Professor Hajdu, who is a great fit for the M.A. Arts & Culture program?
The M.A. program is designed for journalists who were like I was when I was about 25. I was working in journalism; I thought I was smart and capable but I hit a wall. I learned on the job, but it took a long time. The M.A. program is designed to help people do that in a year through a deep immersion in the arts, arts theory, arts practice. It is designed to help them write in specialized subject matter with depth and authority. But we cover every discipline in the arts as well as culture outside the arts.
Prax, what skills and memorable experiences did you gain from your time at CJS? What impact do they have on your work as a journalist today?
If you have covered music all your life, for example, you don't have to stick to that beat. You can look at different intersections. The program and professors encouraged me to take the stories that have crossovers between technology and art.
I remember doing an assignment that was on an NFT museum that was coming up in New York and how that played a role in the art world. That story was later published in Hyperallergic. It's very encouraging – especially in the new age of media – to have professors who tell you to expand your horizons. I had such an amazing relationship with my professors, David and Alisa. David also served as my thesis advisor. I still keep those relationships with them. When I am doing a story or editing a video in my current role as a video producer for Oregon Public Broadcasting, I think about how they advised me to be confident with my voice because I have a place in this world.
Professor Solomon, what do students learn in the program that helps them better report on arts and culture?
What everyone gets out of this program is the habits that encourage a journalist to ask the right questions to go very deeply into a subject – to know who the experts are to interview for a story and how to assess the truth, verity and the significance of what they are saying.