing pharmaceutical representative visits, samples, and marketing. According to a statement released to pharmaceutical companies, Intermountain would do away with professional and social pressures and would allow physicians to make unbiased decisions on behalf of their patients. 

This document explains how these steps will improve prescription patterns for patient care. Eighty-three percent of prescription promotion is done by physicians who have been educated on drugs from pharmaceutical representative visits. 

According to a 2014 study of 150,000 physicians over a 24-month period showed the detailing impacts selective, brand-specific demand and influenced prescribers. 

Intermountain Healthcare cited numerous studies that have shown physicians were three times more likely to prescribe a generic product when samples were removed from clinics.

The Medical Group Service Line’s statement indicates the changes at Intermountain will eliminate operational complexity and burden. Storage, distribution and security of medications is challenging to manage and increases the expense on care teams.

HOW WILL THIS AFFECT THE PHARMACEUTICAL INDUSTRY?

The reason behind this decision came after leading healthcare organizations like the National Institutes of Healthand the Institute for Safe Medication Practicesrecommended against utilizing pharmaceutical representatives and samples because this has a negative impact on patient safety, care quality, and costs. 

Crystal Goodrich, a local district manager of a pharmaceutical company, explained the small steps that eventually led to the new regulations.

First, she said the changes started when Big Pharma companies agreed to discontinue distributing any type of promotional materials such as sticky notes and pens to any healthcare entity. Goodrich said, “Some rules made sense.” 

Intermountain was among the other healthcare agencies that did not want their physicians being influenced by promotional materials. 

The Big Pharma agreement, including Intermountain, later prohibited physicians from going out to dinner or to special events with representatives. Goodrich remembers, “This was when the pushback from physicians started across the industry.”

According to Goodrich, Intermountain then took restrictions to another level.  Intermountain only allowed one appointed representative from each of the pharmaceutical companies statewide to have access to any and all of Intermountain’s approximately 5,000 physicians. 

Rebecca Nixon was assigned to Intermountain Healthcare exclusively as a representative 10 years ago. Nixon only visits Intermountain’s practices and clinics.

Nixon explained the adjustment from visiting clinics from all Utah healthcare entities to going exclusively to Intermountain. She shared frustration in the lack of competition in Utah with Intermountain and lack of authority from Intermountain Healthcare physicians. 

Nixon said, “The doctors are employed by Intermountain Healthcare, they are not in charge or able to make these decisions themselves.”

She said these new policies from Intermountain Healthcare will affect her job tremendously. She is now going to be reassigned to another position due to the regulations set by Intermountain Healthcare.

As of May 1, 2019, there is a new level of restriction. If a representative enters a clinic, Intermountain Healthcare urges physicians and administrative staff to not accept any medication samples, coupons, literature, vouchers or other forms of drug marketing.

Both Nixon and Goodrich stated that physicians at Intermountain Healthcare have pushed back with these new regulations. Due to the pushback, Intermountain Healthcare has now made an exception to lifesaving medications like inhalers, blood thinners and several other medications from drug representatives.  

Intermountain Healthcare physicians will now get their education from pharmacists instead of trained pharmaceutical representatives. “This certainly concerns us,” Goodrich said. Pharmacies make more revenue from generic brands than name brands. This raises concern for patient care.

“A big concern is knowing physicians at Intermountain valued our knowledge and they can’t get it anymore,” Goodrich said. Pharmaceutical representatives spend weeks, months and years becoming trained on the medication they represent. They get trained through in-person trainings, online training and continual training by district and regional representatives that monitor the accuracy of the information distributed.

This training will now be the responsibility of each physician. They will need to take the time to educate themselves on hundreds, even thousands, of medications to provide accurate and informed education to each patient. 

According to Intermountain Healthcare’s website, this not-for-profit system has more than 5,000 physicians who are affiliated with Intermountain, including about 1,400 employed physicians in the Intermountain Medical Group who provide care to patients at more than 185 clinics and offices as well as 23 hospitals.

  • Dr. Todd Schauers with Jordan Family Health is learning about medication from a pharmaceutical representative using tools and material provided by pharmaceutical companies. 
  • Intermountain Healthcare is a not-for-profit system consisting of 23 hospitals, 180 clinics and a Medical Group with more than 1,600 physicians. 
  • Jordan Family Health is part of the Mountainstar network. It is not part of the Intermountain Healthcare family and is still welcoming pharmaceutical representatives and medication. Other networks accepting samples and representatives include: IASIS, Steward, Revere Health and University of Utah Healthcare.
  • Pharmaceutical representatives are able to meet with physicians briefly or through scheduled appointments to educate doctors on information about various medications. 
  • The sample closet is a valuable resource for physicians and patients. This allows the patients to sample a drug before they have to pay for their medication. Intermountain will be discontinuing its use of samples obtained through pharmaceutical companies.
  • Taylorsville Intermountain Clinic pharmacy is one of many owned by Intermountain Healthcare. Physicians will now be prescribing medication that can be picked up from these pharmacies across the Valley.

Better safe than sorry: What to know before setting out

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Story and photos by CAROLINE J. PASTORIUS

Avoiding avalanches is much easier than trying to survive one.

Outside of Denver, CO
Feb. 24, 2019

Many climbers, skiers, snowmobilers and outdoor enthusiasts are not aware of the proper precautions for avalanche and snow safety. The dangers of this type of recreation require more preparation and knowledge than you may think.

It’s not as simple as reading a pamphlet or set of instructions to prepare you to take on the outdoors, it’s about knowing what you are headed into and being fully prepared for and aware of the risks that come with venturing into nature.

Park City, UT |March 10, 2019

Mark Staples, director of the Forest Service Utah Avalanche Center, labels himself as an extremely experienced outdoor enthusiast and emphasizes, “There is no way to assure safety once you’re out in the wilderness. But there are ways to go about it safely, and that’s the best you can do,” Staples says in a phone interview.

Park City, UT (backcountry) | March 3, 2019

The elementary rule comes first and foremost when preparing to take on this type of terrain; do not travel alone. “Always make sure you have the proper education and tools before going into the backcountry, and make sure your partner does as well,” says Jordan Hicks from REI Cooperative. Hicks also added a helpful tip. “Make sure you have a set plan before you head out and tell somebody that plan in case you’re late coming home so they can notify authorities.”

Hicks also says to be aware of your surroundings. The cause of 90 percent of avalanches that harm a victim or members of the victim’s group is caused by their own missteps. Any foreign activity caused in a natural environment that adds weight that wasn’t there before can easily trigger downfall. A helpful way to foresee the conditions on the mountain before enduring it is to check daily aspects like the weather forecast and condition of the mountain on the day of your travel, both of which are easily accessible online. He says some red flags include unsteady snow, heavy snowfall or rain, posted warning signs, wind loading, and persistent weak layers. Avoiding avalanches altogether is much easier than trying to survive one, so take the precautions seriously.

Snacks. Water. Fuel. You can never be too prepared. Josh Alexander from Utah Ski and Golf recommends that you should “bring two times more than you expect to consume on your trip.”

Alexander also shared a story about his personal experience of being buried in an avalanche and what he learned from it. “Luckily, I was well prepared for any possible situation. I went out with a buddy of mine in the backcountry of Canada a few years back, somewhere we have never been before.” In retrospect, this was a red flag. You should never travel on unfamiliar territory when visiting it for the very first time. Alexander recommends scoping out uncharted terrain a day before riding it. Also, he mentions researching the area online to check previous travelers’ comments.

The avalanche that affected him was caused by a collision he had with a snowboarder, which produced a rush of snow and carried him about 100 yards. Being unable to breathe for that time, he saw his life flash before him.

Park City, UT |March 10, 2019

After coming to a halt, Alexander realized his friend was nowhere in sight. In fact, nothing was. It was all white. “I was completely lost, and all of my calls for help got absorbed in the snow I was buried in. I knew I had to find help but I also didn’t want to use too much oxygen, since I wasn’t sure how long I would be stuck there for.” He settled his pulse and remembered focus on what he learned to do when caught in this sort of situation.

He took a deep breath and started “swimming” against gravity to get closer to the surface of the snow pile in attempt to get any sort of signal for his avalanche beacon (a small radio that transmits a lost or dangered travelers’ location to rescue crews). He soon started transmitting his device, which was caught by his partner on the receiving end. Finally, he was located, rescued, and lives to tell the story. If the pair was not prepared for the worst-case scenario and did not hold the necessary tools, Alexander had a slim chance of survival.

There is only a 30 percent chance of escaping when buried by an avalanche. Take the lessons taught and learned in this article next time you think about getting involved in avalanche-prone territory. Always remember that you are in control of your own safety in uncharted territory.

  • Off roading in Mahwah, New Jersey.
  • Snow Cat ride up Park City Mountain, underneath the Crescent lift.
  • Results following the snowcat ride.
  • Driving up Little Cottonwood Canyon.
  • The view at the top of Mcconkey’s lift, Park City, Utah.
  • Traversing uphill to explore Park City’s breathtaking backcountry.
  • View from Park City’s Super Condor Express at the peak of the 2019 season.

Salt Lake City’s juicing scene is on the rise

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Story and gallery by LAUREN HINKLEY

Nutritious eateries and shops seem to be on every corner in Salt Lake City, an indication that the community is becoming more health-conscious by the minute.

One of the most powerful trends of this healthy-dining movement is cold-pressed juice bars.

This form of juicing involves a hydraulic press that extracts juices from fruits and vegetables. Consumers often choose these products based on their desired mental or physical health benefits. These benefits can be determined by the ingredients included in each individual batch.

In Salt Lake City, juiceries including Vive Juicery, Just Organic Juice, and Seasons Juice Bar and Cafe are among some of the companies that are leading Utah toward better health with their nutrient-dense cold-pressed beverages.

Upon entering Vive Juicery, located at 1597 S. 1100 East, customers are greeted and welcomed into a cozy, chic atmosphere. With couch seating, ambient music, and a fun and friendly counter staff, this store is an inviting space for anyone and everyone looking to explore and be educated on the health benefits of cold-pressed juice. This is the exact vibe Brittany Shimmin, founder and CEO, had in mind when she created Vive Juicery in 2013.

“We’ve really tailored the experience to be inclusive of everyone,” Shimmin says.

Shimmin appreciates the wide variety of clientele she sees engaging with and supporting Vive’s brand and product. Even those who are just entering the world of nutrition and healthy living can find Vive to be the perfect place to start.

Sitting conveniently between two major college campuses of Salt Lake City, the juicery has become a hot spot for students of The University of Utah and Westminster College.

Many students are now turning to cold-pressed juices during the stresses of midterms and finals week. “Hearing what drinking juice has done for them opposed to a Red Bull has been really cool,” says Shimmin, reflecting on this new trend.

At the forefront of the local juice scene, Vive contributes even more to the community than just its state-of-the-art products. By sourcing its produce from local farms and gardens whenever possible, Vive is making a positive impact on the economy and sustainability of Utah.

Shimmin and the Vive team are passionate about forming relationships with the farmers who grow their ingredients. “When you can talk to the person that grew your food, you in turn will end up appreciating it more,” she says.

Just a few blocks away at 2030 S. 900 East sits another local juice bar, Just Organic Juice, the creation of cancer survivor, Lisa Graham.

When Graham was diagnosed with breast cancer at the age of 27, she opted out of chemotherapy and turned to nutrition to help nurture her back to health. After implementing juice into her diet, she recalls immediately seeing the benefits. She has been cancer free ever since.

Graham stated that the impacts cold-pressed juice had on her own health inspired her to start Just Organic Juice where she could show the rest of the community just how beneficial juicing can be.

“We see a lot of customers with cancer and other diseases,” Graham says. She also mentions that she has noticed a growing awareness in the importance of nutrition across the medical field.

Graham says she believes this new importance doctors are placing on nutrition has contributed to the growing popularity in her business. “More doctors are advising patients to change their diets,” she says.

With juiceries popping up all across Salt Lake City, Just Organic Juice continues to stand out from the rest by serving products that contain only 100 percent organic ingredients.

The most popular juice on the menu at Just Organic Juice is the “Giving Green.” “I could go on and on,” Graham admits as she raves about the product’s health benefits. “You couldn’t even eat that many vitamins and nutrients in a day.”

Another up-and-coming juice spot is Seasons Juice Bar. Seasons is located in Midvale at 7630 Union Park Ave. and is proudly owned and run by juice enthusiast Bobby Movarid.

When Movarid moved from Santa Monica, California, to Salt Lake City, he was driven to show Utah what cutting-edge high-quality health food and beverage really is.

Movarid says he saw what was missing around town and knew he would be the one to introduce truly good cold-pressed juices and acai to the community. That’s when he started Seasons Juice Bar and Cafe.

Movarid has used his entrepreneurial mind to curate a delicious and nutritious menu of cold-pressed juices. He says he is eager to encourage new customers to sample them.

The “Black Lemonade” remains one of the most popular juices at Seasons. This pitch-black beverage is a little intimidating at first glance but has a pleasant flavor of lemon and agave. The key ingredient is activated charcoal, a detoxifying ingredient, which is explained in the company’s juice guides and pamphlets.

Movarid has put care and attention into every aspect of the Seasons experience, from the biodegradable utensils to the complimentary water. “Our water is alkalized and purified using reverse osmosis,” he explains.

Seasons in the product of Movarid’s extensive hard work. “You gotta hustle!” he exclaims.

While the juicing scene is already flourishing, there’s no doubt it’s still growing every day. Brittany Shimmin, Lisa Graham, and Bobby Movarid are among some of the pioneers of a movement toward a healthier Utah. Through their craft, they are inspiring the community of Salt Lake City to prioritize wellness, one juice at a time.


  • “Stella” and “Merry and Bright” are two of Vive Juicery’s top selling juices. They are full of vitamin-rich fruits and vegetables.

  • Vive Juicery is a cozy, welcoming environment on the corner of 1500 South and 1100 East.

  • Made with all organic lemon, parsley, orange, and carrots, the “Blissful Belly” is a crowd favorite at Just Organic Juice.


  • The Just Organic Juice storefront  located in the Sugarhouse area of Salt Lake City advertises proudly that it only uses certified organic produce.

  • At Season’s Juice Bar and Cafe, customers love the “Lavender Lift.”

  • Seasons Juice Bar and Cafe in Midvale offers delicious juices and healthy snacks.

Saige Hawkins

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MY STORY:

Millennials are complaining about low pay but favor perks over high compensation

MY BLOG:

After I read the syllabus for this news writing class, I was super intimidated. I had never written in a news format before, and the task of pitching, writing, and publishing a story of my own seemed very daunting. I attended Park City High School where the only format you are permitted to use throughout those four years is strictly MLA for all of your assignments. Learning AP style with all the abbreviations, dashes, and short sentences was all new to me and was definitely a challenge

When I began to think of ideas for my story I was right in the middle of my internship with Backcountry, which also happened to be my first time in a human resources role. I was loving it and immersed myself in all things HR. As someone who’s about to enter the adult world and get a 9-to-5 compensation, perks and benefits packages are fresh in my mind and my peers’. It only made sense to take my professional day-to-day and merge it with the perspective of an emerging young professional.

Finding sources for this was relatively easy since I was reporting directly to the manager of perks and benefits for Backcountry at my internship. This did end up making things more intimidating because I had to ask my boss in a formal interview how she felt about compensating for lower pay with flashy perks and how that was affecting my generation. She was very cool about it and it ended up being my best interview for this project.

Overall, this project has really helped me grow as a professional hoping to enter this sometimes complicated field known as human resources, and I’m excited to apply what I’ve learned from it to my own life as my job search begins. Incorporating multiple perspectives into one article is no easy task and I have a lot of respect for those who make it look easy every single day on the job.

ABOUT ME:

Saige Hawkins is a senior at the University of Utah studying communication. She will be graduating with a bachelor’s degree in Summer 2019. She hopes to begin a career in human resources preferably with an entertainment or hospitality company.

Saige was a participant in the Disney College Program for the Spring advantage 2018 term (January-August) as a cashier for the busiest and most profitable restaurant at the Disneyland Resort. Once she graduates she plans to return to California as an HR professional for The Walt Disney Company.


Millennials are complaining about low pay but favor perks over high compensation

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Story and gallery by SAIGE HAWKINS

  • Three Disney college program participants celebrate the halfway mark of their internship at a mid-program celebration.
  • Backcountry raffle winners and leadership shoot off confetti cannons to commemorate the end of a successful fourth quarter.
  • A flyer for Backcountry’s annual employee Halloween costume contest.
  • Two Disneyland cast members celebrate the park’s 63rd anniversary at a cast photo area.
  • A Backcountry warehouse employee wins a raffle drawing at a quarterly perk event.
  • A Backcountry warehouse employee wins the grand prize raffle drawing at a quarterly perk event.

The cost of living continues to rise and millennials are continuing to struggle to afford it. A common gripe for the cause of this is that they are not being paid appropriately. But is that really at the root of the cause? Experts in their field have noted that in order to keep up with hiring demand, flashy perks and events have become a necessity in order to maintain top talent millennials at a company.

“Most of the people we hire for our corporate office are under 40 and are more initially attracted to little perks that make their day-to-day in the office more tolerable, rather than their income.” says Erika Park, the manager of perks and benefits for Backcountry, an online outdoor retail company based out of Park City, Utah.

This is a position human resources professionals have heard more than once, and yet 18-35-year-olds are often complaining about their compensation. The most repeated comment left in Backcountry’s exit interviews was that departing employees weren’t paid enough. It is also the most common reason employees not at the corporate level were leaving Backcountry. One comment stated, “The free food and fun events are nice, but at the end of the day my paycheck didn’t reflect the work I’d put in.”

This isn’t a problem unique to Backcountry, as the cast member culture at Disneyland reflects the same thing. In Spring and Summer 2018 multiple demonstrations were held across the street from the world-famous theme park by cast members demanding a higher wage. These protests led to union representatives getting involved and beginning negotiations with the company’s leadership team for a higher hourly pay rate.

Tessa Zalfen, a Disneyland cast member for over a year, said, “No we don’t get paid that much. Most of it has to do with how many hours we get scheduled since it’s based on seniority but I don’t work here for the money. We get discounts, free admission, guest passes, and honestly I just love it here so much I don’t really mind it.” This exemplifies what the millennial generation is demonstrating, a willingness to work more for less if they’re doing something they enjoy even if it’s just the company and their values.

The next generation is displaying a sense of importance for similar values over higher pay. They are happy to be working for a company they admire so the other things don’t matter as much. This values-based employment added with the perks catered to them creates an excellent combination for compensation. If the employees already pay business to a company and will continue to do so, discounting those experiences for them allows them to feel compensated, spend more at the company, and in turn create a win-win scenario.

Corporate perks aren’t just something important to the employee life cycle. They also help draw applicants in and sell them on one job over another. “We’re very fortunate here because we offer so much in regards to activities, discounts, and the great events Erika plans. It makes my job easier because the sales pitch is already laid out for me most times,” said Donna Barker, the senior corporate recruiter for Backcountry.

Even though most of the companies that are able to offer this don’t pay as much as smaller companies, they still combine these perks with name recognition on a resume to make their company desired. “It is definitely a bigger draw for younger people just starting their careers to be somewhere recognizable,” said Park, Backcountry’s manager for perks and benefits.

Park added, “They’re more likely to take something now with less pay that will catapult them to their next opportunity than something that pays well and won’t guarantee advancement later on.”

This sentiment is echoed through Zalfen, the Disneyland cast member, who said, “I plan to stay here awhile because I want to work my way up one day and work for ABC. It’s easier to do that if I’m already here.” A foot in the door method definitely seems to be a direction the millennial generation is being steered into. Zalfen added, “From what I’ve been told, it looks better on a resume to have growth and different positions at one place than to have experience without growth at several different places.”

Corporate perks and growth potential have quickly grown to be one of the biggest factors when looking for a job in today’s market and companies don’t have a reason to change. Why spend more to pay someone for a job when they’re willing to work for less as long as you put a sparkly bow on it? Barker, the senior recruiter, added, “We might not pay as much as smaller warehouses but we don’t need to because people want to work for us before they even hear how much it pays. We attract a very niche crowd and they’ll stay if we help maintain their lifestyle, even if it isn’t through a pay check.”

Tayler Lacey talks new EP and journey to being a musician

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Story and gallery by JENNA S. O’DELL

Tayler Lacey performed at The Underground at 833 Main St. in Salt Lake City on a cold March night. It is an industrial-looking building down a narrow alley. The door is marked only by band stickers. Inside, the walls are plastered with stickers and graffiti. There are small rooms that line a long dark hallway that can can be rented out to bands for practicing and performances.

It was $5 to get in this atypical venue. The room is lit with fluorescent bulbs. You can hear the sounds of musicians practicing in other rooms and the performance was unplugged.

Tayler Lacey, 22, is a Utah native who currently resides in South Jordan. At 13 he started guitar lessons. Lacey plays several instruments and admits his selection of genre influenced his choice in the ones he wanted to play.

He describes his genre as folk but credits many artists including Jack Johnson for influencing his love for acoustic music. Shakey Graves inspired him to be a “one-man band.” He enjoys the simplicity and storytelling of Bob Dylan’s lyrics and said “lyrically, Paul Simon is a genius.” 

Lacey describes writing a song as a mindset, not a mood. “I have to be by myself because it’s hard to get other people on the same wavelength.” 

Performing is Lacey’s favorite part about being a musician. His hope is to make an impact on those he’s performing for, and that they can connect with his music. With all the live performing he does, the performance anxiety he initially felt transitioned to anticipation and excitement.

“I would tell my younger self to not get discouraged and to stop comparing yourself to others,” he said. “Do it because you love it not because you want to get famous.”

During his March performance, there was a lot of interaction with the crowd which consisted of friends and local music enthusiasts. One admitted this was her first time going to the Underground and jokingly said, “I’m going to get murdered going to this place.” Lacey’s set consisted of some songs from his previous albums and from his new EP. His song “Ghosts” was a crowd favorite, everyone was singing along.

He said that this EP is different than everything else that he has out. “I think it was a very transitional time in my life. I started doing solo music again after breaking up with my guitar player. I was also moving from place to place and going through transition in relationships. I chose the name “Street Corners” because of the love of busking and hearing street performers play but also because through every change I feel Salt Lake is my home and the street corners never change.”

Tayler Lacey’s new EP “Street Corners” is available to listen to on Spotify, Apple Music, YouTube and Bandcamp. If you would like to see Lacey perform, he will be touring the Pacific Northwest Summer 2019.

  • Merchandise table
  • Tayler Lacey
  • Inside the Underground
  • Friends of Lacey
  • Tayler Lacey
  • Performance space
  • Door to performance space
  • Tayler Lacey performing “Ghosts”

Utahns finding success for personal brands and business is largely thanks to their social media presence

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Story and gallery by ISABELLE CURRAN

Utah and social media. How are these two big entities related?

For the past four years, social media has become less of a memory sharing platform, and more of a business. Almost anywhere you look, there are people trying to make a brand off of themselves or otherwise enhance their growing businesses.

This phenomenon is especially apparent in Utah. Many Utahns have strong social media followings in the hundreds of thousands.

While social media might be newer and has helped more people gain success and more exposure, many top social media people in Utah started with their own blogs. Themes of such profiles and blogs range from health and wellness to fashion, art, and lifestyle.

Social media platforms are the new hub of bloggers, specifically Instagram. Instagram first came on the market in October 2010, its original purpose being a streamlined photo sharing and editing site.

Nowadays, Instagram is a balance of real-life content and advertisements, which has proved to be the secret to success. Mixing the right amount of business and personal attributes bode well with internet communities.  

One San Diego State University student, Karis Bailey, 19, who is very outwardly vocal about the Utah social media scene, says, “Many accounts I follow of Utahns are inspiring and they make me want to go and experience what they are experiencing.”

Bailey has been active on social media, specifically Instagram, for close to seven years. Around two years ago she noticed that some of the people she follows, whom she didn’t know personally, were mostly from Utah.

“These people make their followers feel almost like family members,” Bailey says. “They are all very humble and grounded individuals.”

Bailey explains that she feels as though most of the Utah-based people that she follows create authentic content that engages followers into their lives.

Some of the Instagram accounts she shared are Cara Loren (@caraloren), The Bucket List Family (@thebucketlistfamily), and The Devines (@haileydevine, @bradleydevine, @somewheredevine).

For businesses, is it wise to utilize Instagram? Even newer than the concept of social media personalities is that of making your social media profile into a business. Now, posting and reviewing products on a profile can turn a profit.

The balance of original and personal content with ads and promotions is a tricky one.

“It is all right when they genuinely like the product they are advertising but I think there is a limit to what and how much you advertise something,” Bailey says. “Pushing things on to followers is unethical but I see nothing wrong with suggesting.”

Social media in Utah serves as a large community for people to connect and share ideas with each other. A popular social media Utahn who can attest to this is Renata Stone.

Although she is a newer Utah resident, her Instagram and company success is constantly influenced and inspired by her surroundings. With over 21,000 followers, her Instagram (@renatastone) is the connection between her business, her personal images, and her followers.

After Stone and her husband bought a house together, she started making macramé pieces to decorate their house.

To transform her creative hobby into a business, Stone utilizes her website and Instagram to share her inspiration, existing creations, and allow for commission requests.

In an email interview, Stone says, “Being authentic and real is the only thing that matters.”

Providing an accurate visual representation of one’s life is an essential way to gain favor with followers and promoting loyalty.

Stone says she does not consider herself a typical Utah social media personality, but recognizes that her Instagram very much follows a theme, something very common in not only successful Instagram pages in general, but Utahn Instagram pages especially.

“I think my Instagram account is as much about me as a human (or at least what I choose to expose to the outside world) as it is about my work. I think as an artist the personal and professional go hand-in-hand —it’s almost like you are your brand,” Stone writes.

Social media platforms are not only central to personal profiles but also to enhance businesses, as Stone noted. Normal Ice Cream is a food truck that is standing its ground among retail storefronts at Trolley Square, using Instagram to do so.

The Normal Ice Cream website and Instagram profile (@normal.club) give a comprehensive overview of the products as well as the story behind it all.

Owner Alexa Norlin, who has been a pastry chef for eight years, decided the ice cream business was more her speed after working in popular Salt Lake restaurants such as The Rose Establishment, Current Fish & Oyster, Fresco Italian Cafe, Cafe Trio Downtown, Cafe Trio Cottonwood, and Faustina and Niche.

She opened the Normal Ice Cream truck and became operational in June 2017. Later the truck took up residence in Trolley Square starting in January 2018 and has been there ever since.  

Norlin praises Instagram saying, “I truly think that I would be out of business without Instagram.”

The Normal Ice Cream truck is an example of good social media marketing. The Normal team utilizes its profile to promote the business by posting photos of products, updating hours, sharing, and serving as a place to allow customers to connect with the business.

Norlin says that, “Instagram has allowed a really natural way to engage with customers on a seemingly one-to-one basis.”

She has noticed the social media Utah phenomenon, but her social media involvement is mostly consumed by being a business profile only, not a personal journal. Still, Norlin credits her business’ success largely thanks to a clear and consistent social media presence.

Utah will continue to be the house a substantial amount of popular social media figures. For those who have a business and those who wish to share their lives online, Instagram seems to be the desired platform.

Looking into the future, there is no limit to how influential social media platforms can be to people’s personal brands and the business they create.

 
 
 
 
 
 
IMG_5847

Better Buzz Coffee, a popular San Diego coffee shop, where Karis Bailey finds time to do school work or scroll through social media.

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Renata Stone previously lived in Southern California. The ocean still serves as one of her inspirations for her crafting and social media.

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Stone now lives in the Salt Lake Valley​ and is inspired b​y the many sights and seasons of Utah.

FullSizeRender

The menu board that is posted on the Normal Ice Cream bus. The board is a good reference point for customers because the flavors change monthly.

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Salted Vanilla Bean soft serve in a cup, one of the many options from the Normal Ice Cream menu.

IMG_6560

The chrome bus that Normal Ice Cream operates out of. It is located inside the east entrance of Trolley Square.


Students turn to piracy in face of high textbook prices

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Story and photo gallery by NIC NIELSEN

Downloading files illegally is nothing new. In fact, college students have been using the internet to pirate music and films for years. While this trend has been prevalent in entertainment media, it has now moved on to academics.

College students are now turning to the internet to find their textbooks. But rather than purchasing or renting from companies such as Amazon, some are opting to download complete PDFs of their required texts. With a quick Google search of the title or ISBN, students are able to download some textbooks at the risk of legal penalties in order to save hundreds and even thousands of dollars.

For University of Utah freshman Olivia Gonzales, 19, this is a popular way for her friends to save money. The chemistry major said she hasn’t participated in the trend herself, but she doesn’t blame others for wanting to save money with the prices being so high, and some professors are sympathizing as well. 

“I’m too scared of getting in legal trouble to try it, but most people I know have done this because, like, they just can’t afford really expensive textbooks on top of the ridiculous school fees,” Gonzales said. “Even my professor once sent us a link at the beginning of the semester to a PDF of the book for our class. The entire textbook.”

While students may consider receiving bootleg copies of the required texts either a miracle or unethical, U senior Kelsey Rathke, 26, has experienced something more common.

“I have had multiple classes where a teacher has a PDF chapter or two from a textbook,” Rathke, a communication major, said. “I really like those classes because, in general, they use more than one textbook, so there is variety throughout the semester, and I don’t have to pay the price for it.”

According to Policy 7-013 of the U’s research policies, copyrighted materials can only be shared to students if it constitutes a fair use, is only accessible by students enrolled in the course during that semester, and has a security measure in place to access it such as a password protection.

While some may argue students simply just don’t ever want to pay money, the cause of this trend may be a result of skyrocketing textbook prices.

In January 2018, CBS News reported that the average cost of textbooks has risen four times faster than the rate of inflation in the last decade and 65 percent of students were choosing to not purchase required texts at some point in college due to lack of affordability.

According to the National Association of College Stores, the average price of a new textbook rose from $58 to $90, an increase of over 50 percent, between the 2011-12 and 2016-17 school years. Many students have expressed that this rise in price is unjustified.

“I think they are outrageous,” Rathke said of textbook prices. “I understand that they take a lot of effort and time to build, but the newest versions of textbooks are unbelievable, and for most of them the changes are minor enough that it feels like robbery.”

Students have not been the only victims of rising prices, however. According to Shane Girton, 48, associate director of the of U’s campus store, it has been selling fewer printed books because of prices set by publishers.

“Traditional print textbook sales have declined overall due to the increase in price set by the publishers, which has forced cost-conscious students to make the choice of shopping online to find the best possible deal, utilizing e-books when possible, as they are normally up to 60 percent cheaper than print textbooks, utilizing the Campus Store rental program for their textbooks, which can save them up to 50 percent, or forgoing using a textbook at all,” Girton said in an email interview.

Girton also stated that the campus store searches for “a variety of options in providing textbook content to students so that the price can be reduced where possible.” Girton said he is aware of the textbook pirating trend, but not to what extent.

“There is a risk involved in using pirated material that the student has to accept,” Girton said.

Although more expensive, some students such as freshman Thomas Young, 18, still prefer physical textbooks and purchasing from the university bookstore. 

“I prefer a hard copy of my textbooks if I can so I can write in the book because that’s how I learn best,” the U kinesiology major said. “The campus store might be expensive, but it is still the best option to get books because most of the time they have any book that your class will need right there and you don’t have to wait to have it shipped like you would for Amazon.”

Regardless of preference, Girton recommended students contact their professors after registering to see if the textbook will actually be used for the course. While it is the easier and more affordable option, textbook piracy, as with music and film piracy, can result in academic punishment or expulsion, hundreds of thousands of dollars in fines, and possible jail time.

  • The University of Utah sells new and used textbooks to students at the University Campus Store.
  • Students are able to purchase textbooks through the University Campus Store in person or online.
  • One way students attempt to save money on textbooks is by selling them back to the U’s campus store at the end of the semester.
  • Thomas Young said he has only purchased physical textbooks so far in college.
  • One reason Thomas Young prefers physical textbooks is because writing on the pages helps him learn.
  • Olivia Gonzales said she enjoys carrying her lightweight iPad to class rather than heavy books.
  • Olivia Gonzales said that although she doesn’t download textbooks illegally, she does know of the popular trend.

The most sustainable and ethical diet for people and the planet

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Story and photo gallery by CAMILLE AGLAURE

With so much talk concerning diet in the media, many people find it difficult to know what to eat. What foods are ethically sourced and grown? What foods truly promote human health? What foods support the health of the planet? These are all questions that are fogging up the minds of so many people.  

One thing that Thunder Jalili, Ph.D., and a professor of nutrition and integrative physiology, and Anne Pesek Taylor, registered dietitian, at the University of Utah can both agree on is that, generally speaking, a healthier plate is one with more plants and less overly processed foods and added sugar. 

Pesek Taylor said in an email interview that balanced nutrition needs to account for individual food preferences, lifestyle factors, and include a variety of food groups so it can be maintained long-term. Pesek Taylor referred to the University of Utah’s Healthy Eating Plate, an adaptation of the government’s MyPlate created in 2011, as a useful guide to good health.

What does this mean for meat and dairy, though?

Studies like the popular health book “The China Study” and documentaries like “What the Health” and “Cowspiracy”detail the harmful effects to humans and the environment that come with the consumption of animal-based foods. Jalili said he believes that the absolute exclusion of animal-based foods is not necessarily vital. However, regarding meat, “a little still means a little,” he said. 

Jalili said the maximum recommended intake of red meat is 100 grams per day while the maximum for processed meat is 50 grams. “Once a day is still a lot,” he said, and as far as human health is concerned, many studies indicate that there is, in fact, a decrease in mortality rate among those who maintain a vegan and vegetarian diet. When considering environmental health, there is slightly more to be taken into account when writing out your grocery list.

As more media attention surrounds the question of climate change versus animal agriculture, many organizations and communities are reevaluating the importance of animal-based foods, particularly meat, in a standard, western diet. 

“Raising cows is an environmental disaster,” Jalili said. With animal agriculture accounting for 91 percent of rainforest deforestation, according to The World Bank, and more greenhouse gas emissions than the entire transportation sector, according to the United Nations, Jalili said he believes that it is time for groups of people, like nutritionists, to not focus on health alone, but the bigger picture. “It’s just responsible,” he said. 

So, is a universal vegan diet the solution?

In the opinion of Christy Clay, Ph.D., an associate professor at Westminster College who teaches courses on subjects including biology, ecology, and environmental studies, “a homogenous, universal diet is exactly what has caused so many problems in our current food system.”

Clay said she believes that the current food system has created a monster of unequal distribution of foods, the elimination of native crops and variation, and potentially the loss of culture and professions. 

“We’re not understanding the limitations and values of local resources,” Clay said, as she explained the harms in seeking mainstream foods that do not naturally occur locally. Clay used the example of quinoa, a grain that grows in the Andes that is now exported to Western countries more than it is provided for locals who have depended on the grain in their diets for centuries. To be truly sustainable and ethical, Clay maintained that “diets should be bio-regional.”

For Clay, the ethical question of which foods to eat is not as simple as drastically lowering our consumption of meat. Rather, “there’s a whole dismantling of a current food system that needs to happen,” Clay said as she painted a picture of just how disrupted our way of eating has become. 

So, where do we begin?

Clay suggested that the first action to take is having the conversation about “how broken our food system is.” This consists of poor income for those in the agriculture industry, the cost and precarious nature of leasing land to farmers, a decline in community gardens, and loss of interest in crops that have fallen out of the mainstream.

“What does it look like to say we actually value this profession?” wondered Clay as she additionally suggested encouraging communities to be a space for local gardening. Already, there are a number of organizations working to do just that, including Green Urban Lunch Box, which goes from school to school, educating children on the value of local gardening while furthermore educating local farmers. 

Making a difference in your community requires collective action to encourage local agriculture and farming. Clay suggested gardening out of your own backyard. If you live in an apartment complex, ask your landlord or property owner about creating a roof garden. Clay also suggested engaging with other community gardens and protecting land to be used for local farming. Getting back in touch with a farm-to-table way of eating is imperative for a sustainable diet. Rekindling a healthy and community-based relationship with food is the best way for individuals to eat ethically, healthily, and in an environmentally friendly way. 

  • Local gardeners tend to their plot.






  • Utah local rakes her plot at Grateful Tomato Garden’s community garden.
  • Tool sheds and community chicken coops provided on site.
  • Wasatch Community Gardens has organized many community gardens through the Wasatch area.
  • Directions to many other community gardens located throughout the Salt Lake Valley.
  • More information on Grateful Tomato Garden’s community chicken coop provided on site.
  • Grateful Tomato Garden provides chicken coops for Salt Lake Valley locals who wish to own chickens.
  • Utah local tends to her garden plot at Grateful Tomato Garden.
  • Grateful Tomato Garden located on 615 E. 800 South in Salt Lake City.

It’s time to rethink recycling

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Story and photo gallery by NATALIE FREEZE

Did you know that the United States is the No. 1 trash-producing country in the world? While the U.S. accounts for only 5 percent of the global population, we are producing 40 percent of the world’s waste. I may not be a math major, but that just does not add up. Garbage is a global issue, and recycling has often been praised as the universal solution, but today we need to rethink how we recycle.

In the 1970s, a new push for green movements through government-backed initiatives raised public awareness and engagement through conservation efforts. In other words, recycling became a household mission. Earth Day was also first recognized on April 22, 1970. When recycling was a new and foreign concept, officials were desperate to get people to change their behavior and get into the habit of recycling. That was almost fifty years ago. Now, in 2019, it’s time to rethink how we recycle and raise the bar.

Since China has raised its recycling standards, we need to raise and match our recycling habits to continue to make a difference. In July 2017, China declared that it no longer wants to be the recipient of other countries garbage. The waste trade boosts economies of poor countries, but as China has grown in population and wealth, they no longer want to be held responsible for garbage duty. The declaration went into effect in January 2018, but before that China had been taking almost half of the United States recyclables.

Since last January, China has stopped accepting dozens of recyclable materials, like plastic and mixed paper, unless they meet strict rules around quality and contamination. Incoming recycling must be clean and perfectly sorted, a standard that is near impossible to meet.

In reaction to these new policies, the University of Utah has had to scale back recycling programs on campus. Joshua James, the waste management and recycling program manager here at the U said, “Now we are stuck at a point where we can only recycle plastics 1 and 2, and on top of that, it needs to be clean.” Many college students don’t understand these changes or what “clean” means, making these requirements extremely difficult to meet.

Recycling is not a lost cause, but we do need to make some essential changes to what we recycle. Aspiration recycling, also known as “wish cycling”, is no longer acceptable. This is when you are not actually sure if your coffee cup or pizza box is recyclable, but you toss it in the blue bin anyways because you care about the planet. James said, “It’s a feel-good thing, but if you put the wrong thing in there it ruins it for everyone.”

Aspirational recycling actually wastes more resources than simply sending it straight to a landfill. The energy consumed taking the trash to a facility, sorting it out as non-recyclable, and then sending it a landfill is wasteful and unnecessary. It can also damage the quality of other recyclable items that it touched, condemning those items to live in a landfill as well. Simply put, when in doubt throw it out.

Quality over quantity is key as recycling is becoming even more relevant for Salt Lake City. Once the Salt Lake Valley Landfill is full, that’s it, so it is increasingly urgent to filter what is necessary to be sent to the landfill. “The majority of our landfill is paper, which ironically is also the most recyclable material,” said Ashlee Yoder, the sustainability manager with Salt Lake County. “Not if, but when this landfill is capped off we will have to start sending our waste to other counties.”

So now what?

Sorting waste into the correct bin, whether it’s compostable, recyclable or just plain trash, is essential to combat excessive waste. But ultimately, it comes down to reducing our consumption. James said, “Stop depending on recycling. Reduce, reuse, recycle is in that order for a reason; recycling is the last resort after you have reduced and reused.”

Buying less is probably the easiest way to live a greener, more sustainable lifestyle. Resist the urge to buy trendy clothes and shoes that won’t ever be worn. Stop taking a giant stack of napkins when you only need one. Invest in metal straws and reusable bags and glass containers for leftovers. Both James and Yoder emphasized the need to take responsibility for our trash and consciously think about the choices we are making.

Sophie Morton, a sophomore at the U studying environmental sustainability, adds that every little bit matters. “Some people say that refusing one straw doesn’t make a difference, but if a hundred people or a thousand people start to make little changes we will start to see serious change.”

  • Recycling bins around campus enable students to filter their garbage.
  • Residents of Salt Lake City are encouraged to put out their trash and recycling for weekly pickup.
  • Since the U has updated its recycling policies, these posters are out of date.
  • Main campus recycling is put out Thursday evening to be picked up Friday morning.
  • Every night the Salt Lake Valley Landfill covers the garbage with 6 feet of dirt to minimize odors.
  • The Salt Lake Valley Landfill takes in approximately 2 million pounds of garbage every day.

Comics create common ground in Salt Lake City

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Story and photo gallery by GREG HOUSE

It’s Wednesday and for those in the know, that means new editions of their favorite comic books are hitting the shelves at Black Cat Comics, located at 2261 Highland Drive in Salt Lake City.

The walls of Black Cat Comics are brightly colored, seeming to come from the comics that line its shelves. Customers walk in and out throughout the day and Greg Gage — the man behind the operation — greets many of them by name, often with a prearranged stack of new arrivals set aside for the customer to purchase.

Gage grew up reading comic books, but gradually stopped as he got older.

“I kind of got back into them on a whim,” he said. “I picked up a couple of books I used to read and was like ‘God, this is cool,’ and after that, it was over.”

Gage reintroduced himself to comics as a young adult and he saw that the stories being told were not just the shallow, fun superhero romps he remembers from his childhood.

“There’s some real, honest-to-God literature in here,” he said. “It’s not just people jumping around like idiots punching people. There’s more to this than I thought.”

When he decided to open his own comic book store in 2004, he knew that creating a welcoming environment for his customers and hiring employees who understood that were both key ingredients for this business, which celebrated 15 years in business in May 2019.

With such a wide selection to choose from, there are many reasons why fans like Kyle Jackson keep reading comic books.

“I like reading a lot of different titles that show characters who are something to aspire to,” he said. “Not that I think I can learn to have superpowers, but the people underneath the masks are what is great to me.”

Taylor Hoffman used to shop at a different comic book store. But, after feeling like her reading choices were being judged by some of the employees, she started shopping at Black Cat Comics. She said she found the sense of community she was looking for.

“I immediately felt so much better, like I had a place to go,” she said. “After I graduated college, I kept coming by until Greg hired me and started paying me to stick around and talk about comics.”

As an employee at Black Cat Comics for more than five years, Hoffman tries to make sure that even younger readers feel like equal members of the community.

“I just love picking out things for little kids,” she said. “Especially younger girls because I wish I had that when I was a kid.”

Over the years, Hoffman has seen some of the store’s regular customers come in with their newborn babies and as those babies grow up she starts to recommend comics for them as well as their parents.

The all-ages section of Black Cat Comics is home to books featuring characters from Saturday morning cartoons as well as child-friendly versions of heroes who might otherwise be considered too violent.

“This is my baby,” she said, motioning to the all-ages section of the store. “I try to read all of these so I know how to talk to the kids who come in.”

It isn’t hard to see why a child would enjoy a weekly trip to the comic book store and Hoffman thinks comics can be an educational tool for them as well.

“Comics are such a great medium for younger kids to get into the habit of reading because there’s the picture books without as many words and then they graduate into [books with] more speech bubbles,” she said.

However, comic books are not just a children’s medium any more. A wide variety of heroes means there is a character for everyone, especially with the bigger publishers like Marvel Comics, who are pushing for more diversity in their mainstream lineup of characters.

Whether it is a young woman of color taking over the mantel of Ironman, now Ironheart, or a revelation that the X-Men team member known as Iceman has come out of the closet as a gay man, diversity plays an increasingly important role in today’s comic book landscape.

Sina Grace, who wrote the now concluded Iceman series for Marvel said on a public Instagram story post about writing inclusive stories, “To my knowledge, no publisher puts something out simply cuz it’s LGBTQ friendly,” he wrote. “Even Iceman, the reasoning was: there’s a story to be told about a man dealing with a secret he’s kept for 10+ years, not THAT he’s gay.”

When Gage first opened his store, he wanted to create a place where everyone can feel welcomed, regardless of their identity or background.

“Inclusivity makes more people feel more welcome in this space,” Gage said, “and that’s what I want, both from a business standpoint and a community standpoint.”

  • Greg Gage, owner of Black Cat Comics in Salt Lake City, arranges the latest editions of various comic books in his store.
  • Greg Gage talks with Matthew Vanderlaan, left, about some of the comics he is buying.
  • Taylor Hoffman, left, an employee at Black Cat Comics in Salt Lake City, prepares the cash register before the store opens for the day.
  • Taylor Hoffman, who has worked at Black Cat Comics for more than five years, organizes the back stock of comics in the store.
  • Taylor Hoffman checks the stock levels of different issues throughout the store.
  • Taylor Hoffman motions to the all-ages section at the store, an area she takes pride in maintaining for younger customers.
  • Luke Paramoure, 12, browses through the stock of back issues at Black Cat Comics in Salt Lake City.
  • Luke Paramoure looks through the poster selection at Black Cat Comics in Salt Lake City.
  • Taylor Hoffman helps Luke Paramoure find a particular issue of a comic book.

Samira Ibrahim

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MY STORY:

All you need to know about Utah men’s basketball player Donnie Tillman

MY BLOG:

I have always been a fan of watching sports and attending games since I was a little kid. My love for sports has just continued to develop as I grew older, and has formed a special place in my heart. When I decided that I wanted to major in communication, my direct interest for an emphasis was in journalism — sports writing to be exact. I read as much of the textbooks, even watched and took notes on many well known commentators for the NBA and NFL.

Screenshot 2019-04-17 09.52.25

It was Colin Kaepernick’s story that had inspired me to write a biography on an athlete. With all the commotion going on with him protesting by kneeling for the national anthem, it truly has brought much focused attention on sports entertainment. What I found to be a beautiful intriguing message was the Nike campaign that was made for Kaepernick. The campaign was made to give a brief understanding to the general public of his situation and background. It allowed for them to understand why he was doing what he was doing, and brought insight to the valuable player. And that is what inspired me to write about a student athlete in order for the audience to understand his background better to become more engaged.  

Thankfully we live in a generation where it has become more accessible to communicate and reach out to individuals rather than the past. I used the best source which is the social media platform to reach out to Donnie Tillman and ask if he would like to be interviewed for this story. Tillman so kindly agreed to work with me and set aside some time, despite the fact that he was busy with March Madness approaching. We took the time to meet on a Saturday and Sunday afternoon to be able to conduct an interview to write this story. Tilman brought his teammates to join in for the interview to help out with the process.

Fortunately, I got lucky with an easy interview process and even shared many laughs with the guys. They are great devoted individuals who inspire me with their aspirations. It was easy for me to “make sense” of all the information I had gathered from Tillman, as he and I related on many things in life. We both were raised in lower-economic neighborhoods that challenged us with many adversities. This interview allowed us to be grateful for how far we have come in life and how far we will go.

The process of conducting a story and constructing it to be suitable for the UNews writing page was a bit overwhelming for me at first. But once I just set aside all of the judgments, anxiety, and fear of doing this, I was completely comfortable in my skin. Once I realized how much I enjoyed this and the subject of the matter, it then became easy for me to be motivated to write this story. What had surprised me thoroughly in conducting this story was how much I had felt at ease doing it. I thought this would be a tedious and hard assignment, but it indefinitely ended up being one of my favorites in my college career.

ABOUT ME:

My name is Samira Ibrahim. I was born in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, but came to America to get receive an education and build a career. I’ve lived in Los Angeles, but went to high school in Utah in the city of Saratoga Springs. My hobbies include dancing, working out, and going on lovely hikes. I have been a dancer since middle school, and am self-taught but have been a part of clubs, organizations and teams. I am a communication major with an emphasis in strategic communication. I have a twin sister who comes to school with me here at the University of Utah. I plan to graduate in the Spring of 2020.

Salwa Ibrahim

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MY STORY:

Our campus, your safety, their services

MY BLOG:

As of lately, safety on campus has become one of the main topics here at the University of Utah. Being a university enrolling over 30,000 students and faculty, campus can feel a bit overwhelming at times. It is unfortunate that within my four years studying here, tragic events have occurred on campus. I wanted to research and write about our safety resources that we have on campus that ensure our well-being and feeling safe at all times. I had the opportunity to interview an on-campus police officer who provided me with all the information we need about safety. It was amazing how willing the officer was to answer any questions I had and he directed me to all the resources that we have access to. I was surprised and learned so much from him about all the help and tips the department provides to maintain a safe environment.

I interviewed in-person which allowed me to feel what the officer was saying rather than a phone call, this benefited my writing. I was able to craft more expression because of how passionate he is doing his job. We should all feel safe at all times, especially while we are all together in this learning environment. I was surprised to learn that all security are on-call all hours of the day, every day throughout the year. There are many resources on campus that can range from 24/7 safety escort security, rape advocates, mindfulness and covered therapy. We are lucky to have amazing resources, and I hope my article helps and informs you about our resources well.

ABOUT ME:

Salwa Ibrahim is currently a senior attending the University of Utah. She is earning a bachelor of arts degree in Communication. As a student, she enrolled in CoOMM 1610- Intro to News Writing and gained first-hand experience in news writing and research. Salwa enjoys drawing, music, and the outdoors in her free time.

Emma Johnson

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MY STORY:

Traumatizing aftermath of active school shooter drills

MY BLOG:

For as long as I can remember I’ve always had a special connection to news. I grew up in a home where local and national happenings were a common topic of conversation. In the 6th grade I participated in a program called “Biztown,” a program created for students to help familiarize themselves with the professional workforce. In preparation we had to fill out a questionnaire explaining what we liked doing, our strengths, weaknesses etc.

At the age of 12 most of my friends wanted to be professional dancers, accountants like their fathers or interior designers, all I wanted to do was talk about the news. I finally made the connection that that I could make news my career and I’ve been working at it even since.

My mother always said “If you have a job you love you never work a day in your life.” I love being a journalist, its something I am passionate about and something that challenges me everyday. In Intro to News Writing this semester I was challenged by coming up with sources and topic ideas. I was able to improve my gathering skills and work on mastering my idea focus.

I was able to strengthen my overall writing and story developing this semester. Learning and developing skills that helped me come up with story ideas eased the stress of the class. Discovering some useful sties and places to go for ideas is a skill I have developed that will greatly help me throughout my journalistic career.

ABOUT ME:

University of Utah communication and journalism student graduating in May. Working as an assignment desk editor at ABC4 News Utah. Lover of news writing. Dedicated news junkie. After graduation, I plan on staying at ABC4 and working toward my goal of becoming a multimedia journalist.

Berklee Hammond

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MY STORY:

Intermountain Healthcare announces groundbreaking policy that removes pharmaceutical representatives and medication samples from Utah practices and hospitals

MY BLOG:

I developed my story idea from a close family member who has been affected by Intermountain Healthcare prohibiting samples and representatives. This story intrigued me because these changes could affect this family member’s livelihood. Every year since these changes, people in the pharmaceutical industry have been getting laid off because of Intermountain’s new policies. 

I located my sources by networking with contacts in the pharmaceutical industry. They then referred me to Intermountain Healthcare’s specific contacts. I reviewed websites, as well as documents that were distributed to the pharmaceutical industry.

My sources were knowledgeable and affected by the changes. They all had firsthand knowledge of the timeline and reasons for the new policies. The Intermountain Healthcare contacts were involved in creating the policies and materials that were distributed to representatives during the time of the announcement.

Researching and gathering information for this story was more difficult than I anticipated. Many sources were careful with their words and opinions regarding their feelings about the new policy. Several declined to comment because they were afraid they might receive backlash from their individual company as well as Intermountain. I was able to work around this because they referred me to an official statement about the changes from Intermountain Healthcare.

The document released by Intermountain Healthcare called “Removal of Pharmaceutical Representatives and Medication Samples from Intermountain Clinics” helped me decide my focus. There were so many angles that I could take with the overall topic with the changes in the last 10 years regarding Big Pharma guidelines. There were changes happening around the time of my story and that is how I decided my focus. I wanted my story to be news-worthy and time relevant. 

The writing process was overwhelming at first. I made an outline and thought through my process and this helped it become manageable. I thought I would be more intimidated to speak to my sources, but I developed my questions and the interviews came naturally. I felt like I asked insightful questions.

It surprised me learning about the amount of work that the doctors are going to have to put in because of this policy change. I know how much training my family member had to go through so they were able to educate physicians on certain drugs. Intermountain is the largest healthcare provider in the state and this change is going to affect a lot of people.

ABOUT ME:

A goal should scare you a little, and excite you a lot. — Joe Vitale

I have set many goals in life, some are scary and all are exciting. However, obtaining my degree in Communication and a career in marketing and public relations is on the top of my list.

I am a junior at the University of Utah working toward my degree in Strategic Communication. I have been adding important and useful skills and knowledge to my arsenal in preparation for “real life” upon graduation.

I have enjoyed my time at the U as a student and collegiate cheerleader. I love traveling and visiting different stadiums during football season. My experience has also been growing through knowledge gained in various internship opportunities.

When I’m not on campus I enjoy spending time with my dog Stormie, going to the gym, reading, traveling and anything outdoors. 

Natalie Freeze

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MY STORY:

MY BLOG:

When considering topics for my enterprise story, I was inspired by Grist, a non-profit news organization that devotes time and attention to covering environmental policies and explaining complicated issues. I love watching their videos and reading their daily newsletter. This is where I got a lot of my foundational information to craft my story.

I chose to write about the revised recycling standards because it is something so relevant and important, yet I didn’t see many articles written about it. Once I had completed some background research about the recycling issues in the United States, I turned to my interview sources. This helped me narrow my focus from a national issue to a state issue and finally to a campus concern.

I also knew that I wanted to get a student perspective as well as professional opinions. For my influential interviews, I talked to Ashlee Yoder who works directly with the sustainability department of the Salt Lake Valley Landfill. She was a great resource because every day she sees the consequences of not recycling. I hadn’t thought about this before, but those who work with the landfill are some of the biggest advocates for proper recycling.

Josh James was also a great contact because he oversees recycling on campus. He gave me great insight into what the University of Utah is currently doing to improve the waste management system on campus and how China’s restrictions have impacted it’s policies and procedures.

I also interviewed a student studying environmental sustainability at the U. Sophie Morton was helpful because we were able to talk about what challenges we see with recycling on campus. A student’s perspective was important because they are the ones who are making daily decisions about recycling and she was also able to direct me to some great articles about this topic.

A challenge for me was coordinating the landfill tour because it took communicating weeks in advance about dates and times that could work and then finding a friend who was willing to drive us there as I do not have access to a car. Overcoming these challenges was well worth it in the end, and seeing the Salt Lake Valley Landfill in person was so interesting and different from what I expected. I was surprised that it did not smell bad at all!

Finally, after researching about recycling and interviewing my three sources, I was ready to write. I wanted to keep it as clear and simple as possible, so that anyone reading my story could understand the issue, why it matters, and what they can do to make a difference. Keeping this framework in mind, I made sure that I concluded my story with action steps and optimism.

ABOUT ME:

Growing up, I had this strange dream of being a pharmacist. But only if I could work at Walgreens. It all began in the back seat of a mini-van, waiting in the drive-thru lane of Walgreens picking up a prescription with my mom. The line was taking forever, and my mom was not satisfied with their speed of service. She was frustrated that there was only one pharmacist working. So naturally, I decided right then and there to become a pharmacist. But not just any pharmacist, a Walgreens pharmacist.

Thirteen years later, and sorry mom, but I don’t think that is the plan anymore. After graduating from Lone Peak High School in Highland, Utah; I chose to further my education by joining the Honors College at the University of Utah. Freshmen year, I had no idea what I wanted to spend the next four years of my life studying, but I knew that I had a passion for humanities. From world geography to art history, I wanted to focus on human interactions and connections.

After taking a major exploration course last fall, I discovered my passion for the field of communication. I am currently finishing my sophomore year here at the U, and I am looking forward to studying abroad this summer in Patagonia, Argentina. I am planning to graduate in the spring of 2021 with a major in Health Science Environment and Risk Communication and the Ecology and Legacy Integrated minor. I hope to either continue my education in grad school or start a career working with a nonprofit or some sort of social marketing agency.

Nic Nielsen

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MY STORY:

Students turn to piracy in face of high textbook prices

MY BLOG:

I will admit that I had a difficult time when tasked with coming up with a story idea. It wasn’t until I saw a student pull up a PDF of his textbook in class that I realized I wanted to write on the trend of pirating textbooks. I instantly began doing research on textbooks and was shocked to see just how much new textbook prices have increased in the last decade. I knew this was something students would care about, so I began to ask around campus at the University of Utah.

I interviewed a handful of students, but the topic was sensitive. After all, downloading PDFs of copyrighted textbooks is illegal, so no one would want to go on record saying they’ve actually done it. When I met Olivia Gonzales in the campus library, she was very open about how her friends and even previous teachers have been pirating textbooks. While she wouldn’t give any names, I knew this was going to be the best on-record source about the popularity of the trend.

I came across Thomas Young on a UTA TRAX Red Line train and was instantly intrigued by the stack of textbooks in his hands. He allowed me to interview him, and he provided an interesting point of view on the subject of my story. I was surprised to learn that, although he was unhappy about the price increase, he still preferred to have a physical copy. Because his views differed from everyone else that I interviewed, I knew he was an important source for my story.

Shane Girton was also a fantastic source due to his knowledge of textbooks and his position at the U’s campus store. He provided great information on the process of selling books back to the store, something I originally wanted to discuss in my story, but I decided not to include it because it took away from the focus of pirating textbooks. 

The biggest surprise for me was learning from Girton that publishers set the prices of textbooks at the bookstore. Many of the students I interviewed were under the impression that the bookstore chose the prices, as was I, so this information felt important to share.

Once I had the statistics and quotes that I planned to use, putting the story together was easy. Doing the research first was extremely helpful because if I didn’t know about the textbook price increase or the statistics about students choosing to not purchase textbooks, the quality of my interviews would not have been as high. Through writing this story I learned a lot, and I hope readers will too.

ABOUT ME:

Nic Nielsen is a communication major at the University of Utah following a strategic communication sequence. He is expecting to graduate in December 2019 and plans to pursue a career in marketing and advertising. Currently, he works as a marketing consultant and as a marketing intern for Intermountain Healthcare. In the future, he hopes to help small businesses grow by creating marketing strategies and working with them to build stronger social media presences. Ultimately, his goal is to start his own business by opening a restaurant in Southern California.

In his spare time, Nic works as an actor, something he has been passionate about his whole life. He has worked on local productions, commercials for companies such as Amazon Audible and Klymit, shows such as Disney’s “Andi Mack,” and the A24 horror film “Hereditary.” Along with acting, Nic also enjoys screenwriting and has written a 10-episode season for a half-hour comedy that he hopes to get produced. His other hobbies include surfing, hiking, running, and anything else that keeps him on his feet and moving. Due to his love for the ocean, he actively promotes ocean conservation and is a member of the Surfrider Foundation. 

Jenna S. O’Dell

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MY STORY:

Tayler Lacey talks new EP and journey to being a musician

MY BLOG:

Live performances has always been my favorite way to listen to music. The combination of musicians’ energy, multiple musicians and instruments playing together and stage lighting, creates something so magical and captivating. Because I go to so many concerts, I’ve considered writing a music blog about my experiences. 

I’ve known Tayler Lacey for over a year. I’ve been to many of his shows and we’ve had many discussions about different ways for him to promote his music. When presented with this project I thought this would be a great way for me to get started on music writing and reviews and for him to get some exposure. 

Initially I was afraid that I wouldn’t have been able to complete this story. At the time he wasn’t performing as frequently as I had remembered. Fortunately there was one performance just a few days before the first deadline.

Lacey was a lot of fun to interview. Seeing Tayler perform was the first time I’ve been to an acoustic show in a few years. He was super eager to meet with me and talk to me about his new EP. He was happy to share information with me and was detailed about his songwriting process and story.

ABOUT ME:

I am a University of Utah junior studying Strategic Communication. I’m originally from a small town in Connecticut where I received my Associate of Arts in Marketing and Sales from Northwestern Connecticut Community College. 

I’ve been involved in the performing arts since I was 4 years old, studying dance, music and theater and I had an internship opportunity working in the marketing department of The Warner Theatre in Torrington, Connecticut. With the performing arts being a big part of my life, I was inspired to work toward a career in the music industry.

Pamela Smith

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MY STORY:

New marketing strategies help a local business grow

MY BLOG:

Coming up with an idea for an enterprise story ideas was difficult. I had to think about the things I was interested in and if others would be interested in them as well. I finally settled on how local businesses are marketing themselves to stay competitive. I used businesses that I knew about and have frequently visited. Locating my sources was easy since I had been there before.

I found it difficult to set up interviews with all three of my originally planned sources and in the end I only interviewed one of the owners about her business, one of her customers, and an employee.

Speaking with the owner of this company gave me insight on how to take a small business and make it grow. When i had first talked to her about doing an interview she made it clear that I may not like the answers she gave me, but I proceeded with the interview anyway. I found it easy to connect with her and have a conversation openly and without feeling awkward. During the interview, there were no distractions and we were able to talk about the business and her personal life as if we had known each other for awhile.

After reading over my notes I had written, I tried to put them in a storyboard order so that I could show my audience about her marketing strategies and give insight on her business. I tried to incorporate quotes when necessary that really emphasized what she talked about.

Throughout the writing process I kept having to reword things and try to remember not to add my opinion into it. I learned that I am not the best journalistic writer because I do have a lot of opinions on things and it is difficult for me to not include them. Writing my whole enterprise story was a learning experience for me because I had to learn to write in AP, cite sources in-text, and not include my opinion.

Just remember that when you are writing, write about something that you find interesting and make sure to write it in a new perspective not written about before.

ABOUT ME:

I am a junior at the University of Utah, getting my degree in strategic communication with an emphasis in marketing. I received my associate degree from Dixie State University in spring 2016 and then continued going for my bachelors for a couple more semesters. After deciding that Dixie was not the school for me I moved back to Salt Lake City. I took a year off to work and travel and then started at the U in fall 2018.

I love attending the University of Utah because of its diverse culture and its access to all the mountains. I am super passionate about any outdoor activity such as hiking, climbing, camping, and boating, just to name a few. Living so close to campus has helped me interact with the unique culture of campus and surrounding Salt Lake area and grow into a more open independent person.

I have been working for the U for about two years in facilities management. I started as an assistant buyer and recently took a job as an administrative assistant. I also work weekends for The 5K Color Run. With this job, I get to travel to various states inside the U.S. and help put this event on for thousands of people. Both of these jobs have given me experience with managing inventory, money, and people and given me the opportunity to go to school and travel.

Isabella Buoscio

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MY STORY:

Mental Health Help for College Students

MY BLOG:

This story came to me because of my own experience in college with anxiety and depression. I have found that, in college, what were previously manageable disorders have become more of a burden. I went through a very dark period that led me to transfer schools from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, 3,000 miles from home, to the University of Utah, 30 miles from home. Therapy and talking about my own issues have taught me to cope with these experiences and led me to want to help others accept their own plights and do the same.

One source I went to is a person whom I talked to many times when I first transferred home to the University of Utah. Annmarie Flock is a trusted source I could go to when I needed help. I knew she was knowledgeable about what goes on during sessions and what practices are put into play to deal with disorders. I knew she would add to my story by giving readers facts from a trusted source.

My next two sources are two people whom I know currently attend therapy. One is a friend of a friend and the other happens to be one of my closest friends. I knew Zoe Baukman slightly in high school. She was a grade younger than me. I also knew her significant other, whom I did not enjoy. When I heard about her struggle, I knew she would be a good person to talk to about why therapy can help. Addi Poddska and I talk at length about why everyone should go to therapy and how people should accept that everyone is a little messed up. I went to her first when my story idea came to me. She offered to do an interview right away. I thought she would be a good source because she is more of the typical anxiety/depression case, where multiple things add up in college giving her stress.

One obstacle I encountered was figuring out how much of Zoe’s story to put in. I wanted the readers to know what she had gone through, but I also wanted to respect Zoe’s privacy. For this reason, I had to sort through her interview and make sure I was wording things to protect Zoe.

I knew my focus of the story was going to be why and where you can receive therapy at the University of Utah. I do not think enough students utilize this service. It is much less expensive than a private therapist and the therapists all have experience with students. They are equipped to help. From there I knew I needed a ‘why’, so I wanted to find sources readers could relate to and maybe take inspiration from.

I learned that I write best when I outline everything I am going to say. I also freak out about the assignment until it is actually done, part of my anxiety coming into play. I often need to dump everything in my brain on a page and leave it for a couple of days then come back to the story and clean it up. It takes LOTS of cleaning up.

ABOUT ME:

Isabella Buoscio grew up in Park City, Utah, before attending the University of Wisconsin-Madison for freshman year of college. She started off studying dance but felt more drawn to other forms of creative art, such as film and writing. During this year she learned a lot about mental health and how her peers handled it. During the summer between freshman and sophomore year, she decided to transfer home to the University of Utah to benefit her own mental health. Since then she has become passionate about helping others who are struggling and coaxing them to try therapy.  She is studying communication arts, specifically video production and marketing.

She would love to run a large-scale campaign on mental health awareness in college one day. For now, she will continue taking classes and spending her free time hanging out with friends in the beautiful state of Utah.

Greg House

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MY STORY:

Comics create common ground in Salt Lake City

MY BLOG:

Comic books are something I have been interested in for a while now. Near the end of 2018, I wrote a paper on inclusivity and representation in the medium. Research for that paper led me to be more curious about the communities of people who read and bond over comic books.

After establishing myself as a regular presence at my local comic book store, Black Cat Comics, I got to know Greg Gage, the owner, and Taylor Hoffman, his employee. The three of us had a few conversations over a couple of weeks about different stories I could write about the community as a whole, but through the lens of one store.

Hoffman and Gage were the best people I could have talked to for this story because, while they both have a vested interest in keeping the store running, they are also huge fans of comics themselves. Our interviews often got sidetracked into mutual tangents about what makes one character so great or why a particular writer did so well with a franchise. Those tangents were what allowed me to get the best quotes that I used for my story.

One anecdote that didn’t make it into my story has stuck out in my mind. Hoffman told a story about how a particular issue of a Superman comic spoke to her on a personal level and it is something that she revisits regularly when she hits hard times. Part of the reason that didn’t make it to the final draft was that she told me this after the main interview had taken place and I wasn’t recording her anymore.

The focus wasn’t super clear until after I spoke with Greg about the story and went home to sit on it for a while. I wanted it to be more than an advertisement for a local shop and something that people who don’t read comic books could enjoy and understand as well.

ABOUT ME:

Growing up, I always wanted to be a comedian. Telling stories and making people happy have always made me feel good about myself. 

Shortly after I graduated high school, I enlisted in the US Navy and spent five years as a mass communication specialist. It was a great job that had me working with cameras, radio studios, and in various public affairs settings. While in the Navy, I was stationed in Japan and Guam. While those duty stations are as different as two places can be, I was able to travel all around Southeast Asia, which sparked a love of travel in me. Since getting out of the military, I have traveled to Morocco, Spain, Portugal, and England. 

After my contract with the Navy ended, I moved to Salt Lake City. As soon as I moved here, I started my education as an education major at Salt Lake Community College before transferring to the U as a Strategic Communication Major.

After I finish my degree, I’d like to work as a public affairs specialist with the Department of Veterans Affairs while doing documentary work on the side.


Camille Aglaure

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MY STORY:

The most sustainable and ethical diet for people and the planet

MY BLOG:

For my story, I knew immediately that I wanted it to pertain to health. I figured that any new information I could gain would only fuel the fiery passion I have for nutrition, holistic medicine, and environmental health. 

After some debate, I finally settled on the specific question of what kind of diet is the most sustainable? I’ll be honest, I initially went in with some bias. As someone who follows a mostly vegan diet, I have become increasingly aware of the damaging effects animal products have on the human body, as well as on the environment. Because of this, I was sure that, while likely enlightening, any interviews I conducted with my sources were probably going to confirm my current opinions. I felt as though I could write the story without even consulting any outside, professional sources. Well, after my interviews, I quickly discovered how wrong I was in my assumption.

In my first interviews with Dr. Thunder Jalili, Ph.D., and Anne P. Taylor, registered dietitian, I was enlightened on the fact that although the average western diet should drastically reduce intake of animal-based products, it is not necessary to cut it out entirely. Already, with that detail alone, my perspective was forced to shift if I wanted to be as accurate to my sources as possible. 

My most significant interview to shift my perspective, though, was the one I conducted with Christy Clay, Ph.D., on the ecology and ethics of a universal diet. I chose to interview Dr. Clay because of her background in the study of local agriculture, ecology, and environmental studies. About five minutes into the interview, I knew that my question was entirely wrong. She enlightened me on how damaging the implementation of any universal behavior can be to regions and cultures. She explained to me the importance of diets being bio-regional, instead of universally the same. 

Were it not for the interviews, I would have written a completely different story that would have never touched on the ecology of food systems, how damaged our current food system is, or how we, as members of our community, can potentially restore it to one that is ultimately most sustainable for everyone.

ABOUT ME:

I grew up in Park City, Utah my whole life until 2014 when I moved to Salt Lake City. Although I would consider myself much better suited for warm weather, I’ve developed an incredible adoration for the snow-capped mountains, diverse landscapes, and varied seasons in which I was enveloped my entire life.  

When I first started attending the University of Utah, I was pursuing a degree in mechanical engineering. After completing a couple semesters, my passion for what I was studying had faded and had changed its course toward subjects that would allow me to better explore creative and colorful aspects of my mind. 

With a passion for sociology and marketing inherited to me by my parents in similar professions, I dove into a Communications major the day before the deadline to drop classes. Two days into my entirely new schedule of classes, I knew that I had made the right decision. 

What I found so immediately fascinating about Communications studies was how much I found it to be a demonstration that human beings are incredibly complex yet predictable. I found it beautiful that Communications highlights the fact that we are all connected to one another through human experience and the similar ways we perceive things. 

Currently, my passions include – but are not limited to – cooking, health & nutrition, holistic medicine, mental health, sociology, and being in nature as much as possible. 

As I embark on my career journey, I hope to be able to apply my passions to the work I do while simultaneously finding a way to make my work meaningful to myself and other people. To me, the most important way to be fulfilled in what I do for a profession is to know that I am able to help make other people’s lives better and potentially make the world a better place. 

Isabelle Curran

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MY STORY:

MY BLOG:

My story idea came from a long term interest in social media and the things I’ve noticed while living in Utah for the past two years. I had noticed a correlation between media success and users in Utah before I had even lived here, so my fascination only grew once I was in the middle of it all. I had high hopes of reaching out and connecting with people I really wanted to talk to, but it wasn’t as easy as that. As can be expected, many of the popular Utah social media users whom I was hoping to interview were very busy with their work, which entails lots of travel and tight scheduling.

Even though it was hard to get interviews, I was able to recognize how their travels are their jobs, so it makes sense that they are busy. The interviews I did hold were contacts made through networking. I got a lot of suggestions of people to reach out to from other people I had contacted, which was very helpful. The three sources I ended up with were very interesting and helped to develop my story. I was able to get multiple different perspectives and learn something new from each of them as well. Since I struggled to get sources, the focus was the biggest issue I had after that. My original format wasn’t going to work with the interviews I had then acquired. So to refine my story, I sifted through the information I had gathered and made sure to keep considering the two major themes of Utah and social media.

Once I had enough information, writing came pretty easily. I knew what I wanted to say and what quotes and interview material I planned on including. This article process gave me a lot of respect for reporters and journalists because articles aren’t easy tasks, especially doing multiple stories under tight deadlines. I now have a new ice cream place to enjoy and know where to get new home decor. I’m really glad I stuck with my story idea as I feel like I learned a lot about new people and their businesses in Utah.

ABOUT ME:

I am currently a sophomore at the University studying Strategic Communications. I was born and raised in California, which I love and miss everyday when I am away from it. However, I have been visiting Utah for the past fifteen years, so I do consider it my second home.

I have always loved the creative arts. Photography and dance have been passions of mine ever since I was little. As I got older I became well versed in social media very quickly and like to use it to show my photos and designs. I hope to use this interest and my schooling to pursue a career in media marketing and content creation. Some dream positions would be working for a sports team or a media company such as GoPro or Havas Media Group.


Benny Cardullo

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MY STORY:

Salt Lake City: Home to Mormons and gays alike

MY BLOG:

As an LGBTQ+ member of the Salt Lake community, I was pleasantly surprised to hear the news that Salt Lake City was named the Gayest City in America by The Advocate magazine. Salt Lake City can feel so small, especially among the LGBTQ+ community, but this article helped me look at my home with new eyes.

While writing my story, I sought to interview people from different families and backgrounds who call Utah their home. I first spoke with Walker Boyes, a young artist who moved to Utah over a year ago. He provided a youthful perspective and insight into Utah’s art scene. I then spoke with Nicole Dicou. She and her wife Natalie are preparing to start their family with their daughter Marigold in Salt Lake City. Then I contacted Sean Edwards, who attends the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints weekly with his husband, Matthew. These people provided me insight into why people move to Utah and/or stay in Utah, why they build their families here, and how they are affected by the state’s predominant faith.

I had to be sensitive to not insert my own views and opinions as I wrote this story, seeing as it personally affects me and my life. To counter this, I relied highly on research and interviews as I sought to connect LGBTQ+ Utahns’ stories to the available data regarding Utah’s LGBTQ+ population.

As I listened to people’s stories and perspectives on their life here in Utah, the story naturally took shape and eventually led to the focus on family, a common value shared among many of Utah’s residents. From this experience, I learned that the story is always there waiting to be uncovered. It’s the reporters job to tell the truth in a way that is accessible to a broad audience.

As I wrote this story, I learned that Utah has the highest percentage of LGBTQ+ individuals with children, most of whom came from previous, heterosexual marriages. Fascinated by the relationship between Utah’s strong LGBTQ+ presence and religious environment, I will continue to learn and report the delicate but resilient relationships that exist between the state’s faith and LGBTQ+ population.

ABOUT ME:

“Maybe a specialist is only a coward, afraid to look out of his little cage. And think what any specialist misses—the whole world over his fence.” –John Steinbeck, East of Eden

I am powered by a gypsy soul and the desire to discover the “world over [my] fence.” “A jack of all trades, master of none,” I have never allowed school to get in the way of my education as I have developed a wide array of skills and passions that have allowed me to explore and unfold the world around me.

I am most at home when I’m not at home, having spent years of my life living abroad and interacting with the different people, places, and cultures of the world (having visited over 40 different countries). I am energized as I learn from people of different races and ethnicities, social and economic backgrounds, and religious upbringings. This energy is the driving force behind my work as I strive to share the unique stories and perspectives each of us possess to unify us as a global community.

My next step in life leads me to Paris, France, as I complete my BA in Strategic Communication from the University of Utah. While in France, I will study French and prepare my application for a master’s of management from London Business School. I plan to use my degrees and life experiences to promote prosperity among developing nations through the use of co-impact sourcing and microfinancing.

Katherine Schumann

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The idea for my story came to me when I was spending time at home visiting my brother after his torn ACL surgery. My brother is a professional Nordic combined athlete and I knew that with that connection I could get special access to his team of surgeons, coaches and teammates in order to write an in-depth story.

The biggest obstacles when writing my story was to keep it non-personal because I was writing about my brother. I really had to separate the way that I know he feels about his injury and stick to the facts and the interviews, challenging myself. When interviewing everyone it was easy to make sense of all the information into a story. They are all Stephen’s team of doctors and coaches and they all know the same story so all the information from the interviews was cohesive. The focus became on my brother’s recovery as an athlete and how it happens differently being a professional athlete and how it affects the athletes themselves.

The writing process was very straightforward there were clear guidelines to the assignment. The biggest struggle for me with writing is, I love to tell stories but putting them on paper with the correct grammar has always been hard for me. This process has taught me how to properly research and execute a story for publication and pushed me to learn AP style and better my writing. I’m surprised by how much I enjoyed the process of researching and writing this enterprise story and how much I learned.