Features
Connecting Cultures Chinese students come to CSU Long Beach to learn more about American culture By Shannon Wong-Michalak, Kristin Saroyan and Carlos Juarez
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oming from a city in the Shan Dong province, 15-year-old Wisdom is one of many international Chinese students spending a part of their summer vacation at CSU Long Beach learning about American language and culture. For the summer months, the campus has been a homeaway-from-home for students participating in enrichment programs and summer courses. Among these individuals are Chinese students of a culture and ESL program run by the International Training Program on the CSULB campus. “Our goal is to send [the international students] back home with better English and an idea of what America is really about,” said Summer Culture and ESL Director Randy Burger. Every summer for the last 20 years, Burger has worked with programs like this
at various campuses in Southern California including Cal Poly Pomona. “Our program provides a freer environment where [the students] can learn how to express
actively learn English in and out of the classroom. “It’s very interactive and the teachers try to play activities with the students,” Anne Wang, assistant director of Interna-
the country.” Upon walking into a classroom used in the program, the atmosphere is livened with the palpable curiosity of the foreign students. On the board, the teacher points
Graphic courtesy of Amara Aguilar themselves,” Burger said. In the program, students travel to major cities in America. They spend time at universities to
tional Training Program, said. “Our mission is to make sure the students like America. For 90% of them it’s their first time in
to the fill-in-the-blank skeleton of The Pledge of Allegiance. “Nation!” “Liberty!” “Justice!” The students excitedly shout-
ed these out in unison. The aforementioned student, Wisdom, seemed to be confident with his newly acquire English skills since he agreed to an interview. Burger even praised him for being the most outspoken of the class. “In America, I can spend more time with my friends,” Wisdom, whose last name could not be translated, said. “I like the beaches here better than the beaches in China, and Americans are more friendly.” When they aren’t learning English in both traditional and creative ways, the international students spend time with host families that provide meals, take the students to cultural locations, and really get to know their temporary houseguests. “We want them to have fun and utilize what they’ve learned,” Wang said.
PHOTO BY KELLEN OCHI
PHOTO BY KELLEN OCHI
PHOTO BY KELLEN OCHI
Social Media Takeover Mariecar Mendoza teaches newspapers2 campers the ins and outs of using social media and multimedia in daily reporting. By Catt Phan
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ournalists must learn to be a jack of all trades in the increasingly digital and demanding news industry, a features editor for the Los Angeles News group told high school students during a workshop at CSULB on Monday. Mariecar Mendoza, 29, has been a journalist for nine years and worked for various publications such as the San Luis Obispo Tribune and the Desert Sun. She has also freelanced for publications such as Filipinas Magazine, Evergreen Times and Metro. About to celebrate her first year as a Features Digital Director, Mendoza spoke about the digital impact on the news industry to a class of students participating in Newspapers2, a training course for journalists, designers and photographers. Journalists are “documenting history,” said Mendoza. “I really like getting out of the office… and telling stories.” Mendoza always wanted to be a writers but it wasn’t until age 11 that she
realized that she wanted to be a journalist. Originally she wrote R.L. Stein inspired novels but her interest in the news industry was sparked by war correspondents that would cover dangerous events in all corners of the world. She started freelancing at the age of 15 and continued writing and education at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo. With the idea that news was the foundation of reporting, Mendoza worked hard and at the age of 22 was in charge of reporting for the city of Desert Hot Springs whole high crime rates and city hall corruption was prevalent in Riverside County. She recalled what her job consisted of; making numerous calls, checking in with police chiefs, talking to city hall officials, and constantly studying the penal code. Mendoza recalled on her journalism education and told the students that difficult situations happen and “(you have) to knock on doors. You can’t learn that in a book.” Social media and tech-
nology have become increasingly important in reporting the news. While Mendoza finds herself tweeting on the scene, it didn’t come naturally. Mendoza tells students due to chancing industry reporters are expected to do a lot at once. She uses applications as an example. The pool is so “saturated” that many publications, including her own, are looking for those not only good writers, but good writers who are digitally savvy. Journalists who don’t have an online presence tell her one thing right off the bat; they aren’t “hungry” enough and have no desire to be in the forefront of news. However it should be a priority to not harm one’s reputation and burn sources because accuracy is more valuable than quickness. Mendoza also believes that while bloggers should be respected, journalists bring something to the table that citizen reporters cannot. Blogs, twitter, and other social media are still very beneficial if done tastefully, she maintains.
PHOTO BY KELLEN OCHI
Her newspaper is known to use video sharing apps such as Tout when reporting. In fact, all staff members are required to upload two videos a day. When asked about journalistic ethics, “the most important thing a reporter has is their intuition,” Mendoza responded. The ability to be able to draw the line is crucil because recklessness will not lose the trust of readers, she explains. In recent years Mendoza has shifted her focus to features instead of crime and corruption. Her real passion lies in telling stories and helping others tell their own. Through her main office is at the Daily Breeze in Torrance, Mendoza helps run nine standalone newspapers under Los Angeles News Group. While relatively new at her publication, Mendoza continues to fol-
Mariecar Mendoza’s Social Sphere Twitter: @LangMarMendoza @GeekOutLANG Tout: @langmarmendoza low her mentor George Ramos’ motto; do journalism. “We’re still trying to figure (journalism) out. You don’t know what’s ahead, but you’re helping to develop it.”