Danielle Keeton-Olsen: An In-depth Interview

Coming from a small suburb just outside of Chicago, Danielle Keeton-Olsen, being an out of state student, is in the minority here at Ohio University. Traveling almost nine hours to the E.W Scripps School of Journalism was an easy decision for Keeton-Olsen.

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I Came to Scripps for an interview and I was sold!

Despite pricey out of state tuition Keeton Olsen was ready to be out of her small town of Mount Prospect Illinois. Although she was involved in Orchestra, Show Choir, Student Directed high school plays, and wrote for her schools paper Keeton-Olsen still says.

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I often found myself kind of bored with the establishment

Keeton-Olsen found her way to Mount Prospect Illinois upon the divorce of her parents when she was in the second grade. Upon entering the 5^th grade, Keeton-Olsen had to deal with the passing of her father.

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He died when I was in 5^th grade, so that was a little traumatic, but I mean I didn’t see him that often and it’s been so many years that I’m almost completely over it. I just don’t bring it up.

Keeton was not without a father though. During her sophomore year of high school, Keeton-Olsen’s Stepfather officially adopted her in order to help her gain benefits to pay for college. 

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Emotionally it made very little difference to me. He was already a huge part of my life, he married my mom and was just always around.

Kyle Wiggers Interview Piece

Okay, so I had some trouble writing conversationally, so if you guys could provide feedback, that'd be great.

An 18-year-old from Twinsburg, Ohio, Kyle Wiggers has adopted two kittens in the last year.

Wiggers purchased the kittens just a few weeks after the death of his previous cat, Tori, a cat that died at the age of 19. His parents had adopted Tori right after their marriage.

Wiggers describes the adoption as bittersweet.
However, the new kittens, Chloe, a calico and Nyan, a Tiger, both have very distinctive personalities.
INSERT SOT “Nyan loves to have her stomach rubbed and will come right up to you. But Chloe is afraid of people, and runs into the closet. It’s interesting, their dichotomy.” END SOT
While his old cat was very independent, he tended to be more aloof, and did not connect with Kyle or his brother. Kyle says, quote, “It has been an adjustment,” end quote.
Kyle is much more of a cat person than a dog person, INSERT SOT “I love cats because they can take care of themselves and still show affection. You have the best of both worlds.” END SOT

Having flexibility with his cats is important with Kyle’s busy lifestyle. 

When he was in high school, Kyle was very active in his school’s journalism program. 

Kyle believes one of the most meaningful pieces he has written was about the school shooting in Chardon, Ohio. Chardon is 15 minutes from Kyle’s hometown.

INSERT SOT “Reporting on it was tough. I had to talk to some of the friend’s of the victims. I wanted to know about their goals and aspirations and such.” END SOT
Kyle also had to portray the shooter in an unbiased light. 

“There definitely were conflicting reports. Some people said he was a normal kid, but some said he was quiet and reserved, almost unnerving. Nothing conclusive, but I wanted to represent both sides.” 

Kyle’s work in journalism has lead him to the Scripps program in order to pursue a degree in News and Information so he can write for a technology journal after graduation.

Learning is for More Than Just the Public

For Ohio University freshman Jaelynn Grisso, deciding upon a college major was no challenge.  She has known since the sixth grade that journalism would be her career of choice. Over the past two years, that decision was reaffirmed by time spent working at her local newspaper.  Through this experience, Grisso not only learned more about her chosen profession, but also about her small Montana hometown. 

When asked about the most memorable story for her local paper, Grisso stated that she could just not pick one; rather two stand out to her.  The stories, one was about new therapy used to stimulate children in classrooms and the other was about ways to combat homelessness, were influential to Grisso because of the cultural knowledge that was gained from them. 

On these stories Grisso states:

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“It gave a really good insight into my community and how caring the members of it could be.”

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Her early experiences in the journalism community have placed her in situations she describes as something she is

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“not usually exposed to.” 

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But with her curious personality and strong desire to learn, these unusual opportunities only further fuel her journalistic aspirations.  For Grisso journalism is about more than just telling stories, it is also about the process of learning.   

UPDATED :: KYLE WIGGERS: College Freshmen: Away from Home, Coping (ft. Meg Omecene)

This time of year, many freshmen are still adjusting to university life, getting used to new schedules, less structure, and more freedom. Most find the hardest aspect of their higher education is familial separation, away from their parents and siblings for months on end, some by hundreds of miles, students have difficulty coping.

Meg Omecene, a freshman at Ohio University, says it's difficult not being able to visit family and friends as often as she used to.

"I miss my best friend a lot. [And] I want to see my sister soon."

Omecene hails from Pittsburgh, Ohio, where her mother, father, and sister still reside.

"It's hard. There've been tears, I'll admit."

Many students cope with the homesickeness by focusing on hobbies or extracurriculars. Omecene, an avid reader, is eagerly awaiting a copy of author J.K. Rolling's latest novel.

"I grew up on classics, so I still like classics a lot. [But] I love Harry Potter. Gotta love me some Harry Potter."

"I usually purchase e-books, but, because it's J.K. Rolling, I paid for the hard copy."

By pursuing group activites and individual interests, most college freshmen are able to acclimate to campus life. Meg will read and study, but still looks forward to vacations with family.

"I can't wait for Thanksgiving break."

Something You Didn't Know About Shantel Wolfe

Bicycling. For most, it’s a leisurely way to work out. For Shantel Wolfe, a freshman at Ohio University, it’s more.

Growing up in the small town of Milan, Ohio, Wolfe has always been anxious to start her life, and bicycling was always there to clear her mind to think about road ahead.

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“It makes the world seem smaller, and more in focus. I wish I would have brought my bike here.”

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The exercise also holds sentiment. Wolfe’s grandparents started taking her for bike rides when she was 3.  When she was 14, Wolfe’s grandmother gave her a 30-year-old Schwinn bicycle.

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“I miss them a lot.”

(End Quote) Before she left for college, the freshman’s grandparents, Bernard and Lila Wolfe took her to Bob Evan’s, then for putt putt and ice cream.

But a strong bond between grandparent and grandchild is natural, so why is this relationship so important to Wolfe?

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“I’m not that close with my family, I’m a very independent person. But my grandparents, I’ve always been able to talk to them.”

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Bernard Wolfe met Lila Hoyt in high school, where he was the all-American football star and she was the far-from-average cheerleader.

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“They are such a cute couple. When I say I am excited to start my life, I guess I mean to emulate them, settle down and have kids.”

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Wolfe looks forward to the opportunity to start a family and start her career. She aspires to work for O&P EDGE magazine based out of Denver, Colorado. She says she plans to continue to bicycle and continue to keep her grandparents in her heart.

While some might argue that bicycling is a pastime, for Shantel Wolfe it represents the past, the present and the future. 

Erin Davran: Enhancing Her Social Perspective

The Now

Air-In Dav-Ran is a freshman who is experiencing culture shock at Ohio University.   Through communication with classmate’s and new friends she has started to understand the unique social journey she is embarking on.  Dav-Ran’s perceptions are changing, and she knows this is a good thing for her.  Currently she is enrolled in a Women’s Gender Studies class where she is learning to open herself up to new ideas about human interaction.  Dav-Ran is also learning new cultural differences through interaction with her Washington dorm neighbors. Even though she holds concrete a “pro-life” stance, she admits she is open to learning new perspectives about subjects, like Lesbian Gay Bisexual and Transgender right’s.  She’s come to OU to get a formal education in Journalism, and yet she’s glad to see that she will get a good social education through interaction with her peers, as well.  

The Background

Dav-Ran has lived in Cincinnati, Ohio, her entire life.  She went to an all girls Catholic high school called Seton High, with a total of about 560 girls, where everyone’s social perceptions were just about the same.  

The Future

Dav-Ran looks to learning these new human lifestyle perceptions as a way of opening  her eyes to the world.  She’s connecting to people in ways she never knew existed and looks brightly towards continuing this new path.    As a future news writing journalist, Dav-Ran knows these new perceptions of others will help her to be a better overall journalist by giving her a better understanding of what the world, and even more specifically humans, have to offer.  She knows that it’s important to understand many different viewpoints in order to present all the facts in the least biased way possible.  

Kaitlyn Marshall: World Traveller at Two

Dashing away from her parents, 2 year old Kaitlyn Marshall ran toward the Red Sea as the sun set over Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.

That same adventurous attitude and diverse travel experience led Marshall to study journalism at Ohio University’s Scripps School of Journalism.

Marshall attributes her desire to travel to her parents, who wanted her and her sister to fully experience the world around them.

Marshall spent the first 6 years of her life in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, before moving to Cincinnati, Ohio.  Although she has not moved since she came to America, she has seen more of the world than many college freshmen can claim.

Besides visiting most of the United States, Marshall has explored great international cities, such as London, Moscow, Quebec, and Dubai.

Marshall says, “because my parents were so travel oriented and knowing so much about the world, they stressed that to us.”

Marshall began her obsession with the news as a child.  Her parents constantly had C-N-N playing, to keep themselves informed on the current events of the world.

Her exposure to the world, through news and travel, has propelled Marshall to prepare for a career as a foreign correspondent.

Marshall decided that Ohio University is the perfect place for her because of the accomplished journalism program and abundant opportunities for education abroad.

Marshall says, “I have all these experiences, so I want to share them with everyone else and bring that to the rest of the world.”