A large portion of our State Press editorial board has been a part of this publication for the better part of the year. As we're winding down to the end of the semester, we have a number of big stories set to publish and, in this field, we find it important to be transparent with our audience.
Because we think our readership has a right to know who's been telling ASU's stories, we're continuing our Q&A series with our editorial board with one of our digital editors, Alexis Potter.
How and where did you grow up?
I grew up in Gilbert, 30 minutes from here. I was raised pretty religious, and I did choir growing up and a lot of dancing, theater-type things. I did violin for five years, did softball for a while and then did choir from my sophomore year of high school until my junior year of college. So music's always been a part of my life.
My dad's a P.E. teacher, so sports was also always on in our house. He played softball, so that's one of the reasons I did softball. That was a way for me to bond with him. And I have a dog that I've had my entire life. She’s really old now, obviously, because we got her when I was like seven, so she was a big part of my growing up, too.
How do you think your upbringing shaped you into the journalist you are today?
I was always into writing, so I think that definitely had something to do with it. I remember teachers telling me that I was specifically really good at writing because I was never good at math. Like most journalists, I was ok at math, but it was never my strong suit. I was always into writing and reading. I was really into the Harry Potter books because my whole life I always got jokes about it, so I felt like it was something I had to really read and be into.
When did you decide to be a journalist?
I actually joined the Cronkite School for the public relations track. I had a friend who did it and she really liked it, and I joined ASU as an exploratory major. I didn't really know what I wanted to do, but it always came up. They make us take all of these career tests and “journalist” always came up as one of the options that would be good for me. So I decided to do it and there was actually supposed to be a PR major, but it never ended up launching, so you're on the print track and you take PR classes, but I started really going away from PR and more into the print especially after I joined State Press.
When was the first time you felt like a journalist?
Probably when my first article was published with State Press because I hadn't been published before then, which, as far as journalism school goes, I was really behind; it wasn't until I was a junior that I joined State Press. And I had been on the PR track for so long and before that, had been undeclared. So I felt like I was really behind. When my first article was published for The State Press was probably the first time I felt like a journalist and especially when I became full-time. It definitely changed a lot.
As a graduating senior, what advice would you give to an incoming freshman?
To find a club or something that you're interested in because I think finding State Press has been the highlight of my collegiate career, as it were. Find what you're passionate about and do it. I did choir my first half of college because I was passionate about that, and then I found State Press and I've been here since. So just find something you're passionate about and do that.
If you were an 80s movie, which would you be?
The first one that comes to mind is “The Breakfast Club.” I always liked that movie. I thought it transcended its time period. I just thought that was a good one. And it's definitely still as relevant now as it was then.
Reach the reporter at japere38@asu.edu or follow @jsphprzz on Twitter.
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