#35 Next Generation Leaders: Q&A with Tara Mendenhall

#37 Next Generation Leaders: Q&A with Julia Mueller

Next Generation Leaders celebrates the achievements of young alumni of the University of Oregon's School of Journalism and Communication. In this episode, we talked to Julia Mueller, a political reporter and journalist who has contributed to several publications around the country. Mueller received her Bachelor's degree at the University of Oregon before attending Northwestern University's Medill School's Masters Program, where she specialized in politics, policy, and foreign affairs. Julia detailed her day-to-day responsibilities, including covering breaking news and enterprise stories, and emphasized the importance of social media in her work. She shared insights on maintaining objectivity, managing personal information, the value of networking and attending grad school, and discussed the fulfillment she gets from uncovering significant stories in her work. Find Julia Mueller Online LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/juliamuellerthewriter/] X/Twitter [https://x.com/jmthewriter?lang=en] Muck Rack [https://muckrack.com/julia-mueller] Website [https://juliamuellerthewriter.com/] White House Correspondence Association [https://whca.press/winner/julia-mueller-2/] Show Notes 01:24: Introduction 03:56: A day in the life at The Hill 06:01: Balancing Enterprise and Breaking News 7:19: The role of social media in modern journalism 11:09: Personal privacy ub the digital age 13:52: Grad school considerations 15:29: Personal biases and social media 19:27: Day to day and workplace environment 20:46: Working at the White House 22:23: Advice for early career journalists 24:13: Fulfilling work 25:58: Skills and mindsets to develop outside of school Read the transcript for this episode [https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/ninwa672d1wklseygl2b3/37-Next-Generation-Leaders-Q-A-with-Julia-Mueller.pdf?rlkey=yvhd1h9xoppm6xz7m5dhaner4&st=0wc3ukm9&dl=0] This podcast was produced by Isaac Dubey; check out their portfolio to find out more about them: Isaac Dubey [https://isaackdubey.wixsite.com/broadcasts] Want to listen to this interview a different way? Find us wherever you get your podcasts: Apple Podcasts [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/next-generation-leaders/id1625805450] Spotify [https://podcasters.spotify.com/podcast/3177bvafBOnMG6H5WRbKUe/overview]

#36 Next Generation Leaders: Q&A with Connor Kwiecien

Next Generation Leaders celebrates the achievements of young alumni of the University of Oregon's School of Journalism and Communication. In this episode, we talked to Connor Kwiecien who was a news director at KWVA and a reporter at the Daily Emerald during his time at the University of Oregon. Connor graduated from the SOJC in 2018 and landed an internship at Oregon Public Broadcasting right out of college. He now runs a podcast studo in Brooklyn, NY. He highlighted the importance of clear podcast concepts, technical setup like RSS feeds, and cover art, and emphasized the value of genuine curiosity and building relationships. Connor shared insights on overcoming challenges, such as discoverability and managing guest dynamics, and advised on the significance of niche audiences and video integration. He also stressed the importance of networking and transferable skills in the audio industry. Find Connor Kwiecien Online: LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/connor-kwiecien-232511135/] My Friend's Basement [https://www.myfriendsbasement.studio/about-us] Personal Website [https://www.connorkwiecien.com/] Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/connor_kwiecien/?hl=en] Show Notes 00:52: Guest Introduction 06:05: Advice for Podcast Rookies 11:43: Difficulties of making a profit in podcasting 16:55: How to make interviewees comfortable 18:38: Pre-interview process 21:49: Comedian and podcasting skills crossover 25:37: Importance of having the right equipment 28:08: Handling tense and uncomfortable situations 31:01: Landing the OPB Internship 34:12: Setting your podcast apart from the rest 36:41: Final Thoughts Read the transcript for this episode [https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/3tm9055s7qvleccribt0u/Connor-Kwiecien.pdf?rlkey=u625leeaaldyg5hvv6de8w0n5&st=a9p376w2&dl=0]   This podcast was produced by Isaac Dubey; check out their portfolio to find out more about them: Sports Journalism Portfolio [https://isaackdubey.wixsite.com/broadcasts]   Want to listen to this interview a different way? Find us wherever you get your podcasts: Apple Podcasts [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/next-generation-leaders/id1625805450] Spotify [https://podcasters.spotify.com/podcast/3177bvafBOnMG6H5WRbKUe/overview]

#35 Next Generation Leaders: Q&A with Tara Mendenhall

Next Generation Leaders celebrates the achievements of young alumni of the University of Oregon's School of Journalism and Communication. In this episode, we talked to Tara Mendenhall, who graduated from the University of Oregon's SOJC in 2020. Tara is now the morning show co-host at U93 in South Bend, Indiana and she shared her long post-grad journey to landing her current role. Tara emphasized the importance of networking, adaptability, and reliability. She discussed her transition from the West Coast to the Midwest, the challenges of maintaining energy for early morning shows, and the necessity of understanding and adapting to different audiences. Tara also highlighted the significance of creating a strong demo reel and balancing public persona with personal life, especially in a smaller market. Find Tara Mendenhall Online: LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/tara-mendenhall/] Facebook [https://www.facebook.com/tara.mendenhall/] Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/tara.mendenhall/] U93 [https://u93.com/on-air/mornings-on-u93] Show Notes 01:10: Guest Introduction 01:50: Tara's Career Journey 12:02: Networking Experiences 19:20: Daily Schedule and avoiding News Burnout 23:50: On-air vs everyday personality 26:12: Stories of making mistakes and how to remedy them 30:22: Catering to a conservative audience 32:51: Being energizedearly in the morning 34:55: Demo Reel Advice 36:53: Balance between public and private life 40:02: What do you wish you knew as a student Read the transcript for this episode [https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/m86ydh5t1xgyydfpppcrc/Tara-Mendenhall.pdf?rlkey=bwobzfrbx9kn6z6xpt6jmb7ee&st=xkuwnlhm&dl=0]   This podcast was produced by Isaac Dubey; check out their portfolio to find out more about them: Sports Journalism Portfolio [https://isaackdubey.wixsite.com/broadcasts]   Want to listen to this interview a different way? Find us wherever you get your podcasts: Apple Podcasts [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/next-generation-leaders/id1625805450] Spotify [https://podcasters.spotify.com/podcast/3177bvafBOnMG6H5WRbKUe/overview]

#34 Next Generation Leaders: Q&A with Allison Barr

About Our Guest Allison Barr is a visual journalist and social media producer from Portland, Oregon. She is passionate about arts & culture, and social issue stories.  She is currently a photographer, videographer and social media producer for The Oregonian. Before working at The Oregonian, she did freelance photojournalism for The Willamette Week, The Columbian and Street Roots. She served as the Editor-in-Chief for the University of Oregon's "Align" magazine for two years before graduating in 2020. Find Allison Barr Online: Website [https://www.allisonbarrmedia.com/about] Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/alliisonder/?hl=en] LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/allison-barr] The Oregonian [https://www.oregonlive.com/staff/allisonbarr/posts.html] Show Notes 00:07: Guest Introduction 01:17: Allison's background in photography and freelancing 04:08: Building and maintaining a strong personal brand 6:52: Allison's proudest project 8:25: Creating niche content while making money 11:20: Balancing a schedule as a freelancer 12:42: How photography projects come about 14:22: Advice for future freelancers and social media producers 16:07: How much work comes from networking vs. clients 17:22: Balancing personal projects vs. commercial work 19:08: How to manage when struggling with a lack of ideas 20:20: More on Allison's social media management experience 21:42 The importance of video for social media work 23:05 Experiencing and fighting burnout 24:47: Wrap-up Read the transcript for this episode [https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/0vg0xj1z3x5wo8m0ywux3/34-Next-Generation-Leaders-Q-A-with-Allison-Barr.pdf?rlkey=oaj3bclo1zucdl1i0a9qwt9hw&st=ctqu30j4&dl=0] This podcast was produced by Julia Boboc; check out their portfolios to find out more about them: Julia's Website [https://juliaboboc.com/] Want to listen to this interview a different way? Find us wherever you get your podcasts: Apple Podcasts [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/next-generation-leaders/id1625805450] Spotify [https://podcasters.spotify.com/podcast/3177bvafBOnMG6H5WRbKUe/overview]

#33 Next Generation Leaders: Q&A with Destiny Moore

Next Generation Leaders celebrates the achievements of young alumni of the University of Oregon School of Journalism and Communication. In this episode, we talked to Destiny Moore, a 2019 graduate of the University of Oregon's journalism masters program. She discussed her career journey from journalism to corporate communications at the Weir Group. She highlighted her role as a global communication specialist, which involves strategic communications, employee engagement, and social media management. Destiny emphasized the importance of understanding brand values, audience segmentation, and platform-specific strategies. She shared her experience of applying for 87 jobs before securing her current role, stressing the need for resilience and adaptability, and also touched on the use of AI in her work and the importance of balancing personal and professional life online.   Find Destiny Moore Online LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/destinyjmoore/] X [https://x.com/DesJMoore]   Show Notes 1:08 Introduction 2:49 Experience at UO 6:01 Position at WEIR ESCO 16:00 Social Media Tips & Tricks 22:50 Career Advice 28:09 Transition from Journalism to Global Communciations 31:38 Job Search Struggles 35:15 Utilization of AI 38:38 Important Takeaways 41:27 Masters Program Thoughts   View the Slides Destiny presented to the [https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1CaTzmkFJyQ_qEbHxDt6-jrIqwcdn0UQz/edit?usp=sharing&ouid=106700187219771127189&rtpof=true&sd=true]class [https://drive.google.com/file/d/1narZ5pnIKqTq9lo55St9rrgEmxNZRFEm/view?usp=sharing] Download the transcript for this episode [https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/9w5scrr4rcwo0frlzkpmt/33-Next-Generation-Leaders-Q-A-with-Destiny-Moore.pdf?rlkey=x9zcgu9seci9ipttsjxtfr68o&st=7ftkns23&dl=0]   Want to listen to this interview in a different way? Find us wherever you get your podcasts: Apple Podcasts [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/next-generation-leaders/id1625805450] Spotify [https://open.spotify.com/episode/7l5PgsBVgWfDBPuvxLyRu7?si=9d893c5813054f1a]