Filling the Shoes of a Journalist

Taking this class as my senior capstone was very challenging for me. I was not a journalism major entering this class, and at first found it very frustrating when I had stories returned to me for minor mistakes that any journalism student would have known better.

By the end of this course I noticed myself taking on more journalistic characteristics wherever I went. I couldn't have a normal conversation anymore without interrogating my friends trying to get every aspect the story entailed.

I struggled with sentence structures for the most part. I wanted to make everything long, flowing, and in my own words, instead of short, to the point, and unbiased.

I was really excited for my last beat to write a feature piece which really allowed me to get to know one of my favorite administrators on this campus and tell his story about his time here.

Throughout this course, I have really learned to become an observer. To sit down with someone I am interviewing, let the tape recorder roll, and have a one on one conversation while forgetting that I was actually doing work. I wanted to get to know the situation fully, like one of our class speakers mentioned, you have to become an expert at what you are writing your piece on, so once you sit down you can just write away. If you are having trouble with what you should be writing, you haven't done enough research.


--Seema A. Choudhary
Dec. 11, 2007

Friday, August 24, 2007

Miami students and alumni remember, it’s tradition


PHOTO AND STORY BY
BY SEEMA A. CHOUDHARY
OCT. 9 2007

Miami University alumni will congregate to the Oxford campus this weekend just in time for the 2007 homecoming celebration. The theme as chosen by Campus Activities Council (CAC) is “It’s Tradition.” The goal behind the theme is to make the student body aware of Miami’s extensive history and continue to pass on the legacy.

The week will be full of spirited events and will conclude on Saturday Oct. 13 with a local football game versus Bowling Green State University. Monday marked the official kick off with the primary elections for homecoming king and queen. A free movie was also featured on central quad presenting “Knocked Up” and “Bad Boys 2.” Laura Walaszek, vice president of CAC, said “about 100-150 people were in attendance for the movie, which is a promising starting point for the week.”

CAC is the main sponsor and planning commission for homecoming but works with other student organizations to bring the event to life. Gary Manka, director of student activities and leadership, will help ensure that homecoming becomes a collaborative effort from all campus partners. He said that if homecoming is going to be a success, it needs to be a campus wide initiative and not just a CAC event.

This year, two major changes occurred regarding homecoming. First, a wider range of invested campus partners joined forces to execute the week’s events. The different administrative and student organization ranged from the President’s Office and student affairs, to Miami University Student Foundation, Program Board, Black Student Action Association and the Greeks community. Second, homecoming is now a week long event as opposed to lasting only two days, Friday and Saturday.

The move to a week long event this year is considered a tactic to revive an event that has “eroded over time,” said Manka. He states that this is caused by television revenue and delinquent scheduling by the Mid-American Conference. It is events like the parade, pep rally, concert and the football game that act as a staple to ensure the success of the week’s events. These are the events that produce the highest attendance and are favorites of the student body, faculty and alumni each year.

Many recent graduates also find their way back to Miami to take part in all the festivities. “I look forward to catching up with some of my old friends at the bars we used to spend far too much time at,” said Andrew Reid, recent Miami graduate. “I'm also excited to see how Oxford has changed.”

School spirit at Miami has always been a major concern of the David Hodge, university president. The administration fears alcohol plays a hefty role on the Miami campus that deter students from partaking in new events.

“I would like for us to be successful in achieving school spirit and tradition at Miami University,” says Manka. “I personally feel that because of our privileged students, there is too much of an emphasis on alcohol and entitlement with alcohol around events that diminishes school spirit as a whole.”

The list of the remaining week’s events is as follows:

* Tuesday Oct. 9, Program Board presents Comedian Dan Ahdoot in the Shriver Multipurpose room at 7p.m.
* Wednesday Oct. 10, final court elections will be held from 11a.m.-4p.m. at Bell Tower, Shriver and at the Miami seal.
* Wednesday evening at 7p.m., Miami Trivia at Buffalo Wild Wings with Pizza Pass Outs at the Phi Delta Theta Gates at 1a.m.
* Thursday Oct. 11, Red and White Day, where all Miami supporters should show their school spirit by wearing Miami’s school colors. There will be free pass-outs at the Miami seal and inflatables located on the lawn of Roudebush hall from 11a.m.-3p.m.
* Friday Oct. 12, The homecoming parade which will run Uptown to the lawn of Millet beginning at 6p.m. Following the parade at 7PM is a pep rally and a free cook-out and concert with Mat Kearney on the Millet lawn. At midnight, AfterDark will feature “The Bourne Ultimatum” at Shriver.
* Saturday Oct. 13, The home football game versus Bowling Green State University. Kickoff is at 3p.m
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