Alexi Velasquez
Year of graduation: 2016
Hometown: Clifton, New Jersey
Major: Journalism
1. What made you decide to come to Hofstra?
After applying to several other schools in the area, I came to Hofstra because of their communications program. A lot of schools had a communications major, but they didn’t specifically have a journalism major. I also loved the campus — it wasn’t too urban, but it wasn’t in the middle of nowhere either. I grew up near NYC, and I wanted to stay close to it, so Hofstra was also in a great location.
2. What’s your major and why did you choose it?
I am a journalism major with a minor in political science. In high school, I took a journalism class, and was editor of the school newspaper. I really enjoyed writing, putting the paper together and the feedback I got after the students in the school saw the finished product, and I decided to take up journalism in college. Since then, I’ve developed a passion for writing, editing, and telling stories. I love that journalism is versatile, and that journalists can branch out into anything, whether it’s fashion or food, to news and science.
3. What internship experience have you had and how do you feel it’s helped you?
I’ve had several digital journalism internships over the last year. Last summer, I started at Adventure Publishing, where I wrote toy reviews, edited press releases, and even got to help out at Blogger Bash. During the Fall 2014 semester, I interned at Niche Media, a luxury lifestyle publication, where I wrote a variety of posts for all the different titles, including Gotham Magazine, LA Confidential, and more. However, I really learned to develop my voice as a writer and interest in women’s lifestyle content at SheKnows Media, a digital publication. Over the summer, I worked at Refinery29, and now, I’m finishing my internship at Redbook Magazine, where I work with the web team. I’ve been at a handful of different publications, but some of the things that helped me through my internships were taking initiative, having enthusiasm, and always walking in with a positive attitude every day. Interning has also helped me build relationships with a diverse group of people that could be a connection later on in my career.
4. When you’re busy how do you stay organized?
Honestly, I have a really bad habit of procrastinating, but my planner keeps me organized. I write everything in a calendar to keep track of due dates, but I also make lists of my assignments daily so that I don’t forget about anything. I try to prioritize by working on short term projects first, and if I have time, I get started on more long term projects.
5. Where do you see yourself after you graduate?
After I graduate, I plan on staying in the New York/New Jersey area, and hopefully I have a job. In the short term, I see myself working my way up in the industry, and in the long term, I see myself as an editor, and hopefully, I’ll have figured out what I want to write my book on.