Clara Broderick

Blog

JMS 430 Story Project

Final Project Essay

About me

Resume

For this assignment, I decided to take a little trip down memory lane and look at the graduation and dropout rates among the Poway Unified School District. As a graduate of Westview High School, I am all too familiar with the <a target="_blank" rel="noopener ugc nofollow" class="ah ne" href="https://www.cde.ca.gov/ci/gs/hs/hsgrtable.asp">UC/CSU A-G requirements</a>.As such, I thought it would be interesting to do a comparative analysis of rates of completion of the A-G requirements between socioeconomically disadvantaged (SEC) students and the general graduate class student body, both within the district as a whole and by individual high school. I pulled my data from the <a target="_blank" rel="noopener ugc nofollow" class="ah ne" href="https://dq.cde.ca.gov/dataquest/">California Dept of Education DataQuest site</a> and used Canva to create the above infographic.A map of Poway Unified School District 2023–24 High School Dropout Rates can be viewed <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.google.com/maps/d/u/0/edit?mid=14T4r1djkbsCWyyv2T7-cj-uH7dIP_Us&amp;usp=sharing">here</a>.--------------------------------This is blog No.1 for JMS 430.

Graduation statistics within the Poway Unified School District (2023–24)

A snap shot of our Sony FS7 cinema camera system from our film set, while producing a documentary series for the Holocaust Center for Humanities. Here we are interviewing a local high school about their experience with some of the Center’s teaching materials.

About Me

My Work

I really love editing. Watching a picture come together as i edit along.

JMS 430 Final Story

Pages

Clara Broderick: Up-and-coming journalist

Contact

<h4>As the job market becomes increasingly competitive and the cost of living continues to rise, many college students face the daunting task of juggling career advancement opportunities, a full course load and the financial barriers that come with being in college.&nbsp;</h4><h4>By Clara Broderick</h4>-----------------------------------If you’re a college student or recent college graduate struggling to find work within your field of study, you’re not alone.&nbsp;For many college students and recent graduates, jobs within their chosen field of study are often limited to semi-relevant, entry-level positions that offer a minimum wage pay rate – if they’re even paid at all.&nbsp;According to <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.reveliolabs.com/news/macro/is-ai-responsible-for-the-rise-in-entry-level-unemployment/">one study</a>, as of June 2025, the demand for entry-level workers across the board has declined by 35% since January 2023. As this demand continues to decrease, the desperation for some kind of work related to one’s career increases, leading college students and new graduates to take the first position they can get. Oftentimes, this means taking on an unpaid role.&nbsp;The reality is that, while these roles can offer opportunities to aspiring newcomers within their field, such low-paid or unpaid positions are not financially viable for an increasing number of people.&nbsp;According to a f<a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.ncan.org/news/702278/New-Survey-Data-Financial-Realities-Undermine-Student-Success.htm">all 2024 survey</a>, 43% of enrolled college students work full-time (40 or more hours per week) to support themselves while balancing a full course load, and 74% of full-time students work at least 20 hours per week. The majority of students- 58%, to be precise- have experienced at least one kind of basic needs insecurity, such as housing or food insecurity, while enrolled in school. <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.luminafoundation.org/topics/todays-students/working-adults/">Another study</a> found that college students who work 20 or more hours per week are 2.5 times more likely to drop out of school due to the pressures of balancing schoolwork and financial stability.&nbsp;It wasn’t always like this. As of June 2024, the amount of money that Americans owe in student loans has <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.luminafoundation.org/topics/todays-students/working-adults/">increased by 42%</a> compared to a decade ago. This may in part be due to the fact that more people than ever are going to college, but it's also likely that it's a reflection of a federal minimum wage and average income that doesn't match an exponentially rising level of inflation– whether it be the cost of education or basic living expenses, such as housing and food.&nbsp;As the rate of people graduating from college increases, the value of a college degree as a standalone factor in considering candidates for a job decreases. This is where extracurriculars and internships come into play. <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://gitnux.org/internships-statistics/?utm_source=chatgpt.com#sources">A 2025 report</a> found that college graduates with internship experience are 70% more likely to secure a full-time position straight out of college than those without internship experience.&nbsp;During a time when students are facing more financial insecurity than ever before, the amount of energy and time that students have to dedicate themselves to unpaid work related to their academic pursuits is impacted.“The problem is that some of the best paid (internships), of course, have a zillion applications,” said Christie Ritter, the internship coordinator and a lecturer for the <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://jms.sdsu.edu/">School of Journalism and Media Studies</a> at SDSU. “There’s a lot of competition for those. They exist, and we want them to apply, but also there’s a ton of competition.”&nbsp;Many students also face a certain level of cognitive dissonance when it comes to taking on these unpaid positions.&nbsp;“(Unpaid roles) are asking you for, you know, maybe 150 hours of your time and paying you nothing for it and expecting you to be there,” Ritter said. “ I tell students, ‘You really need to think long and hard about this before accepting an unpaid internship for a for-profit company.’ And they usually say, ‘yeah, I’ve thought about it, and it’s a great opportunity.’ And, hopefully, it was a great learning experience in the end. But ... I want them to think about that, because it’s costing them money.”The inherent ethical nature of unpaid internships is also often called into question. On a federal level, for-profit employers are subject to strict scrutiny by the <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.dol.gov/agencies/whd/fact-sheets/71-flsa-internships">Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) </a>when hiring unpaid interns, and must meet several criteria, known as the “primary beneficiary test,” in order to get away with not compensating unpaid interns. If the for-profit employer meets all of the criteria, then they legally do not have to categorize their interns as employees, meaning they are not legally required to compensate them for their time.&nbsp;This criteria is as follows:“1. The extent to which the intern and the employer clearly understand that there is no expectation of compensation. Any promise of compensation, express or implied, suggests that the intern is an employee — and vice versa.2. The extent to which the internship provides training that would be similar to that which would be given in an educational environment, including the clinical and other hands-on training provided by educational institutions.3. The extent to which the internship is tied to the intern’s formal education program by integrated coursework or the receipt of academic credit.4. The extent to which the internship accommodates the intern’s academic commitments by corresponding to the academic calendar.5. The extent to which the internship’s duration is limited to the period in which the internship provides the intern with beneficial learning.6. The extent to which the intern’s work complements, rather than displaces, the work of paid employees while providing significant educational benefits to the intern.7. The extent to which the intern and the employer understand that the internship is conducted without entitlement to a paid job at the conclusion of the internship.”&nbsp;Despite these regulations, a question remains: how are employers held accountable for what is and isn’t considered labor?&nbsp;“Part of the process that we go through when we are approving internships starts with me getting a job description, then it goes to [the employer] filling out a questionnaire,” Ritter said. “They have to have a contract with the university so that they are authorized to be a host for the internship.  Ideally, we are screening out all or scaring away all of the types of internships that are really not quality educational experiences. That’s my role and the role of the other (internship coordinators) at the university: to make sure that these are legitimate educational opportunities that students are having.”This system isn’t always foolproof, however. Despite this rigorous internship contract process, positions where interns end up doing tasks outside of their job descriptions can still slip through the cracks, putting these interns in a difficult position: do they stay and “tough it out,” or stand up for themselves and leave?“I’ve had students who have been asked to do things that were not in the job description and were not educational parts .. we don’t want to work with people like that who are exploiting the kindness of the student who is working for free already,” Ritter said. “I get a lot of people who contact me and they say, ‘I need someone to help me make a website, I don't know how to do it.’ As you can imagine, that is not an educational experience for (the student). You don’t want to pay someone to do work that you have, and you think that our students would be good at it … but you need to pay them for their skills if that’s what you want them to do, and not ask them to work for free because you are too cheap.”When employers do their due diligence and do truly provide their interns with an educational experience, the benefits of these positions can outweigh the financial drawbacks. Amanda Isteepho, who graduated from University of California San Diego this past June with a bachelor’s degree in political science and data analytics, works as a digital inclusion intern for the <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.rescue.org/">International Rescue Committee</a>, a nonprofit that provides humanitarian aid to people impacted by international crises. Although the position is unpaid, she’s found that her role has helped her kickstart her career and opened up doors for paid opportunities.“My commute is around 35-45 minutes depending on traffic that day, and parking at the office is free, so the main downside of this is that I have to refill my gas tank two times a week instead of once because of how much I’m driving back and forth,” Isteepho said in an email correspondence. “I have only been at the internship for two months and I already feel like I’ve gained (sic) so many skills that will benefit my in the future even if they are not directly related to my career path … I think this will benefit me in the future when I get a real job because a large part of working in tech is talking about your findings to colleagues and turning complex topics into simple explanations … Yes, the amount of traveling I have to do on a weekly basis is inconvenient, but I know it’s only temporary and having an experience like this is worth the slight financial loss.”In a world where competition for jobs is more cutthroat than ever before, the possibility of moving up from intern to employee within a company is another driving force in the desire for internship experience or entry-level work.&nbsp;However, these streamlined opportunities are not a given with every, if not most, internship and student employee opportunities. Zuzia Rosales, a fourth-year environmental sciences student at SDSU, holds a position as a student worker for the County of <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.sdcfcd.org/">San Diego Flood Control District </a>– a position she says is exactly the kind of work she’d like to be doing after graduation, despite the position’s temporary nature and lack of streamlined processes for moving up within the department.&nbsp;&nbsp;“If I'm not a student, I can't (work) here, and I’ve only got one more semester left at school,” Rosales said. “I will have people to put in a good word for me when I apply for the county. However, I can't apply now because they won't accept you if you haven't already graduated … I will have to be jobless for a while … It takes about six months for (the county) to actually process your application.”&nbsp;In a college culture that places much emphasis on balancing school with relevant work or internship experience - an expectation that is not realistic for many college students- Ritter resolves that there is no correct way to gain relevant experience, nor is the path to success always linear. Whether it be joining a school club or volunteering periodically for a charitable organization, any step taken towards getting experience, no matter how small, makes all the difference.&nbsp;“Try to apply for something that's really, really relevant for your goals and interests, because I think in the long run, that's going to set you up for success,” Ritter said. And if it's not paid, do something where you're benefiting a nonprofit organization by donating your time, and not these people who are in this churn kind of business, constantly hiring new interns every semester and never hiring them as paid employees long term … try to be really specific about what it is that you want, and do research about companies and nonprofit organizations that really fit your career goals and interests, because I think there are matches out there.”&nbsp;

Are unpaid internships financially viable? For many students, the answer is ‘no’

<h3>Synopsis&nbsp;</h3>Over the course of this semester, I deepened my understanding of implementing multimodal elements within my reporting. As someone whose forte has always been writing and whose focus has been on honing this skill as my craft, the development of more tech-savvy skills - website management, graphic design, and multimedia in a general sense - had never really been on my radar before actually studying journalism. This course furthered my understanding of the power of blogging and digitalization within our field as a way to keep up with an ever-evolving digital world.&nbsp;<h3>Developing the Story Project</h3>In writing my story, I made sure to avoid making generalizations or assumptions based more on anecdotal rather than concrete evidence. As an example, while most of us are likely aware of the “broke college student” archetype because of common knowledge (or even personal experience), I didn’t want my story to be based on assertion. I spent a lot of time looking for specific data that pertained to my topic and opted to let the data speak for itself rather than trying to force it to fit my story by misinterpreting the statistics.&nbsp; I also made sure to reach out to a variety of people as potential human sources to include a diverse group of perspectives. While I never ended up hearing back from two of my sources, I was able to speak to an internship coordinator as well as two students with vastly different internship experiences/positions.&nbsp; Through my research and my conversation with San Diego State University Journalism and Media School Internship Coordinator Christie Ritter, I was able to gain insight into my own search for internships and entry-level positions as I approach the end of my undergraduate career.&nbsp;<h3>Digital Media Experience</h3>The development of my website and Medium account, as well as the labs completed in class, helped increase my knowledge of what kinds of elements are important to include in multimodal or digital forms of journalism. The infographics lab was one activity that I found particularly interesting and helpful. I actually quite enjoyed the development of the data-based Google Map, as I’d never considered using a map before to create a visual representation of data. I’ve also gained an appreciation for messing around with the website settings and graphic design.&nbsp;The most enjoyable part of writing my story was the interview process, which is always something I quite enjoy. As a more introverted person, interviewing is an inevitable aspect of journalism that I never thought I’d actually come to like. Over time, however, this has changed; while the initial anticipation leading up to an interview with a source is always a bit daunting, I love getting to talk to people about their experiences and always find this to be the most rewarding part of writing my stories.&nbsp;

https://twoparrot.com
nonprofit video productions

&nbsp;• Fourth-year Undergraduate Journalism Major, French Minor (Expected graduation: Spring 2026)• Cumulative college GPA of 3.72• Fluent in Russian, Proficiency in French----------------------------------------------<h3>Awards and Honors</h3>• Dean's List student (Fall 2022, Spring 2023, Spring 2024, Fall 2024, Spring 2025)• Poetry Publication in the San Diego Union-Tribune (February 2022)

Personal Summary

Hello! My name is Clara, and I am a fourth-year journalism student at San Diego State University. This website was created for my Digital Journalism (JMS 430) course as my digital semester portfolio. View my LinkedIn profile <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/clara-broderick-48a457202">HERE. </a>

Clara Broderick: San Diego-based Journalist

Earlier in the semester, one of my assignments for my digital journalism course (also the class for which I initially made this website) required us to find a journalistic podcast of our choice to evaluate through a journalistic lens.Whenever someone asks me what podcasts I listen to, I let out a sheepish “I don’t really listen to podcasts” and instead opt to recommend some of the podcasts that others have recommended to me. There has been the rare occurrence where I’ve actually put on one of these recommended podcasts, but it’s usually a one-off thing that doesn’t lead to me listening to a second episode, and even more rarely (or ever…) does it result in my becoming a regular listener of that podcast. There was a brief stint where I periodically listened to “<a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow noopener" class="markup--anchor markup--p-anchor" href="https://open.spotify.com/show/1cpyLfDHP1cNnyOb478qrt">Morbid</a>,” a true crime podcast by Ash Kelley and Alaina Uruquhart, but this only ever happened while working a prep shift at the sandwich shop I worked at… and, well, what else is there to do when you’re chopping vegetables and mixing huge batches of chipotle mayo for eight hours on a Sunday?Last week, the podcast “<a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow noopener" class="markup--anchor markup--p-anchor" href="https://www.divergentpod.com/">Divergent Conversations</a>” by Megan Anna Neff and Patrick Casale was recommended to me. Neff and Castale are two neurodivergent healthcare professionals who focus the weekly episodes on different topics related to their experiences with ADHD and/or autism. I don’t typically listen to podcasts, but there I was on Sunday afternoon, jarring spices at my weekend job and facing the urge to switch to something other than my typical playlist. I decided to give the podcast a go, and listened to <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow noopener" class="markup--anchor markup--p-anchor" href="https://open.spotify.com/episode/6thxPjxpPHb9B2itg3Edc7?si=3400931c5fc34efb">episode 133 (season 4)</a>: Is Everyone a Little Bit ADHD?It’s always funny to hear people talk about their experiences with ADHD because I find myself relating so, so heavily to everything that they describe. As someone who wasn’t diagnosed until I was an adult, there’s still so much that I have to learn about myself that I never considered to be anything but a personality quirk or fundamental fault. I often forget that many of the experiences I have — particularly the things that I struggle with on a daily basis — aren’t typical experiences that people without ADHD have to the extent that people with ADHD do — a main point that Neff and Castale make in their discussion. While everyone likely experiences issues with attention or productivity from time to time, it's the extent to which people experience these things that really establishes the distinction between what is simply a blip of the human experience and what is a genuine neurodevelopmental disorder.Another super interesting misconception that was brought up is the notion that ADHD is overdiagnosed nowadays. While both hosts agree that this is an arguably dangerous generalization to make (because if you think you have ADHD, what harm is there in exploring the possibility?), they also discuss — and even qualify — some of the claims that are made in this argument that ADHD is overdiagnosed. One claim they mentioned is the theory that a reason more people are getting diagnosed with ADHD is because of the way our dependence and attachment to technology leads to a decreased attention span and productivity — traits that mimic some of the symptoms of ADHD. Both concurred that this is a very real possibility, especially if these traits weren’t apparent until one gained regular access to online technology. What I found most interesting, however, was when Neff clarified that the reality isn’t black and white: while overdiagnosis may be a possibility among certain populations, underdiagnosis is also just as prevalent, particularly among marginalized communities or populations that were historically excluded from ADHD studies. Historically, much of the information that we had about ADHD was from studies that were almost exclusively conducted on straight, white males — a practice that we now recognize as problematic. Our understanding of ADHD and neurodiversity as a whole was based on symptoms exhibited by one demographic and failed to recognize the nuances within how various populations exhibit this condition — especially in how females experience ADHD versus males. With this in mind, it makes sense that more people are getting diagnosed with ADHD, because it wasn’t until recently that we had a more diverse understanding of how ADHD presents itself beyond the straight, white male archetype.All in all, I found this podcast to be incredibly insightful and would highly recommend it to anyone looking to understand neurodiversity better, whether it’s to understand yourself or someone close to you a bit better, or just because you’re curious.--------------------------------This is blog No.2 for JMS 430.

Podcast Review: Divergent Conversations

<h3>B.A. in Journalism, French minor</h3><h4>San Diego State University - San Diego, CA</h4>May 2024 to Present&nbsp;• “The B-Side Groove” Radio show host for KCR College Radio (2025-current)• Writer for the Daily Aztec (2024-current)• Music review section manager for the San Diego chapter of Rambler Magazine (2022-2024)&nbsp;&nbsp;• Research coordinator, writer, and graphic designer for SDSU satire newspaper (2024-current)&nbsp;<h3>B.A. in Media Studies, French minor</h3><h4>California State University, San Marcos - San Marcos, CA</h4>August 2022 to May 2024&nbsp;• President/founder of CSUSM's Book and Music Club (2022-2023)• News Editor for the Cougar Chronicle (2022-2023)<h3>High school diploma&nbsp;</h3><h4>Westview High School - San Diego, CA&nbsp;</h4>August 2017 to June 2021&nbsp;•&nbsp; Yearbook Editor-in-Chief at Westview High School (2019-2021)

The city of San Diego shot from Coronado 

Education 

<h3>Writing Center Tutor&nbsp;</h3><h4>San Diego State University/ CSUSM - San Diego, CA&nbsp;</h4>August 2023 to Present&nbsp;• Experience working with both undergraduate and graduate students with writing in all subject matter&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• Experienced with various forms of scholarly formatting, such as current editions of APA, ASA, MLA&nbsp;&nbsp;• Familiar with class-specific writing requirements&nbsp;<h3>Barista&nbsp;</h3><h4>Starbucks - San Marcos, CA&nbsp;</h4>September 2022 to May 2024&nbsp;&nbsp;• Experienced in customer service standards&nbsp;&nbsp;• Knowledgeable in food-handling safety protocols<h3>Host/Barista</h3><h4>FARMBloomington - Bloomington, IN&nbsp;</h4>February 2022 to Present (Seasonal employee)• Familiarity with restaurant booking software (OpenTable)&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• Make and change reservations and take to-go orders• Create nightly floor plans&nbsp;•&nbsp; Take and fulfill coffee bar orders&nbsp;<h3>Host&nbsp;</h3><h4>The Elm Restaurant - Bloomington, IN&nbsp;</h4>March 2022 to August 2022&nbsp;• Familiarity with restaurant booking software (Resy)&nbsp;• Created nightly floor plans&nbsp;•&nbsp; Managed customer and staffing conflicts-------------------------------------------------------------<h3>Volunteer Experience</h3><h4>Voting Center Poll Worker</h4><h4>San Diego Registrar of Voters - San Diego, CA</h4>November 2024• Demonstrated ability to stay impartial throughout the election process• Checked voters in, registered voters who were not yet registered• Assisted in poll center setup/ breakdown, helped count and sort different kinds of ballots<h4>Volunteer French Teacher&nbsp;</h4><h4>Children’s Paradise Afterschool Program - Vista, CA</h4>March 2024 - May 2024•Taught beginner French classes for children ages 5-10• Created and taught two lesson plans per week• Focused on French basics such as letters, numbers, animals, and other common phrases

Work Experience 

It’s no secret that journalists are facing a concerning level of censorship across the United States. With the new limits on Pentagon reporting in place and the White House only allowing access to specific media outlets, we’re seeing an unprecedented level of limits on reporting. But what about student publications?In this blog post, I’ll be focusing on my home turf of Bloomington, Indiana, home to Indiana University and the IU Media School.Once regarded as a renowned institution for journalism and media studies, the Media School and its student newspaper, the Indiana Daily Student (IDS), have been put through the wringer throughout the past couple of years. In April and May 2024, IU’s administration, particularly President Pamela Whitten, was heavily scrutinized for its treatment of students involved with the Pro-Palestine encampments taking place on IU’s campus. Protesters set up camp throughout Dunn Meadow, a historic gathering space that has long been used by students and Bloomingtonians alike for organizing protests.On April 24, 2024- one day before the encampments’ beginning- IU enacted a ban on the use of “temporary structures” at Dunn Meadow, citing this ban as justification for the brutalization of encampment participants that followed soon after.Despite intimidation from the IU administration and campus police, the IDS dedicated itself to reporting on what was going on at Dunn Meadow.Similar events occurred at other universities throughout the country, such as Columbia University. However, the situation at IU has only escalated since the encampment came to an end.This past summer, in accordance with demands from Indiana Governor Mike Braun to cut programs that “do not advance American interests or values,” IU cut over 200 of its programs. Programs such as comparative literature, foreign language programs, and the humanities were among the first to go, along with the long-renowned journalism master’s degree programs.<a target="_blank" rel="noopener ugc nofollow" href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/michaeltnietzel/2025/07/01/indiana-university-to-discontinue-more-than-100-academic-programs/?source=post_page-----ac513c3984ae---------------------------------------"> </a>Mid-October, IU’s student media director, <a target="_blank" rel="noopener ugc nofollow" class="ah ne" href="https://www.nytimes.com/2025/10/17/business/media/indiana-university-daily-student-newspaper.html">Jim Rodenbush</a>, was fired amid pressures from the administration to effectively force the IDS to halt the publication of any news — pressures that he fought against, considering his inability to directly control what the IDS publishes (as per a <a target="_blank" rel="noopener ugc nofollow" class="ah ne" href="https://www.idsnews.com/page/charter">charter</a> between the IDS and IU) as well as the ethical implications these demands posed on limiting students’ right to free speech.Mere hours after he was fired, IU paused all funding for student media and barred IDS staff from publishing any news. This decision drew national attention and sparked public outrage that ultimately resulted in the university reversing its decision to halt the IDS from publishing news. However, the fact that this happened in the first place, and the fact that IU’s student media outlets continue to struggle financially as a result of punitive budget cuts, raises red flags in terms of what this kind of abuse of power means for student publications everywhere, especially as journalistic censorship becomes more and more prevalent as time passes within our current administration.--------------------------------This is blog No.3 for JMS 430.Read the full story <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://medium.com/@cbroderick7970/have-recent-limits-imposed-upon-the-press-impacted-student-publications-ac513c3984ae">here.</a>