Hello,
My name is Avery Etuk and I am a junior at the University of Southern California. Growing up in Inglewood California I knew I wanted to attend USC; my brother attended USC for his undergrad and graduate studies. Everyone in my family supports the Trojans, so in a way it was expected that I go to USC. I transferred to USC after I spent one year at Santa Monica College. Although I wanted to go to USC, I wasn't sure what I wanted to study.
My upbringing has shaped and defined me into the person I am today. My dad immigrated to the United States from Nigeria, and my mom's family cam from the south.
As I child I loved being outdoors, and in the second grade my mom signed me up for Girl Scouts. Girl Scouts was the perfect fit for me because not only was I in a troop with all of my friends, many of the activities were focused on the outdoors, from hiking and tent camping in the woods,to service and leadership opportunities.
I remained in Girl Scouts through most of high school, and earned a Bronze Award, for a community service project. Our troop created emergency pet kits for cats and dogs, and distributed them at a local pet store. In middle school I began to volunteer in my church's nursery, something that I still do today, and it is an activity that brings so much joy and meaning to my life.
When I was younger my career interests would change year after year, I wanted to find a way to incorporate all of my passions and interests into one job. At first I wanted to be a marine biologist, despite not being the best swimmer. In middle school I was sure I wanted to be a pediatrician, because of my love for children, but to this day the sight of blood makes me ill. In high school I was sure I was going to become a lawyer, but that changed my 12th grade year.
My senior year of high school I became a member of my school's online newspaper staff. Working for The Current, made me realize I wanted to be a journalist. Unfortunately I would have to put that dream on hold because I didn't get into USC after high school; however, going to Santa Monica College was a great experience for me. At SMC I as able to mature, and get more comfortable with the college experience. When it came time to apply to USC again, I already knew what I was going to study: Broadcast journalism at the Annenberg School.
2014 was my first year at Annenberg, and I was exposed to many of the opportunities that the journalism field has to offer. Whether I was using the media center in the new Annenberg building or working behind the camera, at Trojan Vision, USC's student run television station. I came to the school thinking I wanted to be a sportscaster, but now is see the possibilities are endless.
As a journalist I would have the ability to interact and make personal connections with others in my community. Journalists are constantly seeking and searching for new stories, ideas, and people to cover. They are always learning about new cultures and technology, and sharing with the world around them. They are largely responsible for how society receives their information. As a journalist I would be able to provide a unique perspective on events,tell many unknown stories, and hopefully have an impact in the way news is covered.