Palmer Trinity School

TG: I decided to attend Northwestern University in Evanston, Ill. because it was one of the few journalism graduate programs that allowed its students to really specialize in a particular area of journalism—whether it was broadcast, magazine publishing, business reporting, health reporting. I was particularly drawn to the Interactive Storytelling track, which focused on digital journalism and how to effectively tell stories in innovative ways using the Internet. MSM: hat did you learn about technology in your graduate W program? TG: I learned that technology was not the death of journalism, like so many "traditional news" people feared. On the contrary, technology gives journalists the freedom to be creative and to tell stories on so many different platforms, using various forms of media. Multimedia stories are often more interactive, engaging, and oftentimes more informative than a traditional print report. MSM: hat was your professional experience after receiving your W master's degree? TG: Right away, I began a fellowship with one of Time Inc.'s websites based in Birmingham, Alabama. Luckily, I was one of the few members of my graduating class who had a paying job lined up before graduation (in 2009—the heart of the recession), which I can attribute to my digital journalism background. MSM: hy did you specifically choose the digital journalism W track? TG: The decision to go into the field of digital journalism was a nobrainer for me! Aside from wanting to make myself as marketable as possible to potential employers, digital journalism allows you to tell stories in creative, engaging, and innovative ways that traditional forms of media often prohibit. MSM: hat type of work did you do at Channel 10? How did W technology play a role in your day-to-day work? This new website will provide the Memorial with a way to collect online donations, ensuring their future success. This project was very important to me, personally and professionally. Professionally, it's what I had studied and trained for in college and graduate school, and at my first few jobs in the news business. I was getting the opportunity to tell the story of the Memorial in a way that had never been done before. Personally, my grandparents, Shirley and Selig Golen, escaped from the Nazis during World War II and built their lives here in America. A special wall at the Memorial bears their names as founders of the monument. MSM: n your opinion, do you think technology has changed I journalism? TG: Fundamentally, no. Good journalism is good journalism no matter what medium is being used to tell the story. There is no substitute for fair, accurate reporting. However, technology has allowed journalists to be more creative in how they do their jobs. MSM: hat do you recommend students be aware of when facing W all of the different opportunities to use technology? TG: Don't let technology be a replacement for doing good work. Just because you can do something flashy, doesn't mean you should. Use technology as a strategic tool. Think about its usefulness critically and specifically and how it can elevate your work. MSM: ince Graduation, what do you wish you had learned in S school about technology, multimedia or the Internet? TG: Looking back, learning how social media was going to change the way we receive the news would have been something I wish I had known. Social media sites were just starting up during my first few years of college and I didn't really see a major expansion until after I had graduated. I think every student should take advantage and learn as much as they can about using social media as a tool for telling stories to the world we now live in. TG: I chose to move back to Miami to work for Post-Newsweek Stations, the broadcast television division of the Washington Post Company. I was based at Miami station WPLG-TV Local 10, but I also helped produce the website content for Post-Newsweek's six TV stations in Miami, Orlando, Jacksonville, Houston, San Antonio and Detroit. I used technology constantly; from posting videos, building slideshows, and updating social media feeds to writing stories for websites that were physically located across the country, a feat that never could've been possible without technology. MSM: ow did you get involved with the Greater Miami Jewish H Federation? TG: I became Communications and Marketing Associate for the Greater Miami Jewish Federation. It is my job to market and promote all of the programs the Federation runs in our community. MSM: hat project are you currently working on at the W Holocaust Memorial? TG: Currently, I am producing the new website for the Holocaust Memorial in Miami Beach. We are using the new website to give users a glimpse into this stunning tribute to the victims and survivors of the Holocaust. The website also provides information for incoming visitors, as well as how they can raise much needed funds to support the longevity of this important Miami landmark. Recent studies have shown the exponential growth of online giving in the past few years. S U U M M R / F/ A L L L2 0 1 3 3 S M M E E R F A L 2 0 1 41 41

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