Shannon Ponn, Food & Drink Intern
Dining and Dancing Are This Writer’s Interests
Name: Shannon Ponn
Title: Intern, Food & Drink
What got you interested in food and drink writing? My love for unique, independent coffee shops and cafés trickled throughout Southern California. Earlier this year, I reviewed the new Cajé coffee shop on Haley Street for one of my college writing courses, and I realized I was having so much fun doing it. I took a leap of faith and pitched the article to the Independent, and it ultimately earned me this internship.
What do you do outside the office? I am a full-time student at UC Santa Barbara majoring in Communication. Aside from academics, I am the captain of the UCSB Dance Team. Dance has been a huge part of my life ever since I started at the age of 4. Our team performs hip-hop, jazz, and pom routines at various UCSB sporting events, and in the spring, we compete against other Division 1 collegiate dance teams at USA Nationals. Last year, we ranked 3rd in the nation!
Do you think you’ll stick with journalism? I plan on staying with journalism for a while. I’ve loved the opportunity to gain real-world experience and travel around the Santa Barbara area, interviewing different people and building my writing skills. I just turned 22, so I am still having fun finding out what my passions are and dabbling in different industries. Aside from journalism, I am interested in marketing, public relations, and teaching.
