Pittsburgh Current Newspaper's Margaret Welsh Discusses Music Journalism, Shares Interviewing Tips Monday, October 14, 2019
"My goal is to be a music writer for Rolling Stone magazine and Point Park has been so wonderful. Every faculty member I speak to wants to help me get to where I want to be ... I really feel supported by this University as I pursue my career goals and try new things."
Margaret Welsh, music editor-at-large for Pittsburgh Current, recently visited Point Park University to discuss the niche field of music journalism with students in various majors.
“It was great for students to hear from a professional in the music writing industry. Margaret Welsh explained how she got into the field and walked students through how to write a pitch and provided helpful tips for interviewing,” said Jehnie Burns, Ph.D., associate professor of history.
The event was organized by Emma Christley, a junior interdisciplinary design major from Butler Area High School in Butler, Pa., and sponsored by the Center for Inclusive Education and the Department of Literary Arts and Social Justice.
“What I thought was most interesting and beneficial was that she explained what makes a good pitch, dos and don’ts for making a pitch and she even shared a little of her own past awkwardness in interviews to help give us an idea of what to steer clear of when preparing for an interview,” Christley explained.
“My goal is to be a music writer for Rolling Stone magazine and Point Park has been so wonderful. Every faculty member I speak to wants to help me get to where I want to be. From Dr. Burns being my advisor and entertaining every crazy idea that I came into her office with, to Dr. Prida partnering with Dr. Burns to make this event happen. I really feel supported by this University as I pursue my career goals and try new things,” Christley added.
For Hattie Charney, a senior mass communication major and history minor, the most beneficial takeaway Welsh’s presentation was learning how to approach interviews.
“Ms. Welsh said something along the lines of, ‘everyone is human and it's easy to get caught up in the fame, but they're a human just like you and me,’” said Charney, a graduate of Windber Area High School in Windber, Pa.
Senior multimedia major Eva Kobylar from Saratoga Springs High School in Saratoga Springs, N.Y., agreed.
“I’m happy I attended this presentation because it was helpful to get professional interviewing tips,” Kobylar said.
Charney added: “After Point Park, I plan to attend graduate school in the United Kingdom for a concentration in gender and war studies. Point Park has incredible history professors. After taking courses here, I realized I wanted to do what they do. The professors and Office of Student Life at Point Park are helping me reach my goal of becoming a professor.”