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Final Portfolio Your Name

Sacramento State University Linville

English 20 Due Date

NOTE:

1. While these assignments are in same genre and format as yours, the content is not the same. Carefully review your own assignments listed under Portfolio Requirements on the syllabus.

2. This portfolio reflects APA citations. 3. The cover sheets for these assignments have been changed to match yours, even

though some of the assignments were written for a different English class.

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Section I: Capstone Essay

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Capstone Essay: Genre Analysis Student Name

Sacramento State University Linville

English 20 ------------------------------------

Grade: A

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NOTE: These are not the genres we wrote this semester. Introduction In English 109 this semester, we wrote papers in a variety of genres, including a précis, a white paper, a brochure, an interview, a research paper, and more. I have chosen to focus this analysis on an interview and a research paper. I have chosen these two genres because at the beginning of the semester, I was unfamiliar with writing interviews, but I was very familiar with writing research papers. In completing these assignments, however, I learned more about both genres. Description of the Genres Q&A Interviews are popular reading and are widely published in newspapers and magazines, especially with celebrity interviewees, from rock stars to sports stars. Freelance writer Susan Johnston Taylor (2016) states that such interviews “appeal to readers because they place a greater focus on the subject’s voice.” This genre also appears in various professional publications, from Business Insider to corporate HR newsletters, for the purpose of providing expert opinion. Taylor remembers one such writing assignment: “I convinced the editor that a Q&A with a single authoritative business expert would satisfy her need.” Interview articles in the Q&A style are usually “formatted as an interview transcription with a simple introduction” (Taylor, 2016). Bold or italic font is often used to distinguish between the interviewer’s questions and interviewee’s responses. Sometimes a large “Q:” precedes the interviewer questions and a large “A:” precedes the interviewee answers. This varies from publication to publication. Professional publications are nearly always single-spaced and often present articles in narrow columns of text. The interview’s introduction generally provides context and establishes the interviewee’s credentials. For example, the assignment for this English 109 class noted that “the introduction should clearly identify the interviewee by full name, job place, and title and note any relevant background information.” In addition to an introduction before the questions and answers, the assignment for this English 109 class asked students to write a brief conclusion, reflecting on the information they “found most surprising or inspiring.” Unlike interviews, research papers are “above all [written] to convey factual knowledge that is supported by research” (“A Brief Guide,” 2008). Such papers are assigned in educational settings, from high school through graduate school. Professionals who work in an academic field also continue to write and publish research papers in peer-reviewed academic journals, such as American Psychologist, Journal of Applied Psychology, and Journal of Educational Psychology. High school research papers, and many research papers in lower-division GE classes, are generally formatted like any other essay, with a one-paragraph introduction that includes a thesis statement, a multi-paragraph body with in-text citations, and a one-paragraph conclusion,

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followed by a reference page. The text is generally double-spaced with indented first lines of paragraphs. References generally start on the last page. They are listed in alphabetical order by author and are double-spaced with a “hanging indent” where the first line of each reference hangs out to the left. More references are required for research papers than for most other essays. This is the style of research paper I was most familiar with before taking English 109. This semester, however, I was introduced to the APA-style research paper that will be required in my upper-division courses in psychology. This is the style generally followed for professional publications in psychology as well. APA-style requires an Abstract at the beginning of the paper which is “a concise summary of the key points of your research . . . between 150 and 250 words” (“General APA Guidelines,” 2019). In addition, this style requires the following sections with headings: Introduction, Methods, Results, and Discussion, followed by References. According to Harvard University’s “A Brief Guide to Writing the Psychology Paper” (2008), these sections should contain the following information. The Introduction gives an overview of the topic’s history, explains related theories, shows why the topic is important, and provides a thesis or hypothesis. The Methods section explains the details of your study, whether you are reviewing others’ work or conducting our own. The Results section presents the data, “the results that bear directly on your hypothesis” (“A Brief Guide,” 2008). Lastly, the Discussion section analyzes what the results mean, especially “the real-world implications for your findings” (“A Brief Guide,” 2008). Analysis of the Genres Being familiar with research papers, I know they require a great deal of work before even starting the first draft. However, I was unaware that interviews require just as much time. Every source that I examined emphasized this point. Tapia (2019) lists these as pre-writing steps: “Interview Your Subject, Organize Your Data, Review the Transcript, Narrow Your Focus.” Both Taylor (2016) and McDermott (2018) also emphasize the need for research before writing the interview questions and conducting the interview. “Always do your research pre-interview. It’s critical to find out about your subject’s background, area of work, publications, and accomplishments” (McDermott, 2018). I was also surprised to find that both research papers and interviews require sorting through a great deal of information and choosing the most appropriate points to select. “Even a 15-minute interview can result in a transcript that’s several thousand words long . . . The writer’s job is to find the most interesting parts of the interview and edit out the fluff, while still accurately capturing what the subject said” (Taylor, 2016). Lunsford (2016) suggests that “for most college research projects, drafting should begin at least two weeks before the deadline” (p. 208). She advises students to “gather your notes, outline, and sources, and read through them” before drafting the paper (p. 208). I thought that length would be a big difference between these genres, but that turned out to be incorrect. While some interviews are very short, many are as long as a standard college research

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paper. While I couldn’t find any empirical studies about research paper length, many sources agree that high school research papers are generally five pages or less, and lower-division college papers are around seven pages. Upper division college papers are generally ten pages, and graduate school papers can be 20 pages or longer. Culminating papers (such as a senior’s honors project or a master’s thesis) may be even longer. In addition to differences in paper format (as discussed above), the number of required sources and the citation of those sources is the biggest difference between these two genres. Sources in interviews are few and are casually referenced. If an interviewee refers to one of his or her projects, the writer will give enough clarification for the reader to find that project. For example, if a film is mentioned, the article will usually note the full title of the film, the film company, the release date, and where it may be viewed (in theaters or on streaming). The research paper, however, is characteristically identified by a large number of sources and references. It is “a genre that requires one to spend time investigating and evaluating sources” (“Genre and the Research Paper,” 2019). Several studies examined professional research papers. The conclusion is that four to six references per page is the norm (“How Many References,” 2019). Reflection Before completing the interview assignment in English 109 this semester, and before reading advice from professional writers about conducting and writing up interviews, I was under the impression that someone just scheduled an interview, quickly jotted down a few questions, talked to a subject, recorded their answers, then wrote what they said. I couldn’t have been more wrong. I was surprised to find out how much work goes into all those celebrity interviews I like to read. While I probably won’t be writing many interview pieces in the future, I now better appreciate those I read. While I was familiar with writing MLA-style research papers for high school and for my lower-division GE classes, I was surprised to discover the more stringent requirements for research papers in my psychology major. These apply to upper-division classes for my bachelor’s degree as well as to graduate-level classes and even to professional publication. I now see that I will need to master the art of writing abstracts as well as learn how to craft the different sub-sections APA requires. Word Count: 1347

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References A Brief Guide to Writing the Psychology Paper. (2008). College Writing Center. Retrieved from the Harvard University website: https://hwpi.harvard.edu/files/hwp/files/bg_psychology.pdf General APA Guidelines. (2019). Purdue Online Writing Lab. Retrieved from the Purdue University website: https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/research_and_citation/apa_style/apa_formatting_and_style_guide/general_format.html Genre and the Research Paper. (2019). Purdue Online Writing Lab. Retrieved from the Purdue University website: https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/general_writing/common_writing_assignments/research_papers/genre_and_the_research_paper.html How Many References Should I Include in a Research Paper? (2019). Retrieved from the Wordvice website: https://wordvice.com/how-many-references-to-include-in-a-research-paper/ Lunsford, A. (2016). The Everyday Writer (6th ed.). Boston: Bedford-St. Martins. McDermott, C. (2019, January 19). Perfecting the Art of the One-on-One Interview. Retrieved from the Content Marketing Institute website: https://contentmarketinginstitute.com/2018/01/art-one-one-interview/ Tapia, A. (2019, January 19). How to Write a Profile or Interview-Based Article. Retrieved from The Balance: Small Business website: https://www.thebalancesmb.com/how-to-write-a-profile-or-interview-based-article-1360733 Taylor, S. J. (2016, September 20). 5 Keys to Writing a Q&A Piece People Actually Want to Read. Retrieved from the Contently website: https://contently.net/2016/09/20/resources/career-advice/journalism/5-keys-writing-qa-piece-people-actually-want-read/

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Section II: Group Project

(Choose 1 – 2 Papers)

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Group Project: Annotated Bibliography

Student Name Student Name Student Name Student Name Student Name

Sacramento State University Linville

English 20 ------------------------------------

Grade: A

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TOPIC A writer from the 1920s: E. E. Cummings INTRODUCTION This topic grew out of reading the novel The Paris Wife by Paula McLain which focuses on many writers of the 1920s. We were assigned to research an author from this time period. In the first chapter of the novel, Hemingway’s wife describes some authors interacting: “They telegraph punch lines back and forth in code, lightning fast and wisecracking. I can’t keep up, but I don’t mind really. Being near these happy strangers is like a powerful transfusion of good cheer.” Even though Cummings does not appear in the novel, this passage brings to mind many of the poems he wrote the 1920s.

ANNOTATED BIBLIOGRAPHY Possible Images for Presentation

Dunham, D. (Photographer). n.d. E.E. Cummings. [Digital Image.] Retrieved Nov. 13, 2016 from The Poetry Archive website: http://www.poetryarchive.org/poet/e-e-cummings This image shows Cummings leaning out a window, head and shoulders, smiling. E.E. Cummings. (1938, January 1). [Photograph.] AP Images. doi: 3801010319 This image is a head-and-shoulders shot that shows Cummings leaning on a couch holding a cigarette. It shows him as more relaxed than the above photo. E.E. Cummings. [Digital Image.] n.d.. Retrieved Nov. 13, 2016 from the Greenwich Village Society for Historic Preservation website: http://gvshp.org/blog/2012/08/31/a-half-century-since-the-passing-of-ee-cummings/ This image is a close crop of Cummings’ face holding a cigarette near his forehead. This is one of the most famous images of Cummings. It is the perfect “author” photo because it presents him as relaxed, yet serious. Hopkinson, C. S. (Painter.) n.d. Cummings as a child. [Digital Image.] Retrieved Nov. 13, 2016 from the Harvard Magazine website: http://harvardmagazine.com/2005/03/the-rebellion-of-ee-cumm.html This is a rare image of Cummings, a head-and-shoulder oil painting of him as a child.

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Possible Sources for Presentation Information

Cheever, S. (2014.) Cummings: A life. New York, NY: Pantheon. Retrieved from Algonquin’s Table website: http://www.algonquinstable.net/viewtopic.php?f=30&t=25605 This is an excerpt from a recent book about Cummings’ life that shows his place in the Modernist Movement and discusses his fellow artist friends. Cummings, E.E. (1940). Anyone lived in a pretty how town. Retrieved The Poetry Archive website: https://www.poets.org/poetsorg/poem/anyone-lived-pretty-how-town This is a text of one of Cummings’ most famous poems that would go well on the presentation handout to give an example of his unusual syntax. This is a humorous poem the class would probably enjoy. Cummings, E.E. (1952). I carry your heart. Retrieved from Algonquin’s Table website: http://www.algonquinstable.net/viewtopic.php?f=30&t=25605 The text of this very short poem may actually be the best one to include on the handout because it shows Cummings’ unusual capitalization, punctuation, and spacing, and yet is a beautiful love poem. Cummings, E.E. (1922). Poem, or beauty hurts Mr. Vinal. Retrieved from The Genius website: http://genius.com/E-e-cummings-poem-or-beauty-hurts-mr-vinal-annotated This is the text of a poem to be used in the presentation because it shows how Cummings wove advertising slogans into his poems to make fun of them and to comment on the commercialization of modern life. This website annotates all the poem’s references to the various products and slogans which provides more in-depth information for the presentation. Cummings, E.E. (1931). Somewhere I have never travelled,gladly behond. Retrieved from The Academy of American Poets website: https://www.poets.org/poetsorg/poem/somewhere-i-have-never-travelledgladly-beyond This is the text of a poem to be quoted on the handout because it shows Cummings’ unusual punctuation, syntax, and odd personification while still being a powerfully moving love poem.

E.E. Cummings Biography. (n.d.) Retrieved Nov. 13, 2016 Biography website: http://www.biography.com/people/ee-cummings-9263274 This short article explains when, how, and why he became famous which will be helpful for both the presentation and the handout.

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E.E. Cummings Biography. (n.d.) Retrieved Nov. 13, 2016 Famous People website: http://www.thefamouspeople.com/profiles/e-e-cummings-160.php This article contains basic biographical information as well as concise information about why Cummings is an important writer.

Everett, N. (1994). E.E. Cummings. In I. Haminton (Ed.) The Oxford Companion to Twentieth-century Poetry in English. Oxford: Oxford University Press. Retrieved from University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Department of English website: http://www.english.illinois.edu/maps/poets/a_f/cummings/cummings_life.htm This excerpt from a recent book about literature discusses what critics said about Cummings’ work during his lifetime. It also shows his place in the Modernist Movement and discusses his fellow artist friends.

Kennedy, R.S. (1994). E.E. Cummings. In I. Hamilton (Ed.) The Oxford Companion to Twentieth-century Poetry in English. Oxford: Oxford University Press. Retrieved from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Department of English website: http://www.english.illinois.edu/maps/poets/a_f/cummings/cummings_life.htm This excerpt from a recent book about literature discusses the importance of Cummings’ various books as well as giving information about his life and work.

Possible Websites to Suggest for More Information

E.E. Cummings. (n.d.) Retrieved Nov. 13, 2016 from The Poetry Archive website: http://www.poetryarchive.org/poet/e-e-cummings This website presents a brief biography and commentary on Cummings’ work. This site also contains audio recordings of the poet reading this work. It also includes the full text of many of his poems. Some information from here may also be useful for the presentation. E.E. Cummings. (n.d.) Retrieved Nov. 13, 2016 from Poetry Magazine website: https://www.poetryfoundation.org/search?q=e.e.%20cummings In addition to including a brief biography and the full text of many of his poems, this site also includes articles others wrote about him and his work. Poet E.E. Cummings. (n.d.) Retrieved Nov. 13, 2016 The Academy of American Poets website: https://www.poets.org/poetsorg/poet/e-e-cummings In addition to including a brief biography and commentary on Cummings’ work, this site includes a list of books Cummings’ has published, the full text of many of his poems, as well as quirky features such as postcards and Christmas cards he wrote. Some information from here may also be useful for the presentation.

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Group Project: Presentation Handout

Student Name Student Name Student Name Student Name Student Name

Sacramento State University Linville

English 20 ------------------------------------

Grade: A Note: I was unable to include the Handout in this file due to formatting issues.

Please do count it as part of my Portfolio Grade.

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Section III: Short Papers

(Choose 2 – 4 Papers)

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Event Critique Individually-Written

Student Name Sacramento State University

Linville English 20

-------------------------------- Not Graded

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Name of Event: Capturing History: The Photography of David Hume Kennerly Date & Time of Event: I attended on March 26, 2009 at 4:00, but the exhibit was open from March 13 to June 27. Location of Event: Sac State Library Gallery Name of Host/Sponsoring Organization(s): Sac State together with the University of Texas and Cannon. Phil Hitchcock directed it. Name(s) of Featured Artist(s): David Hume Kennerly The Pre-Show Experience: Leading up to viewing the exhibit, I felt curiosity and excitement. In advertisement of the exhibit, the library revealed a massive poster depicting a photograph of the five living presidents. It gave a prospective audience member a taste of the kind of photographs the exhibit would contain. An individual could gain a sense that the photographs in the exhibit were going to be one of a kind. As I walked in, I saw about twenty other people milling around looking at the photos and chatting quietly. Everyone seemed to be enjoying what they saw and were sharing knowledge and memories about the historical events depicted. Detailed Description of the Event: The exhibit of Kennerly’s photography attempted to capture the nation’s most pivotal historical scenes. The particular exhibit that I witnessed had a large amount of wall space reserved to depict the Barrack Obama campaign and inauguration. Other photographs depicted the Vietnam War and the Nixon years, while others depicted events of the year 2000. One of the attention grabbing photographs was that of a scene depicting the tragedy in Jonestown. It depicted a tropical bird as the only survivor overlooking the dead bodies. That photograph made the viewer wonder, “How in the world did he take that picture?” It was a one of a kind photograph that no one else could reproduce. It showed the art and skill of Kennerly as a photographer. Another photograph that really got a person’s attention was that of a Los Angeles street corner with a gun shop right next to a casket store. It really made a person think because it was shocking to see those two places side by side. It revealed Kennerly’s ability to find memorable scenes. Evaluation of the Event: The exhibit depicted many scenes in our nation’s history, but it fell short of being the spectacular once in a lifetime event that I expected. I will give credit to Kennerly because his photographs are awe inspiring, but the environment failed to add to the experience. The venue was too small. I expected a big and open room fit of the photographs inside of it. The other thing that the exhibit lacked was the lighting. I believe a dark environment with spotlights focused on the photographs would have given it a more epic and dream like sense. I also felt the arrangement of the

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photographs was jumpy and disjointed. A viewer would be walking along the photographs of the year 2000 and then suddenly walk into photographs with Nixon and Ford. After that we would end up in the Obama campaign and inauguration. To me it felt that the different eras of history were not well divided. This was probably due to the lack of space necessary to spread out the timeline. There was too much blending with different periods of time. Despite all the environmental issues, I believe that attending the event was time well spent. Kennerly’s work begs to be viewed and appreciated. Throughout the exhibit I could hear others in awe of the photographs. No one in the exhibit was bored. The photographs held a person’s attention and interest. I could not leave the exhibit until I viewed every single photograph. Kennerly’s photography made the exhibit successful. His photography definitely carried the show. In my opinion, his photographs are worth viewing anywhere. His photographs are too good to be ruined by the lack of an inspiring environment. Not only did I enjoy myself, but I would also recommend that others to go enjoy themselves by viewing some extraordinary photography. Word Count: 668

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Literary Analysis Student Name

Sacramento State University Linville

English 20 ------------------------------------

Please Re-grade ---------------------------------------

I added more quotations to support my points and further edited this paper.

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NOTE: You weren’t given this essay question this semester. In the novel Station Eleven by Emily St. John Mandel (2015), we can see a change in two characters’ relationship over time. Miranda and Arthur's partnership is very complex. The two individuals meet at a time when they both are uncertain of their futures. Upon first meeting, the two become fascinated with one another. Each has their own past and ambition for their lives. The relationship between Miranda and Arthur changes in chapters 1 - 26 from admiration to indifference. Miranda and Arthur’s relationship begins when their lifestyles are very different, and each sees the other as an escape. Arthur is first interested in Miranda when he sees in her “a subtle kind of beauty that takes some time to make itself apparent” (p. 77). Miranda represents a fresh outlook on life, which Arthur needs because he is in “a state of disorientation” due to his hectic lifestyle (p. 77). Miranda reminds him of his life back home which comforts him. In addition, she gives Arthur a sense of stability in a time of uncertainty for him. Arthur also appears to be envious of Miranda's invisibility in the world (p. 78). He wants to get away from his growing fame, and she represents a sense of privacy and comfort which Arthur longs for during this time in his life. Arthur views Miranda as a way to experience what it would be like to be out of the public eye. Miranda, too, sees freedom in Arthur. After going to Arthur’s hotel room and revealing she is leaving her boyfriend Pablo, Miranda has “thoughts of freedom and imminent escape” (p. 89). Similar to Arthur, Miranda longs for an escape from her current life situation. Arthur is her pathway out of her toxic relationship. He represents security and ambition, which her relationship with Pablo lacks. This early phase marks the stage in Miranda and Arthur’s relationship where both appreciate one another. After three years of marriage, however, Miranda and Arthur’s relationship changes from admiration to disinterest. Arthur’s change of feelings toward Miranda is expressed when he writes to V that he met someone new who “has such grace, beauty ... a kind of lightness that I didn’t realize I’d been missing” (p. 157). Conversely, Miranda still yearns for an escape, this time from the LA lifestyle she doesn’t identify with. Arthur no longer needs an escape from his fame. Rather, he is looking for something else. His new love interest Elizabeth is part of Arthur’s world – she too is in the spotlight. She understands the pressures and lifestyle of the acting world. Arthur at this time in his life is comfortable with his fame and is searching for someone who shares this lifestyle. Essentially, Miranda no longer provides Arthur with what he wants out of life. Miranda realizes that Arthur’s stage personality is what intrigued her when she first met him. Earlier in their story, she thinks, “I prefer you with a crown,” a crown that he was wearing as part of a costume (p. 98). However, now that his fame has taken over her life as well, Miranda no longer sees Arthur as an escape from her reality. Miranda returns to her ongoing comic book project, Station Eleven, for an escape from unhappiness in her life. The comic book helps her cope with the new reality of Arthur’s affair. In fact, right after the big reveal scene at the dinner party,

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Miranda goes upstairs to draw in her studio. In doing so, she returns to the same escape she used during her tumultuous relationship with Pablo. “You’re always half on Station Eleven,” Pablo told her then (p. 87). Clearly Station Eleven is where she needs to be when her relationship with Arthur falls apart. Relationships require the significant other to fulfill at least some of their partner’s needs and wants. The value of relationships is especially seen during challenging times. Relationships are dynamic, constantly developing. Partnerships either grow stronger or fall apart. Sometimes, relationships are formed due to a void. When the void is filled however, partners may not want to continue the relationship as we see with Arthur and Miranda in these chapters. Word Count: 684 Reference Mandel, E. S. J. (2015). Station Eleven: A Novel. New York, NY: Vintage Books.

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Alternative Short Paper: Summary-Response of “Real World Writing”

Student Name Sacramento State University

Linville English 20

Please Re-grade ---------------------------------------

I reorganized this paper as you suggested and also further edited.

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In the 2015 article “Real World Writing: What Employers Expect,” author Professor Cynthia Linville details the importance of being able to write competently in the professional setting. Linville’s article is a review of a few national surveys along with various quotations from college graduates and employers. The conclusion of these studies is that many college graduates are unprepared for writing in the workplace. Linville explains that many college graduates believe they are prepared for on-the-job writing when they graduate, when in fact many still struggle with basic grammar, spelling, punctuation, and the like. Linville shows that lacking such basic skills in a professional environment can be detrimental to a recent graduate’s future career. Writing on-the-job is much more rigorous than writing in college; therefore, students should learn to write earlier rather than later. This is a summary-response of Linville’s article. After reading this article, it would be an understatement to say I am surprised with what I have learned. Two things that caught my attention the most were the fact that students have unrealistic expectations of their post-college opportunities and the fact that writing is a vital aspect in any professional career. At first I was confused when I read the statement about students being unrealistic with their expectations of post-grad opportunities. I have personally heard that the job market can be competitive, but I did not know that a student’s likelihood for unemployment is also linked to their unrealistic expectations. This has caused me to think that this is due to the misinformation drilled into students’ heads from a young age – that if we attend college and get a degree in a certain major, we will have many jobs waiting for us outside the door of graduation. Apparently, this is not the case. Now knowing this, I feel that teachers in middle and high school should be more realistic with their students in an effort to give those students an accurate depiction of what to expect in college and afterwards. Along with that, teachers need to reinforce the reality that writing will never stop. Many students, like myself, tend to be under the false notion that once we finish our general education requirement for reading or writing, we will never have to write rigorous pieces of work again. This false notion can be troublesome because there are students who are not serious about their writing skills and do not make an active effort to improve. This can lead to insufficient writing similar to the employees’ writing discussed in the article. I now know that writing is much more important than I once thought. I personally have tried to become clearer with my thoughts and analysis of readings – that is something employers look for, according to the text. In my future career, I hope to be promoted to higher positions within my job, and my writing skills can determine whether or not I get that promotion. This ultimately shows me that I need to continue to write more and continue to edit more, as that helps improve my skills. If I continue to write and edit more, I will be able to spot what works well and what does not work well. With that being said, I do feel as though I am a proficient writer. If I continue to write and edit, I believe that I can meet the standards of future employers in “Real World Writing.” Word Count: 568

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Reference Linville, C. (2015, April). Real World Writing: What Employers Expect. Retrieved from the California State University, Sacramento website: http://webpages.csus.edu/~sac16141/RealWorldWriting.pdf

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Brief Bio Student Name

Sacramento State University Linville

English 20 ------------------------------------

Grade: A

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Student Name was born in San Jose, California on March 29, 1999. She lived there for the first two years of her life and later moved to Elk Grove. Last Name grew up and developed a love for acting through her church’s theater company. She took this talent to her elementary school, Irene B. West. She was a part of several productions in school and in church. This passion kept growing all the way until high school where she was a part of Laguna Creek High School’s dance company and drama club. In high school, Last Name discovered another raw talent: she could argue. Because she enjoyed debating, she joined the debate club. Her 12th grade English teacher began to mentor her and help her find her purpose. She eventually came to the conclusion that she wanted to do the two things she loved the most: be seen and argue. To her, this meant becoming a lawyer. First Name graduated from high school in 2017. That Fall semester, she started her journey as a student at Sacramento State, majoring in Criminal Justice. Word Count: 182