Full Name: Meghan Coyle
What is your hometown? Alexandria, VA
What is your favorite thing about your hometown? It’s only 15 minutes from Washington, D.C., so I have lots of opportunities to visit museums, the zoo, the restaurants, and the festivals on the National Mall.
What is your major? Print & Digital Journalism
What is your minor (if any)? Web Technologies & Applications
What is your expected graduation date? May 2017
Why did you choose to attend Annenberg?
I choose to attend Annenberg because of the emphasis on trying to figure out the digital future of journalism. There are lots of panel discussions, professors, and classes on the topic and students have a lot of input on the digital presence of our own news outlets at Annenberg.
Tell us about a great experience or opportunity you've had here at Annenberg?
I’ve had the opportunity to interview all sorts of interesting people because of my work at Annenberg Radio News, Neon Tommy, and my classes. It ranges from former NFL football players to YouTube stars to homeless people, and talking to all of those different people gives you a whole new perspective on the world.
What makes Annenberg special?
Annenberg has no unparalleled resources. I was a little hesitant about majoring in journalism and going into a journalism and communications school because I thought it would be too narrow, but they have a wide breadth of classes and a career services department that has tons of job and internship listings. Also, being in Los Angeles gives students plenty of opportunity to learn and report on diverse communities.
What's one thing at USC that no student should miss?
No one should miss the milkshakes at Ground Zero. I’m serious. I highly recommend trying something from the secret menu.
Tell us about an experience you’ve had outside of class (an internship, research project, publication, start-up, etc.).
This semester, I’ve been interning for a start-up called All Day. All Day runs some of the most popular social media accounts on the Internet, including @HistoryinPics and @EarthPix. Currently, we’re trying to get their total 20 million followers to check out stories on our recently launched website and it’s been super fun writing and working with such a young and enthusiastic group of people.
What have you learned from other students?
I’ve learned that there is no one way to be successful. Some people are super involved in one cause or club or dabble in lots of different activities. Some people major in things seemingly unrelated to their career, but secure prestigious internships nonetheless. My peers are doing great work on campus, around Los Angeles, and around the world, and I am constantly inspired by the different routes they took to get where they are.
What have you learned from other students?
Nobody has it all figured out. Don’t be afraid to try new things, even if you can’t coerce your friends into doing it with you. I’ve had some really rewarding experiences by going to meetings and events where I knew no one. Also, USC has some amazing guest speakers, so take some time to learn and be inspired outside of class.
