Blog 23: Helping 2013

Who did you interview: Leslie Lopez

What day and time: Friday, April 20 at 11:30AM

1. What ideas do you have for your senior project and why?

• Something related to Horror Films.
• My feedback included saying that when choosing a senior project, you really should think about the whole picture and making sure the topic would work with all of the components that are included such as Service Learning.

2. What do you plan to do to complete the 10 hours of service learning (working with an expert) which is due prior to senior year starting?  Note: They also have to complete the 50 hours during the school year.

• She plans on finding an internship at a place such as Universal Studios.
• My feedback was that she should think of a couple other places as back-ups just in case her first plan didn't work out. I also advised her to start contacting a wide range of places as soon as possible since she hasn't done so as of yet.

3. What do you hope to see or expect to see when watching the class of 2012 present their two hour presentations?

• She stated that she wanted to "actually learn something" about each topic and each project.
• I told her to be patient with all of the presentations as it can be exhausting to go through two straight weeks of presentations as a viewer. I told her of my experience as a junior last year and how I observed how by the second week, many of my classmates grew tired of presentations. However, I told her how now, as a senior, I have grown to appreciate the senior project presentations as I now know the pressure and hard work that goes into it. 

4. What questions do they have about senior project?  What additional recommendations would you give the 2013 student about senior project?  Be specific and note what you told them.

• She asked many questions including: 
• How will I be prepared for presenting my 2-Hour?
• My answer: There are several presentations beforehand throughout the year such as the 5 and 20 minute to help with stage nerves and preparation.
• What has been the most difficult?
• My response: Finding service learning, since many places can't or are not willing to allow a minor in their business/company. 
• What additional recommendations did you give them?
• My recommendations were to get started on her service learning ASAP and rake up as many hours as possible! I told her of my experience of having trouble finding a place that was willing and the difficulty of finding time in my schedule to complete my service learning. 

Who did you interview: Jared Gonzales

What day and time: Thursday, April 26 at 11:00AM

1. What ideas do you have for your senior project and why?

• He said he was interested in making his topic based on policing or army related things. He's always been interested in those topics and wants to pursue a career in either the field of policing or military. 
• My feedback was that something of that nature would be good when coming up with activities for presentations. 

2. What do you plan to do to complete the 10 hours of service learning (working with an expert) which is due prior to senior year starting?  Note: They also have to complete the 50 hours during the school year.

• He is looking forward to working as an intern at a police station.
• My feedback was to start asking places as soon as possible, since many places have a set number of required hours. 

3. What do you hope to see or expect to see when watching the class of 2012 present their two hour presentations?

• He said that he thought the class of 2012 would produce good presentations.
• My feedback was to be patient with the class of 2012 and to be prepared for the repetitive nature of the 2-hour presentations, particularly during the second week. 

(4) What questions do they have about senior project?  What additional recommendations would you give the 2013 student about senior project?  Be specific and note what you told them.

• He only had one question and it was "Is it worth it to stay at i-Poly for senior year?"
• I responded by saying that it was definitely worth it because although it is a tremendous amount of work, it is definitely possible to overcome. Also, I told him of my service learning experience as an intern at a newspaper and the countless other things I've learned thanks to my senior project that I wouldn't have learned had I gone somewhere else for my senior year. 

Blog 17: Fourth Interview Questions

Edited as of: Friday, March 23rd, 2012
1. What is most important to success in journalism?

2. What do you believe is the purpose/goal of journalism?

3. In your opinion, what does it take to be awarded the Pulitzer prize?

4. What has been the most difficult/stressful situation you have been in while "on the job"?

5. Which famous/well-known journalist in history do you admire and why?

6. What was the most vital piece of advice you have ever received as far as your career in journalism?

7. What is most satisfying about your work?

8. If you had done something differently when you started your career, what would it have been and why?

9. What is the most difficult aspect of production of a story and why? (e.g. editing, finding sources, research, etc.)

10. While starting out in the field of journalism, who was your mentor and what did they teach you?

11. Describe your first internship and the experience you gained.

12. What do you believe is a not well-known fact about journalism that should be exposed?

13. How important are sources to a journalist?

14. As a journalist, what would you change in the field of journalism today and why?

15. How important is news and journalism in today's society?

16. Do you believe that a journalist can "make it" even if they're not working in a large city such as New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, or Miami?

17. What is the most important duty/function of journalism?

18. While in college for journlaism, what was your favorite course you took and why?

19. What is the worst mistake a journalist can do?

20. To be a journalist, do you think that a degree in journalism is required?

Blog 11: Third Interview Questions

1. In your words, what defines success in the field of journalism?
2. In your opinion, is there a correlation between experience in journalism and annual income? If so, how?
3. How important are interviewing skills to a journalists' success?
4. In your opinion, what is the most important quality a journalist?
5. How much education should a journalist have and why? (e.g. Bachelor's degree, Master's, Ph.D, etc.) 
6. How valuable is journalism school for a journalism undergraduate major?
7. What is the relationship between the field of journalism practiced and the income earned?
8. Describe a journalist. What characteristics/qualities should a "good" journalist have?
9. In your opinion, are these qualities acquired or are you just "born with it"?
10. Lastly, what is the key to success in journalism, in your opinion?
11. What are the key factors to monetary success in the field? (e.g. region, specific field, experience, awards, etc.)
12. Where do you see the future of journalism going? 
13. Are there any tips that you would give to an aspiring journalist like myself?

Blog 5: Second Interview Questions

Revised on October 24th, 2011


For my second interview, I will be interviewing Doug Spoon, the Faculty Advisor of the Poly Post newspaper on Cal Poly Pomona University. I am doing my service learning at the student-run publication.

Some questions I have are the following:

1) How did you come to be the Faculty Advisor for the Poly Post?

2) What are your duties as Faculty Advisor?
3) Apart from your experience with the Poly Post, what other experience do you have in the field of journalism?

4) What is your educational background?

5) What does journalism mean to you and why?

6) What makes a good journalist? (Skills, qualities required, etc.)

7) What would you say is key to running a large publication like the Poly Post?

8) In your opinion, what is the most important part of the newspaper?

9) What drew your interest into becoming a part of journalism/being part of the Poly Post?
10) What positive and negative aspects have you taken from journalism?


I will also be interviewing Cecily Arambula, she is the Editor-in-Chief at the Poly Post and current communications student at Cal Poly Pomona University. Prior to becoming EIC, Cecily was on the Poly Post staff, as well. 


I will be asking the following questions:

1) How did you come to be the Editor-in-Chief for the Poly Post?

2) What are your duties as Editor-in-Chief?

3) Apart from your experience with the Poly Post, what other experience do you have in the field of journalism?

4) What is your educational background?

5) What does journalism mean to you and why?

6) What makes a good journalist? (Skills, qualities required, etc.)

7) What would you say is key to running a large publication like the Poly Post?

8) In your opinion, what is the most important part of the newspaper?

9) What drew your interest into becoming a part of journalism/being part of the Poly Post?

10) What positive and negative aspects have you taken from journalism?

Blog #2: Interview Check (Interior Design)

1. Who are you interviewing and why?
For my first interviews, I have chosen to interview two interior designers in my area.
For my first interview, I will be interviewing Barbara Volk. She is an interior designer at Classic Touch Interiors in West Covina, CA. I chose to interview her first because Classic Touch Interiors is in my community area and also because they are an established interior design business with years of experience.
For my second interview, I will be interviewing Lissette McKindle. She is the Interior Design Manager at IKEA in Covina, CA. I chose to interview her as one of my first interviews because she has experience at IKEA and offers a different perspective into the world of interior design than that of an interior designer at a design firm, like my previous interview. She works with various customers on a daily basis through IKEA offering interior design advice as well being a salesperson for IKEA all at the same time.
2. What additional questions will you ask them (in addition to the 5 we require)?
In addition to the five assigned questions, I plan to ask Ms. Volk and Ms. McKindle the following questions: 
Q: Why did you choose interior design as your profession?
Q: In your opinion, what is the most important element when designing a space (e.g. lighting, texture, color, etc.)
Q: In your opinion, what is the best part about being an interior designer?
Q: What is a typical day for you, professionally?