From the Inbox to the Galápagos
Starting from my inbox, here is my journey to the Galápagos
By Maggie Wong
My inbox is always flooded with newsletters from UNC departments, retail brands, and news outlet subscriptions. I typically use the “select all” button and mark these messages as read to rid my home screen of the annoying red notification bubbles.
Luckily, during my fall semester of junior year, I didn’t act as quickly. While eating a sandwich at Lenoir Dining Hall, I opened the UNC Hussman School of Journalism newsletter and was immediately greeted by a picture of a cute sea lion. I couldn’t not read on.
The newsletter invited me to an information session about the International Projects class. The class combined my passions for science, storytelling, and love for animals. It was almost too perfect!
Now, as a student in the class, that sentiment still holds true. Twice a week, I get to work alongside smart, driven, and passionate students to create human-centered stories. I am constantly in awe of the talent by which I am surrounded.
Being surrounded by these 26 other talented students, I definitely felt like a fish out of water. I had little journalistic experience in college, having declared my journalism major only two semesters ago. But, if I have learned anything so far it is to always strive for new opportunities. I am now so thankful that I applied to be a part of such an amazing experience.
The class is very different from any other college class I have taken. There are always moving pieces and small breakout groups working on different projects. Each class is treated as a working session in which we get to drive our own stories forward.
I am part of the interactive team. We are in charge of website development, social media, and design for the final package of stories. Specifically, I work with my classmate Brook Buchanan as a marketer and public relations coordinator to run social media, plan for the screening event, and manage project logistics.
Within our first month of the class, I have already gained so much experience. From developing a marketing plan and creative brief to managing the blog and social media, there have been so many opportunities to broaden my skills. And, we have not even traveled to the Galápagos yet! I am confident that as our projects progress, we will only continue to learn and grow as storytellers. Throughout this process, I will continue to embrace all the new opportunities that come my way.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Maggie Wong
Hi! My name is Maggie, and I am a junior majoring in journalism and neuroscience. Fun fact: I have never travelled outside of the country until MEJO 584 (this class)!