SOUND BITES Department of Communication
Professor Weighs the Value of Travel Communication Studies professor Mary Eberhardinger traveled to Japan in February as part of an educational tour. Here, she reflects on lessons learned.
As an alumna (Japanese Exchange and Teaching), Eberhardinger was one of 20 people selected for a Feb 18-24 trip to Hokkaido and Fukushima to learn about and sample local cuisine. The trip was sponsored by CLAIR (Council of Local Authorities for International Relations). Eberhardinger joined Central in 2020. She teaches Com Studies and serves as a Communication Specialist for the College of Arts and Humanities.
I arrived home from Tokyo on a Sunday evening and was COVID-positive the rest of the week The trip had us cover vast territories and see many beautiful places It was hectic with no down time in between places or much time to properly rest at night Factor in jetlag
While I am grateful for the opportunity to have gone on an all-expenses paid food tour and social media awareness campaign, it was challenging Don’t worry, I don’t plan to only complain here I want to encourage those who have a thirst for the different to go, try, taste, smell, and see It’s all there
I went to an oyster processing plant and a scallop processing plant, a live fish auction center, a wagyu beef farm, a dairy cow farm, a whisky distillery, an indoor hydroponic strawberry farm, a sake distillery, a Michelin star sushi restaurant, a snow crab restaurant, a chocolate factory, a winery, a bamboo fish paste processing shop, and several hotels and other restaurants
One morning, our group’s meeting time in the hotel lobby was 4:50 a.m. Some people didn’t have enough time to drink water in the morning or use the restroom While we saw a lot, the pace was break-neck Towards the end of the one-week tour, I started to become unimpressed by "the next shiny thing" and just wanted to touch my dogs
I started to think how travel can be overrated and, of course, marketed and advertised. Interestingly, when we complicate life, we yearn for the opposite: simplicity. Then, when we achieve simplicity, we yearn to complicate. Yin and yang.
Other travelers might have experienced the Japan trip differently than me All I can do is show – by way of photography, video reels, and testimonial – what I experienced Travel can certainly help you learn about yourself What are your limits? What do you really want to experience? When is enough, enough? When is travel worth it? When does travel compromise your health and safety?
Japan is vigorously promoting tourism due to several factors, such as a slowness in traffic since COVID-19, depopulation, stigma over radioactive content after the Fukushima nuclear powerplant meltdown, and so forth They are proud of their excellent quality consumer products. As they should be.
Before taking the trip, I felt almost uncomfortable knowing that we would be doing such fine dining It is not uncommon that I make a PB&J and call lunch done People around me video-taped themselves, zooming in and chewing food in slow motion I joined in the fun
Part of the gift of Japan is allowing yourself to be in the vulnerable position as receiver Japan teaches you how to receive You learn how to do it with grace They want to give, give, give Then, by way of their example, you learn the ways that you can give, give, give Exchange Share Show Everyone becomes a teacher in Japan since everything is (still) so textbook opposite to here Traditions are protected People (still) stare
Maybe someday, these stark contrasts will neutralize Until next time, I bow my head and say thanks -Mary
AT A GLANCE
How did your degree help you in your career now?
My digital journalism degree taught me how to write for all news media. I learned the difference between writing for web and print versus writing for broadcast, something I do every day. I learned how to pitch stories that matter to a community and how to research and vet sources. Through my degree, I learned more about the importance of journalism ethics and how journalism plays a role in holding those in power accountable. My studies at CWU furthered my passion for journalism and prepared me for my job now. What advice would you give to current undergrads?
Communication students should try ALL student media! Central provides an amazing opportunity to get hands-on experience interviewing sources and meeting deadlines. No better way to learn than trying something you haven't done before.
JACQUELINE HIXSSEN Class of2023
If you turn on KNDU/KNDO news any weekday morning in the Tri-Cities, Yakima or anywhere else in Southeastern Washington and Northeastern Oregon, you will see Laynie Erickson, a 2022 Graduate in Digital Journalism with a Communication Studies minor.
Erickson is the morning news anchor, a position she started in May 2023 after anchoring the weekend evening show for nine months. She says her classes and extracurriculars at Central got her where she is today, especially her “favorite and at times least favorite” class, Central NewsWatch (CNW), the student-produced TV newscast.
“Sometimes I wanted to pull my hair out and scream and shout, but I ended up taking CNW for three quarters,” she says. “CNW was the class that helped me make my career choice and ultimately got me the job I have now.” In her senior year, when she was already auditioning at KNDU, she won a national award for her work at CNW.
“Some of my best memories at CWU are from the on-campus radio station, 88.1 The Burg,” Erickson adds. “While it is not technically a class, it can be a great volunteer opportunity or even on-campus job. While I was there, I received countless hours of live on-air experience. I hosted several podcasts and live radio shows. The radio station is really where I started to master the craft of my on-air personality. It’s a great way to get yourself out of your comfort zone, even if you don’t want to be on-air.”
As the Marketing & Communications Specialist for the Anchorage Wolverines hockey team, Jacqueline Hixssen manages all social media platforms, curates captive posts to increase audience engagement, assists in managing the official website and writes the weekly newsletter, pre-game reports and post-game summaries.
But wait. There’s more: “I am the main contact for all sponsorships and work the VIP section during game days to ensure our top producing fans are enjoying the entire experience, not just the game. I work closely with local news channels pitching stories, scheduling interviews and collaborating to reach the widest audience possible. I have also partnered with the local school district to get the team into classrooms to read, teach and help with outdoor activities.”
Hixssen secured her dream job while still a student at Central, where she majored in Public Relations and minored in Media & Journalism and Sport Business. Through her degree studies, she says, “I learned so much about consistency through branding, target audiences and creating a space that your target audience is actually interested in. Along with my journalism experience, I’m able to understand what the news sources need from me and the importance of timeliness around their stories.”
AT A GLANCE
What were highlights for you at CWU? Looking back on my experience at CWU, I am forever grateful for the personal relationships that I built with my professors. CWU is different from other universities in the way of being able to have mult iple one on one conversations with your professors, and the advice I received after class hours has traveled with me through my jo b. What advice would you give to current undergrads? Don’t get too comfortable. The hardest thing for me to overcome after graduation was being at the bottom of the totem pole. LEARN AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE! I wish I would’ve looked over more shoulders throughout my time at CWU. There’s so much to learn from your peers and all of it will help you in your career.
