The Rampage
January 2023 - December 2023
The Rampage is Fresno City College's student-run newspaper. When I initially joined, it was a nerve-racking experience because it was the first time being sent out to physically cover a story and have it published for the whole world to see. Despite that, I came to love it after seeing my first ever story published on the website. I quickly learned just how valuable my or any media coverage is to inform our communities. A huge thank you to Kathleen Schock, The Rampage's faculty advisor, for teaching me and my fellow classmates the importance and integrity of a journalist. Also, shout out to all the great friends I made here!
Articles from Fall 2023
This was an important story to cover as it advocated for undocumented students. I ensured to contact every facet that I can, from the undocumented student presenting to a resource organization present at the event. I was present for the entire event and found many aspects to write the story on. Though, I wanted to write more about the undocumented students there and what they had to say. This story was even recognized by California Community Colleges Chancellor's Office daily news roundup.
This story was your typical event happening on campus but, after spending time, there was not much going on. So, I took it upon myself to not only cover what was going on at the booth but what else was going on around it. I found a valuable perspective from a student around the event's vicinity that I would have not known. I learned from this article that, other than covering the main story, there will be different stories told around it.
This was my favorite article to write this semester because there was interesting information that surrounded it. I found that the renovations were prioritized because of a Title IX lawsuit. It was a story that kept unraveling the more I know. However, I learned from this story that it can be easy to go off track from what I am writing about. After all, this was a sports story. Not only that, the Title IX violation was old news for Fresno City College. In any case, it was interesting collaborating with my editors on the story.
Articles from Spring 2023
Working on this article was a challenging, but enjoyable experience. I had to do my research about the state's budget and how that is implemented to the education system. I also learned to ask questions for clarity down to the simplest concepts to ensure I understand. It was also a network opportunity as I got to interview public officials on campus. Preparations such as conducting one of my interviews through Zoom showed me there are versatile ways of producing a story when scheduling does not fit into my agenda.
This article was my first profile story and last article for the semester. My first interview was two hours long but necessary to understanding her story. Therefore, I learned to utilize my questions at proper intervals and know when to ask for specific moments that presented her in her truest. There was various photos I could have used for this article but awaiting an event where she was able to represent her culture was the best opportunity.
This was my favorite article to write for The Rampage. It was a review on a FCC theatre performance and it was a fun time that I would have not attended otherwise. There was a challenge when I first arrived because they did not allow photography inside the theatre room. However, I improvised by snapping a photo just before entering. I learned that there will be random times where stories can be offered to you and this was one of them I was interested in because it was my first review.
Social Media Posts from Spring 2023
This was my first social media video at The Rampage and it was a ton of fun speaking with students and learning how they feel about the recent parking structure added to Fresno City College. Fellow reporters helped me collect footage and interviews for these social media videos.
I added captions and background music to make the video easier to understand and appeal to different audiences. I used two different softwares to create these posts and some require a subscription; which is why there is a watermark across all of these videos.
This was my last social media post for the semester. It was also an update to my first social media video because this was captured at the end of the semester. These videos have always been fun because video editing is something I knew before working in The Rampage.
Business Media Kit from Fall 2023
The main project I undertook as The Rampage's business manager was our media kit for the Fall 2023 semester. My managing editor and I created this form to enact our renewed path for the business manager role.
It covers our advertising rates, who we are as an organization, our social medias, policies, and guidelines. It can be a "hand-out" form for businesses so they can easily understand us and our offerings. It was difficult finding the right rates and information.
We are merely student reporters and not business majors in any degree but, after researching and looking at work from business managers in the past, we curated this model. It is a project that would be constantly updated to reflect new rates, policies, and semester information.
My Photography During The Rampage
Taking photos for The Rampage was an aspect I came to enjoy. It places me out of my comfort zone physically but allows me to capture compelling shots. I keep in mind the different composition rules and framing techniques such as Rule of Thirds, Depth, Repetition, Color, Leading Lines, and more. Here are some photos I have taken while covering FCC events:
