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Ryan Hardison

About Me

Hello! My name is Ryan Hardison, I'm a senior at San Diego State graduating in May 2022 and I am a journalism major with an emphasis in media studies. I have always had an interest in writing, and though journalism didn't stand out as an obvious choice for my career goals until I began attending college, it has worked it out ... so far. I am also a sociology and history minor, and the classes I've taken in these fields have only improved my writing (mainly due to the various essays and research papers I've had to write for both minors). I am interested in writing about various forms of entertainment and I am constantly tuned in to what's going on within pop culture. However, my interests have also expanded into other areas like news and opinion, and I am interested in a role where I can explore all my interests simultaneously. That being said, if I had to choose a niche to stick within, entertainment is absolutely my choice. No matter where I end up, I want to work on lots of collaborative projects with fellow writers and work in a newsroom or office environment that values professionalism, kindness and great writing.

Resume

Internship Experience

My first professional experience with writing and using the tools I had learned thus far in my coursework was at The Daily Aztec, San Diego State's student-run newspaper. I began as a contributor for the arts & culture section my sophomore year, where I worked my way up to the position of staff writer. After writing several stories in my first year at the DA, I was given the denomination of senior staff writer for the arts & culture section, and I began writing various types of stories I hadn't tried to write before. I wrote many stories for the opinion section ranging from music and movies to voting rights and for the arts section I continued covering events (on Zoom) and music and movie reviews to my repertoire. During this same time, I began my own music and opinion blog site called The Spot where I expanded my skills with long-form music writing and research. For the 2021-22 school year, I was hired as the DA's arts & culture editor and have served in this position since June 2021. This role has helped me improve significantly at editing, pitching stories, and thinking long-term in a creative way that combines my knowledge of the news industry from my classes and my personal passion for magazines and entertainment. Ultimately, I have become a much better all-around journalist because of it and all of this experience prepared me to join San Diego Magazine.

San Diego Magazine is a monthly magazine that also produces online-only content. Their content includes features, in-depth profiles, human interest stories, arts & culture event coverage and previews, and dining guides, all of which are related to San Diego County. As their editorial intern, I work on stories every Monday and Friday. Most of my stories fall under the "Things to Do" section of the site, where I preview upcoming arts & culture events by including significant details, ticket information as well as the location of the event. I also have filled in where needed, which means I also helped out with making phone calls, gathering additional research material for another person's story, or compiling event guides that preview brunch and dining specials for upcoming holidays. My internship has given me a better understanding of the fine details that go into making a story good enough. That is something I didn't understand as well in the classroom but after seeing so many real-world journalism examples and the growth I've seen in my own writing, I can look at something I wrote and instantly note areas where improvement is possible. My work has directly impacted the goals of San Diego Magazine by increasing the amount of online content for the site. By writing at least one article per week, it is ensured that there is content for viewers of the site that doesn't include stories already displayed in print. The purpose of the editorial intern position is mainly to bolster the online sector of SD Mag so I was a direct proponent of the magazine's expansion plans. Especially with the evolution of journalism towards a greater online presence, my work will likely resemble the types of stories I'd write in a future position.

My attention to detail, kindness, and writing ability make me stand out as a member of a team. I also enjoy collaboration and welcome opportunities to work with other writers. My greatest strength as an intern is my writing versatility, meaning my ability to cover a variety of event topics. I am a strong researcher and that is something that I've improved weekly, as well as my ability to determine the importance of an event I'm researching. From this internship, I have learned how to better manage my time, including how to order tasks in a way where I can prioritize while finishing every objective in a timely fashion. I now have further experience writing holiday guides and event previews and a greater understanding of how to find interesting arts & culture happenings in the San Diego area. My writing has become much more precise and concise, where I emphasize only the most important details and have a better distinction of what should be included or left out. I have also gained connections with great journalists whose work I hope to emulate someday and I hope to stay connected with the people I've met for years to come. Last but not least, I now have greater confidence in my skillset than ever before and the trust and belief I received from my superiors have given me the boost I needed to leave college with high hopes for what the future has to offer.

The most challenging part of the internship is how I have been working primarily from home, meaning that I don't have a direct supervisor to whom I can ask questions and receive an instant response. Luckily, I'd had previous experience during the 2020-21 school year where all my classes at SDSU were taught through online instruction and that helped me to stay organized. However, I did fall behind a few times and needed extended deadlines, since I packed my schedule to fit in this internship - which I still have no regrets about. This forced me to go outside my comfort zone a little bit, which helped me become a far greater communicator since reaching out about extending deadlines is something I've always dreaded. The leadership at SD Mag has been very accommodating and I've tried not to ask for too many extensions but it's been great to know that having open communication can provide necessary help when needed. What surprised me is the variety of stories I've worked on and the kindness of professionals I've worked with. I was afraid that I would be stuck doing a singular story over and over again but there is always a lot of variety in the events I write about Also, there is a lot of trust in the relationship between intern and editor, where you are expected to complete certain things without someone looking intently over your shoulder.

I've been able to grow my professional network through my time on LinkedIn, my time working under SD Mag's former associate editor Erica Nichols and learning from my fellow classmates in JMS 490. LinkedIn has been an invaluable resource and for a while, it was a resource that I wasn't using nearly enough. Now, I check my Linkedin at least a few times a week where I engage with posts made by fellow journalists, connect with other professionals in the field and share my own work. As my direct supervisor for the majority of my internship, Erica Nichols was my direct line of contact at SD Mag and she always ensured that I was comfortable and capable. We had weekly check-ins and I was able to pick her brain various times about the world of journalism, especially when it came to freelancing and each time I left a conversation with her, I knew I had gained more knowledge I could take with me after the conclusion of my internship. Taking part in discussion board posts with fellow students in JMS 490 who are also experiencing their first internship has helped me to understand that I am not alone in this process. Though I was nervous heading into this internship, seeing other students my age succeed has inspired me to pursue my goals and form bonds with people in other sectors of journalism.

When I began applying to different colleges during my senior year of high school, there wasn't a certain major that I was drawn to more than another. I had an interest in history, especially. There was also my interest in pursuing a business degree, mainly because my parents viewed it as the most practical option. But luckily I chose to become a journalism major since I'd always had an interest in creative writing and having long essays as homework never bothered me too much. From there this interest blossomed as I entered my journalism courses. Though I took an interest in writing about news and sports, my heart absolutely lies in entertainment, specifically music reviews and musician profiles. I've been able to expand my love for listening to music and watching movies by writing about my favorite forms of entertainment. I am very sure of the area of journalism I'm trying to enter since I know I want to work in the entertainment sector, though I'm not exactly sure of the niche I want to explore. Though I am very comfortable writing about music. movies and arts in general, I want to start writing food stories as well. After this internship, I would love to try out freelancing and see if it is something I'd like to pursue full-time or as an additive to a full-time writing position at an entertainment outlet. I will continue applying to full-time content writing positions and use the connections I've made on LinkedIn to see what options I have. I would prefer to stay in Southern California but I am open to moving for a job that fits what I am looking for. Regardless of what I find, I will aim to accomplish all my professional goals by not selling myself short.

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Ryan Hardison
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