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

X/Twitter

Muck Rack

Website

White House Correspondence Association

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

This podcast was produced by Isaac Dubey; check out their portfolio to find out more about them:

Isaac Dubey

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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

My Friend's Basement

Personal Website

Instagram

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

This podcast was produced by Isaac Dubey; check out their portfolio to find out more about them:

Sports Journalism Portfolio

Want to listen to this interview a different way? Find us wherever you get your podcasts:

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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

Facebook

Instagram

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

This podcast was produced by Isaac Dubey; check out their portfolio to find out more about them:

Sports Journalism Portfolio

Want to listen to this interview a different way? Find us wherever you get your podcasts:

Apple Podcasts

Spotify