About One Cool Story: Tales from the University of Oregon’s School of Communication and Journalism
Welcome to One Cool Story: Tales from the University of Oregon’s School of Journalism and Communication (SOJC). Each term you’ll hear from a handful of SOJC faculty, students, staff, and alumni about life in Allen Hall, SOJC Portland, and beyond. From tales about unexpected encounters and life-changing trips to career highs and more, you’ll be getting an in-depth look at what makes the SOJC community truly special.
Episode 24: Senior Roundtable, Clever, Curious, & Creative Class of 2026
Every student’s journey through the UO School of Journalism and Communication (SOJC) looks different.
In this episode of the SOJC’s podcast One Cool Story: Tales from the UO School of Journalism and Communication, host Julia Boboc, a graduating journalism student, brings together four SOJC seniors from each major to shed light on what those journeys look like, how they have unfolded in Allen Hall, and the many lessons learned along the way.
Amarion Akinsanya, an advertising transfer student, shares his experience as a UO videographer, describes how SOJC staff and alumni connected him to scholarships and an internship, and offers his views on imposter syndrome.
Mirandah Davis-Powell, a journalism student headed to the Seattle Times after graduation, talks about how she found a passion for food studies within journalism, the classes that impacted her most, and the advice she would give her younger self.
Adrian Garcia, a public relations student and Unidos president, shares how he “faked it until he made it” at the SOJC, the skills he gained that led him to success, and his hopes for a future in the Big Apple.
Mik Mattei, a media studies student and UO Athletics intern, talks about the project that helped her realize she could bring her interests into research, the variety of classes she has taken, and how her first-year self would react to her work now.
Subscribe to the One Cool Story podcast: https://journalism.uoregon.edu/podcast
Learn about the UO School of Journalism and Communication: https://journalism.uoregon.edu/ Apply to the UO School of Journalism and Communication: https://journalism.uoregon.edu/admissions
In this episode of the podcast One Cool Story: Tales from the University of Oregon School of Journalism and Communication, junior journalism student Peyton Gast catches up with Maya Lazaro, an SOJC alum and the self-titled “creative nerd” who keeps her alma mater interesting.
Officially, Maya is the exhibits, publications, and student competitions coordinator for the SOJC. But she reveals so much more. Maya reflects on the glory days of the internet when she designed web comics and wrote short stories. She reveals the blood, sweat, and tears that went into creating a nationwide web course, and she shares how she manages all the hurdles involved with planning the SOJC’s commencement ceremony.
Stick around for Maya’s one cool story involving holiday cards, a teeny-tiny church, and the Cheeto dust covering all of it.
Listen to hear:
How Maya became the SOJC’s student awards guru.
What she learned as a sheriff’s office intern.
Why she switched majors from journalism to public relations and finally to advertising.
Subscribe to the One Cool Story podcast: https://journalism.uoregon.edu/podcast
Learn about the UO School of Journalism and Communication: https://journalism.uoregon.edu/
Apply to the UO School of Journalism and Communication: https://journalism.uoregon.edu/admissions
30 Apr 2026
Episode 22: Austin Ota, Bay Area Broadcast Breakout & J-Grad ’25
What does it look like to say yes to every opportunity and turn uncertainty into a career in sports broadcasting?
In this episode of the podcast One Cool Story: Tales from the University of Oregon’s School of Journalism and Communication, fourth-year journalism student Ethan Donahue sits down with Austin Ota, a recent journalism graduate whose love of sports led to a passion for storytelling and shaped his path to sports media.
Austin shares how he got into broadcasting and how joining KWVA on his first day at the University of Oregon set everything into motion. From learning the technical side of journalism to stepping into leadership roles, he reflects on how hands-on experience, mentorship, and a willingness to accept challenges pushed him to grow beyond play-by-play into a more versatile journalist.
He also discusses the realities of breaking into the industry, from navigating internships with little structure to sending hundreds of emails in pursuit of freelance opportunities, and how persistence and adaptability ultimately helped him build a career he loves.
Stay until the end for Austin’s one cool story, a chaotic KWVA trip that tested his instincts, challenged his comfort zone, and pushed his adaptability in new ways.
Listen to hear: • How saying “yes” to everything at KWVA helped Austin find his place in journalism. • Why learning skills outside your comfort zone can shape your career in unexpected ways. • What it really takes to break into sports broadcasting, and why persistence matters.
Subscribe to the One Cool Story podcast: https://journalism.uoregon.edu/podcast
Learn about the UO School of Journalism and Communication: https://journalism.uoregon.edu/
Apply to the UO School of Journalism and Communication: https://journalism.uoregon.edu/admissions
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Podcast Authority Score: 23 / 100
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Engagement
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