By Dakota Palmer
Becka Gutierrez always told her students to follow their dreams. Gutierrez, a former third grade teacher from Texas, eventually took her own advice and applied to be in the MNO program at Newhouse.
While Gutierrez loved her teaching job, she’s always wanted to be a journalist. A self-described introvert, she said she was afraid to put herself out there in terms of getting sources and asking tough questions.
Since the beginning of Boot Camp, Gutierrez has already noticed a change in herself. She described an assignment where she had to ask 10 random people on the street a question about local politics; she said she learned to put herself out there and take risks.
Five years from now, Gutierrez wants to be working in sports, and said working in the NBA would be “amazing.” She said she wants to report on the stories that aren’t on the field or on the court, but stories about “how did you become LeBron James?”
“People are so interested in how we grew up, and I want to be the one who tells those stories,” she said.
Interview Link: https://youtu.be/boJ46imnt5Y
Transcript:
Q: How did you end up at Syracuse?
A: I ended up at Syracuse because I was teaching third grade
in Texas and I told my kids to always shoot for the stars and follow your
dreams and all that stuff. So, I tried to use my own advice because I’ve always
wanted to be a journalist. And I applied and I got in, so yep.
Q: How long did you teach for?
A: Two years.
Q: So your undergrad degree is obviously in primary
education, right?
A: Yes.
Q: What did you like about teaching?
A: I liked teaching because you look at the world in their
eyes, you know? We’re so accustomed to learned behaviors that we’ve learned
throughout the years, and when you’re talking to a child, they don’t know those
things so they’re always questioning why, why, why does this happen and you’re
like ‘hmm, why does this happen?’ so, that was the best part. I was learning
from them.
Q: Why did you decide to go into education for undergrad
instead of communications. Obviously you said “shoot for the stars,” so I feel
like journalism has always been on the back burner for you, so why was it on
the backburner I guess?
A: Because I feel like being in journalist is you have to
take risks and you have to put yourself out there and not be afraid of getting
those sources and asking those tough questions, so that’s why it was on the
backburner for me because I was very introverted. But, I always loved teaching
and I love kids and I love sharing knowledge, so that’s the reason I chose to
teach. And I also feel like journalists are sharing knowledge, as well. So there’s
a relation there.
Q: Since the beginning of boot camp to now, what have you
noticed in yourself has changed?
A: Risk-tasking. Even because, what was it, I don’t even
remember what day it was now that we had to go out and find 10 random people and
ask them these political questions that they don’t even know about, so just
putting myself out there, taking those risks and knowing I can do that.
Q: Five years from now, what’s your goal? What’s your dream
job five years from now?
A: Five years from now I want to be working in sports, in
any sport…NBA would be amazing. But, reporting on the stories that aren’t on
the field or on the court, but stories about how…you know, just like this: how
a player ended up being — how did you become LeBron James? People are so interested
in how we grew up, and I want to be the one who tells those stories.
Q: Who’s your favorite team?
A: Oh my gosh, I don’t have a favorite team I just love,
love, love the sport. But, if I had a team, I would say the Bulls just because
you see them on TV.
Q: No one ever picks them, that’s respectable.
A: I’d choose them because they had all the — Michael
Jordan, you’d watch YouTube videos of them playing and they were just…awesome.
And that’s whack.
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