Jennah Lay

I am a recent UBC Master of Journalism graduate who focuses on sports writing. During the internship component of my Masters, I wrote a combination of profiles, features, and Q+As for UBC Athletics, honing both my interviewing and writing skills.

Additionally, I interned at Global News BC where I learned about the editing, content, radio, and news delivery processes. I received the opportunity to join a reporter in the field and learn about the media production process.

Furthermore, I contributed pieces to both UBCs student run newspaper The Ubyssey and Toronto Metropolitan University's student paper The Otter that feature women in sports.

I am passionate about bringing forth voices on mental health and the intersection of elite sports. My goal is to continue to improve my interviewing and writing processes with the intention of creating meaningful and engaging content that appeals to a broad audience.

My question creation process starts off very general, and as it progresses, my questions come together to offer a direction for the interview. I aim to create questions that are open ended and can lead to a multitude of possibilities. Additionally, I have realized how important it is to accept if the interview moves into a different direction.

As an interviewer, I seek to create an environment for the interviewee that is open, comfortable and most importantly respectful. Given the extractive nature of journalism, I aim to work against the grain and ensure that the interviewee benefits from the interview process.

Journalism provides many challenges and opportunities, but my greatest piece of fulfillment comes from getting a window into a persons experience, providing a new perspective that you may have never considered before. Journalism opens your mind and challenges your biases and preconceptions while being accessible.