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My Campus Celebrity: Ambitious Anchor Shayla Girardin

This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at Pepperdine chapter.

Shayla Girardin is a broadcast journalism major originally from Portsmouth, New Hampshire. She’s already on her way to achieving her dreams with her broadcasting experiences. Shayla is currently a senior at Pepperdine and is this week’s Campus Celebrity.

How did you first become interested in broadcasting?

“When I lived in North Carolina for a couple years, I had the opportunity to work for a small local broadcast called Carolina Kid News. I was in high school at the time and I started anchoring in high school for this local broadcast that was broadcasted throughout the Carolinas and I loved it. I started reporting, then anchoring, and I thought it was so cool! So I kind of had that in mind going into college, but I came in as a communications major. I immediately got involved in Newswaves freshman year first semester and it was full steam ahead from there. Now I’m a journalism major and I’m obsessed.”

How are you involved with broadcasting?

“At Pepperdine, I anchor for Newswaves and I associate produce as well. I host for Good Morning Malibu and I’m also involved with G News. Outside of Pepperdine, I’ve interned for ABC 7 and I’ve interned for entertainment reporter George Pennacchio. I also host for two separate things; one is called the Collection News Network and the other one is for Shea Properties which is a web video series.” 

What else are you involved with at Pepperdine?

“I do a lot with the Graphic. I’m the assistant online editor, and I love writing for them whenever I can. I’m also part of Kappa Kappa Gamma sorority.”

How do you balance your broadcasting involvement with your other priorities?

“For me, class and broadcasting are always first. Other than that, I’m a really big fan of eating well, sleeping, and trying to stay as balanced as possible. Staying organized is my big thing; I don’t always succeed at it, but that’s my goal.”

What are some things most people don’t know about you?

“First of all, I’m left handed. And my hidden talent is that I can say supercalifragilisticexpialidocious backwards. I actually put that on my Pepperdine application! I have a good explanation for it: when my sister was little she went through a phase where she watched Mary Poppins everyday for a significant amount of time so I saw it a lot and decided to learn it backwards.” 

Where do you see yourself in five years?

“I’m really hoping that I’ll be working back in Los Angeles. But first off, I just want to get a broadcasting job in a small market, so we’ll see. My biggest goal is that I’ll be a better reporter and that I will be reporting for a network hopefully in Los Angeles.”

Jenny Stephens is a junior at Pepperdine University majoring in journalism. If she's not in the newsroom, she's probably at mock trial practice or filming the sports games for work. In her spare time, she loves to cheer on her Chicago Cubs, play the electric guitar, and scrapbook.