Majors: Journalism, Spanish
Minor: Dance
Next Step: Project Manager at Second Peninsula
Accalia Rositani describes her decision to major in journalism in the LMU Bellarmine College of Liberal Arts (BCLA) as “a leap of faith, based largely and loosely on my desire to write.” Now, as she prepares to graduate, that leap has landed her an exciting position with Second Peninsula, a media company creating original productions for film, television, and digital platforms.
In her role as project manager, she will help produce a video version of what was originally an audio-only podcast called Pivot hosted by Kara Swisher and Scott Galloway where they discuss a range of tech, business, and political topics. “I am most excited about the people I will work with, as well as the skills I’ll learn in project management and production,” says Rositani.
Rositani learned about the position from Kate Pickert, associate professor and director of journalism, who is one of several mentors Rositani has had during her time at LMU. Rositani is also extremely grateful for Ky Henderson, visiting assistant professor of journalism, and the insight he provided in her early journalism courses. “Professor Henderson saw my writing at its worst. I owe him for patiently copyediting my early articles and for encouraging me to apply for internships.” And, Rositani says, pursuing double majors in journalism and Spanish, as well as a minor in dance, would not have been possible without Assistant Professor Tara Pixley’s help. “Professor Pixley sat with me to configure my class schedule for the last three years, and the value of her personal consultation for scheduling and monitoring my degree progress is inestimable.”
Even with the guidance, support, and foundational knowledge she has received along the way, Rositani did not expect to land a job in media right out of college. Like many journalism majors, she felt anxieties about the job market—“that the field is too competitive and oversaturated – and we’ll have to settle for jobs that don’t match our skill sets or meet our needs.” However, she wants all BCLA students to know that those doubts reflect more fear than fact, and that “you can in fact have the job that you want. They are out there and waiting for people like you to apply for them. What we learn in our classes – how to write, analyze, edit, research, present and discuss – are not taken for granted in the ‘real world.’ Employers want and need workers with these skills!”
Originally from Portland, OR, Rositani found LMU to be a school that met all of her qualifications; an ideal location in Los Angeles and the opportunity to receive a well-rounded, liberal arts education. For Rositani, interdisciplinary exploration and making the most of the curriculum and co-curricular activities have been truly transformative. “I never ended a class as the same student I arrived as,” says Rositani. She attributes this to LMU students being “taught to ask questions, value the perspectives other disciplines offer, and appreciate the pursuit of knowledge in all of its forms.” Few other schools, Rositani believes, would have allowed her to build such a personalized academic and professional pathway.
Rositani has worked at the Los Angeles Loyolan for three years, where she is now a senior editor. The experience, she says “has allowed me to study journalism and practice it at the same time, reinforcing invaluable time-management, communication and reporting skills.” It also helped propel her to a digital internship with Telemundo 52, and a current internship at NBC-LA. These are the types of classroom-to-career connections that BCLA encourages and facilitates, and which have made her more adept in “digital production, Spanish proficiency, fact-checking, quick turn-arounds and more.”
Rositani is looking forward to launching her media career, however, her ultimate goal is to return to the classroom as a professor. She says being a student is her “favorite thing ever – which is why I think I love journalism so much because our job is to learn – and I think I will want to return to academia one day to teach and mentor students.” Until then, she offers BCLA students this advice: show up. “To class, to office hours, events, whatever it may be. Fill up your four years with meaningful experiences that will inform your goals as a student, professional, friend, and person.”