Ariawna Talton

Major: Journalism (Print Journalism)

Inspiration:

Her high school journalism teacher, Mr. Harlan. "He was the best teacher. He nominated me to be an honorary sports reporter for the Mavericks, and I was chosen to do that. It was a game in January 2003, and I wrote a story about it that appeared in the paper. It was really his encouragement and my mother's that inspired me. My mom is an English teacher, and she taught me to always be aware of what I'm saying, to think before I speak."

Favorite Class:

Introduction to Reporting with Mary Love Bigony. "This is a really intense class where we do a lot of timed writing. She critiques our stories at a very high level, and the class is structured like a newsroom."

Where UT Meets the Real World:

Communication Career Services. "Events such as the Communication Career and Internship Fairs have helped me to get involved with Study Breaks magazine and Celebrate magazine."

Aspiration:

Newspaper Columnist or Editor. "I don't have to be the most visible person, but I'd like to leave a mark through my writing. There aren't a lot of women sports writers, and that’s something I'd like to try. I feel like I can walk out of here and get a job anywhere. I have no fears about my future; just being a product of The University of Texas at Austin means something."

Favorite Means of Communicating:

Writing. "I can say things on paper that I probably wouldn't feel comfortable vocalizing. I feel like I can write anything, given the chance. I also really enjoy poetry—I like free-form poetry because there are no limitations, and I can address whatever I'm thinking about."