October 2023

October 2023
Andrea Ordonez

(BA, Journalism, ‘13)

Q & A:

1. What was your favorite class, who was your favorite professor, or what is your fondest memory of Hofstra?
   I received credentials to cover the 2012 presidential debate between President Barack Obama and former Governor Mitt Romney in the Media Hub. It was an amazing experience representing Hofstra and being treated with the same professionalism as veteran reporters and broadcast crews from all over the world. That opportunity as a student definitely helped me stand out when I was exploring post-college job opportunities.
2. What was your first job after graduating from Hofstra, and what was the most valuable thing you learned there?
   From what I recall, I was the first woman from Hofstra to get into the Dow Jones News Fund program. They placed me at an internship with Newsday, and after the program, Newsday hired me as a copy editor. It truly was a great place to start and nurture my career. The most valuable thing I learned there was to never be afraid to advocate for myself. It’s hard to be the new kid on the block, especially at places where people have so much more experience and have been doing the same job for decades. Whenever I wanted to learn something new, I asked questions. Whenever I needed help or didn’t understand something, I sought out clarification. Whenever I made a mistake, I owned it and asked for feedback on how I could improve.
3. What is your field of specialty, and how did you come to work in the industry?
   I remember telling my journalism advisor at Hofstra once that I wanted to work at BuzzFeed. He looked at me confused and said, “Interesting choice.” That “interesting choice” is where I work now! I spent a lot of my time at Hofstra experimenting with different parts of the media industry. I dabbled with WRHU, worked on The Chronicle, and did an internship as a ghostwriter for celebrities at an e-commerce site. The skills I got from all those experiences continue to help me as an editor today.
4. What advice would you give Hofstra students?
   Take advantage of informational interviews while you’re still in college. Throughout college and my first few years post-grad, I spent a lot of time just grabbing coffee with people who had my “dream jobs.” A lot of those connections were made with the help of professors and advisors at Hofstra. Informational interviews helped me figure out which jobs to pursue (and which ones to avoid) and allowed me to naturally expand my network. Fun fact: The job I have now started with an informational about Jay-Z!
5. In one word, how would you describe Hofstra?
   Foundational
6. What is your favorite part of your job?
   Observing how language evolves and having a say in what words are used in daily conversations and online content. The professional style guides used by journalism students at Hofstra are influenced by the work done by my colleagues and me.
7. What was a major obstacle you were able to overcome to perform your job?
   I think every new graduate struggles with balancing the idea of “paying your dues” and advocating for yourself. That transition from college to the first job is supposed to be difficult, but there’s no need to be so hard on ourselves. Life is long, and these days, it’s uncommon to stay at the same job for decades on end. With every job I’ve had, I’ve gotten better with that balance to ensure that my work doesn’t define my whole personality.
8. How has your job influenced your mentality as a person?
   A major part of my job is focused on sensitive language. Words are powerful, and there are a lot of voices that deserve space to be heard. I’ve definitely become more outspoken about the language people use when it comes to race, disability, and gender. My job has increased my desire to learn about how certain words make people feel, and how we can all be better communicators in general.
9. Who was the person who most influenced you, and how?
   At Hofstra, it was definitely the late [Dean of Students] Peter Libman. He was a strong supporter of The Chronicle and helped me get credentials for the 2012 presidential debate. Even with a stressful job and his battle with cancer, he was so kind and incredibly present in every conversation I had with him. At his memorial, they gave out rocks with words inscribed on them, and the one I picked out said “Listen.” That rock has sat on the desk of every job I’ve had since Hofstra – as a helpful reminder for me to both trust my own intuition and give people the support and safety to share their own stories.