For my Intro to Journalism class, Dr. Downing is having us write a profile article about either another student doing something interesting or a faculty member.
He released a list of 25 questions that you could ask to the person you are going to interview, and in my opinion, some of these questions are wacky. I answered 24 of them.
Some of the questions are more normal, but it got me thinking:
Why does no one ask me these questions? I’d love to be interviewed like this.
The idea came to my mind to post the questions here, and respond to them like if I was being interviewed.
1. So where are you from? What made you come to KU?
I am from a small town named Strasburg, Virginia. It is not a town I particularly enjoy. There is not too much to do there and businesses are a revolving door there.
I think sometimes people have too much pride into the town, at least too much for how mediocre it is. There’s a culture here about how everyone “bleeds purple.” I do not.
I bleed red like everyone else.
There’s been some scandals in this town, and other things that made this town look like a joke, such as when the mayor of the town drunkenly crashed on a gator into the town library during Mayfest, which is the local event around my home town.
The towns surrounding it aren’t so bad though, and I live an hour out from DC. There’s some fun day trips I took to DC because of the proximity of the location. Mostly for concerts or field trips. Like to the Zoo or a Museum.
Now for the Kutztown part of the question:
Kutztown University was something I vaguely heard of, but honestly I wasn’t that interested in the school. At the time that I started going on tours, I was obsessed with Virginia Tech.
Virginia Tech is an absolutely beautiful school. Everything on that campus was castle-like. There was a lot of fun and exciting things going on. The whole place seemed like a party. It was also massive. I was determined to go to an instate school and I was determined for that school to be Virginia Tech.
So why Kutztown?
Kutztown University was not something that was ever on my mind. I heard about it because my sister’s middle school teacher went there but never really thought about it. My mom was being pressured to take me on tours of different varieties though.
She randomly decided to tour some schools around Pennsylvania. I am not fully sure her reasoning, but we’d stay the weekend at my Uncle’s who lives in Ephrata, PA. She tried to get multiple schools for the weekend trip, but we could only get Elizabethtown College and Kutztown University.
We toured E-Town first, and it was alright. All the buildings seemed really new. However, it just felt too small. It felt like a school that was perfect for my older sister, but not for me.
We went back to my Uncle’s and woke up for a tour of Kutztown University the next morning.
The tour went well, and I realized on the tour that Kutztown University fit the picture in my head when I first ever made my collegeboard account. It was more my vibe, and I left that tour saying KU was “maybe tied” with Virginia Tech.
Don’t get me wrong, I dream of Virginia Tech. It’s a great school. It has high rates for happiness and other things, but it had cons to it. It was a STEM school, and I was looking (at the time) at English and History programs. VT couldn’t guarantee anyone housing because of how massive it is for the whole 4 years, which concerned me too. The football games also weren’t guaranteed for students, as they’d have to pay to get a CHANCE to attend one.
I also worried about it being too big and too fun for me to be focused on my work.
KU was the kind of school I pictured: medium sized, a decent amount of stuff going on, still football, a liberal arts school that fits my interests, smaller class sizes, and a community that’s decently sized but not too big to be lost in. To me, medium sized schools have more perks for those reasons.
KU also seemed to just build a lot of perks. I was three hours away yes, but I was three hours away with my uncle nearby. Virginia Tech was also 3 hours away but with no one. KU also has 24/7 dining, which was another perk. KU has an out of state discount, which made the price around the same as if I went in state anyway. Just no state pell grant.
I started to apply one night to Virginia Tech as well, but there was a power outage mid application for seemingly no reason, so I took it as a sign. I got into KU and went to KU.
2. Tell us about your life here at KU.
My life here at Kutztown University this year is really, really busy. This semester, Fall 2023, I am taking 18 credits, which is 6 classes. I am also working a job at the Writing Center as an Undergraduate Tutor, which isn’t exactly hard labor, but still is what I am dedicating time to on my Fridays and Sundays. I am also the Editor in Chief of a literary magazine on campus. I have a lot of responsibilities this semester.
It is not that bad, as the 6th class is online, but to me it is still slightly miserable. I don’t think it’d be as bad if I only had the classes going on.
However, I feel really accomplished this semester.
The six classes I am taking are: Literature and Psychology, Literature and Film, Women Writers in Performance, Intro to Journalism, Intro to Theatre, and Dinosaurs. A lot of these classes require a certain amount of reading.
I rank them like this:
- Women Writers in Performance. The reason I like this class is because it is like my play time. I love performing and Dr. Weckerle has a great class environment.
- Journalism. I do enjoy learning a new writing style, and I think I am improving my socialization skills in this class. I do not like having to go and interview people, but it is what it is. Downing’s class doesn’t feel like too much work otherwise. We do a lot of it directly in class.
- Literature and FIlm. Who wouldn’t want to take a class that involves watching movies? I like it. It’s discussion based though, and I feel awkward about how much or how little I participate.
- Literature and Psychology. In this class we mostly read literature and then analyze it using psychology. I like psychology. However, I think it’s a bit more “dry” than the other subjects. It’s also not the kind of psychology I particularly enjoy. It focuses more on biases and schemas and theory of mind and other concepts and I am more of the Mental Illness type. I also have to go on Fridays, but if I got into Games and Literature, I would not have had to.
- Intro to Theatre. I like performing, and I like theatre, but I do not vibe as well with this class. It is mostly really short quizzes, like 4 questions, so getting one wrong is detrimental. The quizzes also feel like it is meant to trick me on purpose. There’s extra credit opportunities, but usually only for one measly half a point or one point. It is a huge lecture hall class. I also don’t vibe as well with the professor, if I’m being honest.
You might be thinking, “Where’s Dinosaurs on the tier list?” and that is my online class. I do not feel like it is fair to rank online classes with in person. It is also just my science general education course, so I am not particularly moved by it. It is not too hard though.
3. What are your Majors and Minors?
When I was first applying to schools, I was going to study English and History. I thought about going this route because I liked both subjects and I was considering law school or teaching both subjects maybe.
When I applied to Kutztown, however, I noticed English: Professional Writing underneath English on the “pick your first major for application” drop down menu. I stared at the computer screen, and mom told me to just put down English for now. I put History down on the secondary box.
I went for the Open House and we snuck in to the English department to learn more. We discussed it with the workers in the department, and I was given both checksheets. I was having a hard time deciding which one I wanted to do, or if I wanted to do both and drop History.
I decided to do both and not go with my History plan because I could not decide between the two Englishes. I wanted to do both programs, so I did. I do consider a history minor, but the room for it is scarce on my planner without adding extra time or an extra class. I’m still in the midst of deciding if I’d want to do that though.
I have a minor currently in Performance and Storytelling. This was mostly added because I love theatre and Dr. Weckerle encouraged me to add it. If I didn’t add it, I’d have all ENG and WRI classes and nothing else, and I decided it would be too intense to do that. Adding Performance gives me one class of play time per semester.
4. What activities are you involved in?
I am involved with Shoofly Literary Magazine, Her Campus as an editor and writer, the English Club, and Actors Creating Theatre. I performed in A Horse Walked into a Bar last semester. I published an article last year for the Archives Magazine. I also spoke at the KUCC conference in two panels.
5. What are you passionate about?
I am passionate about mental health awareness as well as advocacy against sexual abuse and online grooming.
6. What is your career goal?
Good question!
7. Where did you go to high school?
I went to Strasburg High School. At Strasburg, I was a decent student until the pandemic. I was involved mostly with the One Act Play team where we would compete at other schools with one act of a play. I mostly took honors and Dual Enrolled courses. I did not do as well during the pandemic and I had to bounce back my senior year of high school, which included going to Central High School half of the day to retake CMP 100 and 200 dual enrolled.
8. Have you traveled? Where?
I used to go to Wildwood, New Jersey every single year over summer break. We went for about a week until my grandmother bought a little camper up there for about 6 months out of the year. We’d stay for multiple weeks in each month of the summer break.
I also visited Myrtle Beach, South Carolina and New York City.
9. If you could live anywhere on Earth, where would it be?
Maybe a tree house in the jungle or something. But a FANCY treehouse.
10. Favorite Book?
I don’t really have favorite books. I have favorite genres though. I read pretty much every genre of literature but romance on it’s own, but my top 3 are: Fantasy, Sci-Fi, and Detective Fiction.
11. Favorite Movie?
Maybe Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle. It is a funny movie and I have good memories of seeing it with my mother. We went to the Alamo Drafthouse on or near my birthday to see it. She basically gave me two options of movies she’d like to see and was surprised I said Jumanji. She was worried about it being a remake, but she actually liked it.
12. Favorite Hero?
I haven’t seen many superhero movies, but I think Batman has a cool vibe.
13. Favorite Sport or Team?
I am not someone that is particularly interested in sports, but I’ve been to a few football games in my life. I think it’s better to go to a game like that in person, and not watch on TV. Therefore, I know nothing about the NFL. But I think my family supports the Eagles… So go Birds?
14. Have you ever had a nickname? What is it?
I’ve had a few nicknames. My legal full first name is Jessica, so I’ve went by Jessi and Jess before, as a Jessica would.
I’ve had a few others though. My mom used to call me Peanut. My guidance counselor in elementary school used to call me Penguin as well.
If I was a penguin:
Sander Spek, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons.
15. Would you like to share anything about your family?
I have two older siblings: Aaron and Emily. That makes me the baby of the family. I have eight years between me and Emily and five between me and Aaron.
Emily is a probation officer and she is married to Timmy. They have two children: Henry and Owen. Henry is two and Owen is a baby. Henry I know the most because she gave birth to Owen right before I came back to school pretty much. Emily is considered the “boss” in my opinion as she has strong opinions and usually made the decisions. She was really involved in things when we were younger so we were always going to her sporting events and award ceremonies.
Aaron worked at a wheat / flour factory, but now he is going back to college as a History Major at Shepherd University. We’re actually close to the same amount of credits. Aaron can be really nice one day, annoying the next, or someone you should avoid the next day. He was also involved in things, like the same sport my sister did, but less so. He was more dedicated to the Boy Scouts and the camp he went to so for awhile it would just be me or me and Emily on vacation because he was usually at camp.
Both my siblings have strong personalities in my opinion.
My mother is important to me. She is kind of goofy and acts like a teenager still, but she is fun. She mostly tries to play both roles of being a parent.
She was always the type that would say maybe no to a new toy because of financial reasons but would jump at the opportunity to buy us a book. She was who trained the little monster that became an English and English: Professional Writing major.
16. What are your hobbies?
I of course like writing, reading, and acting, based off my majors and minors. However, I also like other activities like playing video games, swimming, and making and watching YouTube videos. I like story based video games like Undertale, relaxing video games like Stardew Valley, and other video games like Dead By Daylight.
When I play Dead By Daylight, I main Feng Min as a survivor and Ghostface as killer.
17. If you were a superhero, what powers would you have?
If I was a superhero I would have time manipulation powers. Time Manipulation seems like a cool power to have because you could go back in time, forward in time, or freeze time. These feel like they would be useful skills to have for a variety of reasons.
18. What is your favorite Zoo Animal?
en:User:Lunkwill, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
19. What is your favorite Holiday?
I like Christmas and Halloween, but Christmas has more of an edge to it because you get time off and you get and give presents. The aesthetics of Halloween is cooler though.
20. What’s your favorite type of food?
In general, I like pizza, and all formats of pizza (such as deep dish and other formats.) However, I particularly enjoy the Alice Springs Chicken at Outback Steakhouse. I enjoy going there and ordering this meal with no mushrooms on it, extra honey mustard sauce, and fries on the side. I also enjoy the free bread they give.
21. Do you love or hate rollercoasters?
I understand why rollercoasters are fun, and I do enjoy them, but they terrify me. I have to be dragged onto one and I usually have to work myself up to it.
22. Which of your 5 senses do you say is your strongest?
I am not sure. I think I have decent hearing though. I pay attention to visuals but I cannot say my sight is that strong because I require glasses!
23. On a scale of 1-10 how funny would you say you are?
Maybe 7. I am not naturally witty, but I can be funny.
24. Who knows you the best?
Definitely my mom!
Adventures of Jessi Walker 
