MY STORY: 

• Howdy Homemade in Salt Lake City employs individuals with special needs

MY BLOG:

When we were given the assignment of writing a story about something surrounding our community, the first thing that came to my mind was Howdy Homemade, an ice cream shop that recently opened here in Salt Lake City. Howdy is unique because of its business model of hiring mostly individuals with special needs. The energy and the power held inside of that little shop is magnetic, and it is something I wanted to share with others.

My goal for the story was to really highlight what Howdy is, and how the business model works. I had the pleasure of speaking with several employees, two managers, and members of the family who opened the store locally. Each of them shared with me what Howdy means to them, and why individuals with special needs are “heros” in the workplace. Spending time at the shop, speaking with customers, employees, and trying one too many samples of their delicious ice cream, I slowly began to take in the meaning of the business model.

Sifting through all of the information I gathered, I decided I wanted to tell the story through a personal, progressive form. I structured the story in order of the beginning, middle, and end of the shop-opening process, telling it from each source’s point of view. In doing this I learned that oftentimes what we need to write about to tell the story properly, doesn’t always reveal itself in the very beginning. Through this process I learned to be patient with my writing, my narrative, and what is happening in front of me.

ABOUT ME:

Currently, I am a strategic communication major and a junior at the University of Utah. I am working on accumulating work experience in the fields of advertising, design, public relations and marketing.

MY STORY:

•  Veganism finds permanence and thrives in Salt Lake City

MY BLOG:
I really wanted to write a piece that required putting myself into the community. By interviewing the owners of places I already visit at least once a week, I opened up the opportunity for those who may not know much about the vegan lifestyle to learn more about the things happening specifically in their own backyard. I found that the owners of Vertical Diner, Boltcutter, Monkeywrench and Mark of The Beastro were my best options, because they’re all located in downtown Salt Lake, which makes them more accessible and convenient to locate for those who are curious and because they’re easy to recognize.

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I took all of the information I gathered and spun them to fit a more educational approach. Veganism is a somewhat “taboo” subject, especially to those who already have formed opinions on it. I wanted my angle for this piece to be serious and informative while also addressing the fact that vegans aren’t missing out on delicious food, and eating plant-based foods doesn’t have to be scary or “gross.”

I was surprised by how open the business owners were to answering the questions I had, and how willing they were to share their opinions on animal liberation and the state of the vegan community. I had a lot of fun talking to them, learning more about them and sharing stories. I hope this excitement resonates with you, as well.

ABOUT ME:
My name is Zaina Abujebarah and I’m currently working on my bachelor’s degree at the University of Utah. I’m a declared communication major with my sights set on journalism. On top of my school work, I’m currently fulfilling an internship at SLUG Magazine, while also working as a barista at The Coffee Shop. When I’m not working or going to school, I love being a part of the local music scene and attending shows. I have a passion for poetry, veganism, photography and film.

MY STORY:

• Opioid addiction in Utah: Can the battle be won?

MY BLOG:

My story idea came after mulling over quite a few of them. I knew that the opioid crisis was a heavily discussed one, but I wanted to take a more in-depth look at recovery options and what works.

I did quite a bit of research online, but I also had the benefit of knowing personally multiple sources who were involved in the recovery of those suffering from addiction. These people had first-hand experience and were very beneficial to the story.

While finishing the article, I came across a dilemma in which one of my sources contacted me and explained that he would rather not be named in the story. This was easily solved by using an abbreviation, but it was a strong reminder to me of the seriousness of the issue at hand.

I had quite a bit of information for a while, because I knew that I wanted to get the article right. I did not want to rush through anything and leave out an important detail, or portray opioid addiction and recovery as anything other than what it is. Ultimately, it fell upon the importance of helping people understand recovery, and that became the focal point from where my article grew.

I was surprised at how personal this article became to me. I began looking at it from an outsider’s perspective. I had never dealt with this issue before, but I could sense and understand the pains and joys experienced by those I interviewed. I can say in all honesty that this was the most difficult article I have written, but also by far the most rewarding.

ABOUT ME:

I’ve been writing for a long time — as long as I can remember, actually. I’ve been writing stories and books, or at least attempting to do so, my entire life. I was born in Salt Lake City and I have spent my life here. I served as a missionary for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints for two years in Los Angeles County, and am now studying communication at the University of Utah. News writing is incredibly important — it brings stories to light and informs people of what they need to know. This is my responsibility, and I take it very seriously.

MY STORY:

• Sugarhouse slam poets: breaking stereotypes and dropping mics

MY BLOG:

When I was pondering ideas for my enterprise story, I knew I wanted to write about something I was passionate about. After all, how many times are you given the freedom to write passionately in an academic sphere? I’d been attending poetry slams in Salt Lake City for two years and was very aware that the community was under-discussed. With this perfect blend of interest and under-coverage, I had my pitch. My fellow journalists were nothing but supportive of the idea and their enthusiasm spurred my decision to cover the SLC slam poetry scene.

Locating sources was, fortunately, very easy because I had been an attendee at the events for so long. I was also lucky enough to have a connection to the Vice President of Wasatch Wordsmiths through Her Campus Utah. Through these links, I landed interviews with two of Salt Lake City’s most prominent poets: Dorothy McGinnis and Bryce Wilson. They were a great mix of sources because they all had something different to bring to the table. Dorothy having a leadership position in the community was phenomenal and both poets had, at one time, represented the local scene on a national stage.

The biggest obstacle in this process was scheduling. I realize this is very different from working as a journalist because I wouldn’t have two other jobs to work around. However, there is a delicate art to scheduling interviews with subjects in that you have to be persistent but still make them want to give you an interview.

Going into the interviews, I knew I was going to get a huge variety of responses and information. I also knew that my topic was one that few people know a great deal about. With that in mind, I created a rough outline for my story in the sense of which aspects of slam poetry I wanted to address. From that, I asked each poet the same set of questions, with room for deviance and follow-up questions to specific things they said. Once I had all the notes, I assigned each interview a topic in my outline to cover. For example, I used Dorothy’s interview to talk about what slam poetry is and what is unique about the SLC community and I used Bryce’s walkthrough of a typical slam.

The writing process was different than any kind of writing I’ve ever done. Through Her Campus Utah, I’ve done profile writing, but I’ve only ever used one interview. Compiling information from three different sources was an entirely new obstacle to tackle. My organizational skills were definitely put to the test.

Overall, I’ve learned so much about journalism from this project and I’m confident that the skills learned on this story will translate to many aspects in the rest of my life.

ABOUT ME:

I am 20 years old and a junior at the University of Utah studying communication. In my third year at the U, I couldn’t imagine going to school anywhere else. I am heavily involved on campus. I am a proud member of Greek life on campus as an Alpha Phi and I have written for Her Campus Utah for two years. I am also expanding my writing experience as an intern for Studio 200 on campus.

I love writing and hope to take my skills to a career in wildlife conservation, ideally in an editorial position at an organization like the World Wildlife Fund. I would be thrilled to be able to use my words to save our environment and the animals that inhabit it. As of now, I am content to use my on-campus writing positions to spread awareness about wildlife conservation.

When I’m not in class or at one of my two jobs, I enjoy playing video games, painting and writing for my personal blog. I am counting down the days until I can adopt a dog — or five — and move to Washington.

MY STORY: 

• Salt Lake businesses giving back

MY BLOG: 

After sharing my chosen major of strategic communication at the University of Utah, and hearing the usual response of “communicating is important,” or “What can you even do with that?” I soon found myself also doubting the strength of my desired degree. As I got further into the required courses, I was quickly assured that strategic communication is not only challenging, but also applicable to many real-life skills.

When I started the Intro to News Writing course, I had intentions to breeze through assignments with minimal challenge. However, I was quickly proved wrong. Throughout the semester, the requirement to pitch a story idea, interview sources, write a lengthy story on the chosen topic to then be published was daunting.

As I struggled to choose a relevant topic for my enterprise story, I turned to my interest for community involvement to guide my focus. I work at a local business as a baker, and love to see the interactions between various local businesses and their involvement with the community. That interest guided my choice of topic on local businesses giving back to charity.

I was surprised to find out that many businesses that give back are not as recognized or obvious in the community. It took more effort than expected to choose the most fitting philanthropic businesses for my story. When I chose to write about Even Stevens, Cotopaxi and Stonehaven Dental, I was lucky to have very accessible sources found through the various websites. Those websites led me to be connected with my sources via email, that gave me the in-depth information to develop my story.

I found that after I decided on my main idea, each new interview and the supplemental research done, led me in a more exciting direction. I made sense of the extensive information through narrowing it down to what was the most relevant to my focus of spending money locally to contribute to philanthropic efforts.

Through writing my enterprise story, I found myself in need many of the skills taught in the course. To use all of the AP style rules, correctly make attributions and not stray from the focus of my story was a source of struggle through the writing process. I not only strengthened my writing skills, and gained more interest in the interaction between local businesses and charity in Salt Lake Valley.

ABOUT ME:

I am currently a student at the University of Utah, pursuing a bachelor of science in strategic communication and minoring in health, with an expected graduation date of Spring 2019. I am from the Bay Area in California and have been living in Utah for four years. 

I spent my first year in Utah attending Salt Lake Community College before transferring to the University of Utah. Upon coming to The U, I got involved in the Alpha Phi sorority. Shortly thereafter, I joined the national online magazine called Her Campus as a writer.

I have a passion for connecting with others, writing, traveling and culinary arts. When I am not attending school, I work as a baker at a local bakery called Poppies, and spend my free time with friends and family. 

MY STORY:

• The New Colossus: a glimpse on the values of Lady Liberty

MY BLOG:

Growing up, I always have had the opportunity to see things first at hand. I was able to see them for what they actually were in reality. My religion and my upbringing in a low socio-economic household is what made me be able to understand and acknowledge issues within the world. I am a Muslim. These characteristics are what has shaped my interests and passions. I tend to develop my stories based off personal experience and what I feel connected to.

Concerning “The New Colossus: A glimpse of the values of Lady Liberty,” I felt that I had to give a voice to those who couldn’t speak. I wanted to bring awareness to the refugee crisis and the agencies that go out of their way to help them. That was my focus.

While writing this piece, I reached out to refugee help centers, immigration attorneys and local work force departments, to see which would be available for an interview. I decided to interview people from those areas because I knew that they dealt with refugees personally. They were the best options since they had multiple insights on the refugee crisis and knew what the refugees were going through on a first-hand basis. Though the season made it really hard for anyone to get back to me, I managed to find one person to speak with from each organization. Each interview ran smoothly and surprisingly there weren’t any obstacles besides actually scheduling an interview.

During the interviews, I made sure I had a list of questions written down, to help me stay on my focus. Being organized helped me make sense of all the information I was being given. When it came to actually writing my story, I had to break down every piece of information I had. I had to organize and re-organize my piece multiple times to make sure it gave off the right emotion and had an appropriate delivery, all while making sure it was interesting to read. I made sure to include everything that I was given, so nothing important was left out.

What surprised me the most was how everyone was so involved and despite setbacks they were still passionate about helping those who are in need. Overall, writing this story helped me realize how important being a humanitarian is and what being a part of a community entails.

ABOUT ME:

Reem Ikram, a long-time advocate for human rights, brings more than an open mind and different perspective when concerning issues that are present within society. Focusing her time on volunteering at the local soup kitchens and setting up fundraisers for those in need, Ikram has gained a compelling outlook on how life should be lived out. Currently living in Salt Lake City, she also attends the University of Utah, majoring in communication with an emphasis in broadcast journalism, she is expected to graduate in 2019.

Ikram grew up in a disoriented family, constantly struggling with being financially unstable and watching her mother be a victim of domestic violence. Though her living situation wasn’t ideal, it allowed her to become more than resilient. It inspired her to be super productive and overly optimistic.

After enduring such a turbulent past, Ikram decided to pursue broadcasting to be a part of a larger platform so she could then be able to reach out and help more of those in need. While trying to reach this goal, she has also taken part in numerous independent projects in order to make a name for herself. These projects range from writing stories for her university’s paper, acting in independent films relevant to raising awareness to social conflicts and issues, to running two small businesses and her own film production company.

While always keeping herself busy, Ikram is determined to make a positive change in the world. She is no stranger when it comes to tough times and having a lot on her plate.

MY STORY:

• Kindergarten: the new first grade

MY BLOG: 

For my story I wanted to write about a topic that I discuss daily. My first idea was about gun control and the second, education. I am passionate about guns and that is one of my hobbies. However, I wanted to write about something more local. My wife is a kindergarten teacher and we are always talking about education in the state of Utah.

When I decided to write about kindergarten I wanted to make it more personal. I went to my wife’s school and asked teachers, educators and parents if I could interview them. I wanted to get three different viewpoints, the teacher who is directly working with the kids, the administration that links the government to the kids, and parents who will see the real growth outside of the class.

My focus was on the students and if kindergarten needs to be mandatory in the state of Utah. I wanted to focus on the impact that kindergarten had on the students and if it needed to be mandatory.

My story had all the elements I wanted to include from my research phase. If I could do it over again, I would try to interview someone from the state of Utah legislature to get the government’s perspective.

I found this story hard to form and write. I have written papers in APA format but writing in AP style was a change. Overall, I found that I really enjoyed this assignment. I was able to broaden my writing skills and get experience writing to tell a story.

ABOUT ME:

My name is Jackson Caldwell. I am working full time and studying strategic communication at the University of Utah. I hope to work in a marketing or strategic communication role when I graduate. I am an avid sports fan and love Utah.

MY STORY:

• Immigrants with pockets full of dreams

MY BLOG:

Writing is not easy.

Now, being a writer and an interviewer, that’s a challenge.

When thinking about a topic for my enterprise story, I came up with a big moral dilemma: Would I pick an easy topic that I had already done research on and knew about, or would I pick something completely outside of my comfort zone and learn and write about it?

After narrowing down my topics to about three, I decided I wanted to challenge myself and took the assignment as an opportunity to learn about something so close to home, yet so unexplored.

Undocumented immigrants.

How could I talk about such a sensitive topic that I had no clue on? Who would be brave enough to open up and identify themselves as undocumented? Would that be ethically correct and even safe for me to do?

All I knew is that I wanted to tell a story. The story of someone who could inspire and educate readers about the reality of millions of people in our country. And then, the idea came to me: I wanted to talk about Manuel Valdez, my boss at one of the best restaurants in Salt Lake City. I knew his story was interesting based on the fragments of it that he had told me, and I wanted to know more. I wanted to tell everybody the story of this hard-working man.

When I told Valdez about my idea, he laughed it off. He does not really like to talk about himself or to share his personal stories with anybody. But after lots of convincing and negotiation, he agreed to give me an interview.

That Sunday, I went over to his house, where he was having a BBQ with his family and friends. After eating and chatting, Valdez opened up and we had what became a 7-hour interview. There was so much information, that my hand hurt from all the notes that I took! I did not want to leave any information out, so I made sure to ask many questions and record everything. Throughout the same week, I interviewed my two other sources: Valdez’s son, and Lora, a Lone Star customer. Those interviews were extremely short compared to Valdez’s, but I had the information I needed.

When it came to writing the actual story, the fun started. I had so much information, so many details, perspectives, and anecdotes that I wanted to include. When I finished writing my first draft I was at 1,300 words, without counting one of the interviews. I felt frustrated and overwhelmed by so much information. I felt that the story did not flow and that in my urge to include everything, I was jumping from topic to topic.

So I closed my computer and did not open the story for another three days.

After receiving advice from my classmates and Prof. Mangun, I decided to revise my story. I needed to narrow it down, and almost be cruel. I needed to stick to one topic or at least signal where new information was being introduced.

I tried to organize the story by life events and used headers to signal those events. It helped to make the story flow, and it helped to stay on topic while including different anecdotes and ideas.

After finishing the second draft, I verified some quotes with Valdez that I wanted to document correctly. I realized that my handwriting and note-taking skills are not as sharp as I thought they were. I could not recall half of the things I thought I would. Good issue to identify and to keep in mind for future interviews.

After many revisions and decisions, I finally had my last draft. And I loved the story. It was inspiring, surprising and relatable. It had a clear message and was not over-the-top dramatic. This experience really helped me to highlight several weaknesses and things I need to work on for further interviews. And most importantly, it opened my eyes and informed me about a reality I did not know of. The reality of millions of people who come to America with nothing but their pockets full of dreams.

ABOUT ME: 

If as a child, someone would have asked me what I wanted my life to be like in my 20s I would not have come close to what it is today. I have usually been quite scared of taking risks. If life works right now, why change it?

After being my whole life in Colombia, I decided that it was time to leave the nest and look for better opportunities. I was terrified since it was a harsh change and risks were not my forte. However, I packed my bags and decided to follow my heart despite my fears.

Today, I am a junior at the University of Utah, pursuing a bachelor of science in communication, psychology and economics. I have been in the States for about five years, learned a whole new language, and traveled around the world, exploring new cultures and opening my mind. I have worked in customer service for about four years, and have learned a lot about human relations and communication. I have a big passion for volunteering and community service.  I have gained over 400 volunteer hours and plan on gaining more over my career. Last summer, I had the opportunity to complete an internship with Zions Bank. After it, I realized I was passionate about banking and am planning on pursuing a career in this field after graduation, which is expected in Spring 2019. My main life goal is to be able to give back to people. I was very scared of taking a leap of faith, and I want to be there for others who are in that same spot. In order to achieve this, attending law school is one of my long-term goals. My dream job is to have my own company that provides aid to developing countries, creating job opportunities and giving back to the community.

When I was young, I dreamed of being a counseling psychologist and having an office to treat people. It seemed like a safe plan. But life isn’t about a “safe plan.” And taking risks has taken me to places that I never imagined I would go. I am sure young-me would be –though surprised– proud and happy to see who I am today in my 20s.

MY STORY: 

• University of Utah students have many mental health options available to them

MY BLOG:

Writing my enterprise story was my favorite part of this whole class and experience. It gave me an opportunity to combine what interests and drives me with news writing skills.

I chose to do my story on how mental health is heightened when you get to college and what you can do to help deal with it. I feel passionate about this topic and finding sources was fairly easy. I went to my personal psychiatrist because I knew she had a lot of insight about the topic. The next step was the University Counseling Center, I got in touch with the assistant director and he gave me great information for my story.

The biggest dilemma I faced while writing my story was to keep myself out of it. I feel so strongly about my topic so it was hard to keep my ideas, personal stories, and my own opinions out. I did a good job of that and only wrote about the people who I interviewed thoughts.

I started by making an outline for my story and participated heavily during the in class peer critiques. Then, I sat down one night and wrote out the whole thing in one sitting because that is how my brain accomplishes things better.

The part that surprised me the most, was how kind the people were that I interviewed, I know mental illness is a touchy subject but everyone was so willing to help my cause. I was also pleasantly surprised on how much fun I had with the story. I really enjoyed talking with people and including their thoughts to make my story flow. I had a wonderful experience with this story.

ABOUT ME:

Kaylee Anderson is a sophomore at the University of Utah studying communication with an emphasis in broadcast journalism. She also is interested in psychology and how the mind works.

Kaylee enjoys writing and traveling to places like Rome and Spain. She is a part of the Pi Beta Phi sorority on campus and plans to run for an executive position next year.

Kaylee was born and raised in Utah and graduated from Juan Diego Catholic High school with a 3.5 GPA and lettered in cheerleading.

Kaylee is passionate about mental health and hopes to raise awareness to the subject through her writing and broadcasting skills. One day Kaylee hopes she will work with a news company and be able to broadcast the news to the public.

MY STORY:

• Three Salt Lake City fashion creatives discuss the impact of social media marketing

MY BLOG:

Before taking my first news writing class, I imagined the journalism field as one of clicking pens, quick deadlines and pushy-yet-nice reporters. Needless to say, I was in for a big surprise when I started learning about the hard work, charisma and genuine interest journalists need to have in order to succeed.

I have a background in creative writing. Poetry and fiction have come rather naturally to me, and creating characters from my everyday surroundings has always been one of my favorite pastimes. Journalism is so interesting to me because it actualizes and deepens the story that can be behind the person I’m interviewing.

The art of good reporting is definitely under appreciated. (We had to buy a 600-page stylebook for things as small as hyphens and commas.) The sheer amount of knowledge and research that go into news articles was shocking. I’ve gained a lot of respect for the press industry in just one semester.

With the daunting project of my enterprise story looming over me, I felt nervous and… like a rookie. Which I was. Which I still kind of am. But that’s okay because if I’ve learned anything from writing, practice does nothing but make you better.

I needed something for this story that would keep my interest, as well as challenge me. Clothing is something I’ve been fascinated by since I can remember, so it felt like the right choice from the beginning. As a little girl I worshiped fashion magazines (let’s not kid ourselves, I still do). I watched award shows just to see the celebrities’ red carpet dresses, and I’ve picked my own outfits since before I knew what a runway was.

I find the intertwining of social media and businesses a unique dynamic. Social media’s impact on the fashion industry was an idea that jumped at me. Being able to interview such driven and creative people from my hometown of Salt Lake was truly an honor. I felt absolutely inspired after learning about the hard work behind their businesses.

ABOUT ME: 

I am a 20-year-old sophomore at the University of Utah. I’ve decided to major in strategic communication and double minor in Spanish and creative writing. Whether it’s fiction, poetry, or journalism, I’m happiest with a pen in my hand.

I love to travel and experience new places. My favorite trip I’ve taken so far is definitely Mexico. I was able to speak Spanish all day every day as well as learn so much about the people and culture I was visiting. One of my dreams is to travel the world and write about each person I meet and each place I see.

The future has always seemed scary to me, and until recently I couldn’t really procure a clear picture in my mind of where I was going. Thanks to really great classes and clubs, I’ve never felt more excited or empowered about my future than I do now.