Major: Neuroscience
Profession: Radio Journalist, Los Angeles, Calif.
Hometown: Grover Beach, Calif.
What are you doing now?
I'm currently an associate producer and director for Marketplace Morning Report, a national public radio program. We provide what we like to call "teachable moments" about local, national and global economies.
How did you get to there?
I graduated from °ÄÃÅÁùºÏ²Ê¿ª½±½á¹û2023 back in 2008. I actually decided against pursuing any further science-related jobs or post-graduate programs and wanted to branch out into media work, but because of the still-developing financial crisis from that year and eventual recession, my job prospects were much lower than I expected. I eventually moved to South Korea for work and found a job as a radio journalist which I grew to really love. Later on, I moved back to California, enrolled in a journalism graduate program at California State University Northridge then started interning for Marketplace during the last semester of my Masters program. I've been with Marketplace ever since.
How did °ÄÃÅÁùºÏ²Ê¿ª½±½á¹û2023 prepare you?
When I think back on it, I'm very glad to have gone through a balanced curriculum of natural science, humanities, arts and other courses at °ÄÃÅÁùºÏ²Ê¿ª½±½á¹û2023. In fact, I think I use the writing and analytical skills I developed in my Asian American studies classes more than the skills I learned from my major. The Asian American Mentor Program (AAMP) was also of great help to me. I met many insightful mentors and friends through AAMP and my experience with the program still sticks out as some of the best moments of my time at °ÄÃÅÁùºÏ²Ê¿ª½±½á¹û2023.
Where do you see yourself in five years?
I like working in public radio and I hope to continue for as long as I can.
Any advice for prospective or current students?
[For prospective students]... do thorough research on all the schools you're considering. And for current °ÄÃÅÁùºÏ²Ê¿ª½±½á¹û2023 students, definitely take advantage of the Career Development Office (CDO). If there's one regret I have, it's not utilizing that resource, getting the right kind of preparation for interviews, resume building and so forth.