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JMC Class of 2020 alum, Avery Martin, is a Digital Media Strategist for the College of Health and Human Sciences at Colorado State University. In high school, Martin was drawn to “the art of story” and great conversation. He was editor in chief of his school newspaper during his senior year, and pursued radio and audio production when he first came to CSU. Through his experience interning with the CHHS and his professors in the Journalism program, Martin developed a greater love for storytelling, conversating, and understanding people.

Video created by RamProductions | College Alliance for Media

Read more of his interview below:

What skills do you use in your current role?

“In my current role as Digital Media Strategist, I use pretty much everything that I learned in the journalism program. Video editing, interviewing, writing, AP style... had I not had that experience in the program and in my internship...I wouldn't be where I am today.”

What is the biggest thing you have learned about digital content creation?

“There’s always going to be a next post, a new follower, a new unfollower. The process is neverending. Through it all you learn what people do like and what people don’t like. And sometimes people don’t like anything you do! The biggest thing I’ve learned is that I shouldn’t take any of it personally. I should take it constructively and professionally...the main thing to learn, is to learn. Every single hiccup is an opportunity for a takeaway.”

What do you aspire to?

“I aspire to tell the truth. In so many ways, truth can be subjective, but I want to tell objective truth. And what objective truth is, is who an individual believes they are, and who they believe they were made to be. Those are the individuals I want to talk to and the stories I want to tell. I ultimately aspire to have some great conversations. I’m not trying to be an award winner, but I want to talk to award winners. I want to have some great discussions with people that I otherwise wouldn’t have met.”

Advice to a student finding their footing in journalism?

“It sounds very cliche, but stay the course. If you applied for a certain position and didn't get it, then stay the course. One of the biggest things I learned was to remain persistent, but don’t run yourself into the ground and don’t be annoying. You have to maintain a level of confidence that keeps you going to the next thing. There’s always going to be the next thing. Journalism is also not one path, the skills you have can be applied in almost every other arena.”