This week, we’d like to introduce you to one of our interns, Emily Vesper. You’ve probably seen her name popping up in our pages or on our website as she covers stories from our newsroom. Vesper has been reporting since December when she returned home to Santa Barbara from Brown University where she was editor of campus paper The College Hill Independent.
When did you start interning at the Independent? What made you interested in joining our team?
I started interning at the Independent in December. I’ve been reading the Independent since I was a kid. When I worked at a restaurant on the waterfront, I’d even read the entire legal section at the hostess stand during slow shifts. I value the work the Independent does for this community so much, so when I moved back to Santa Barbara, it was a no-brainer for me to apply to join the team.
Have you always had an interest in journalism?
I’ve always loved reading and writing, but I didn’t give a career in journalism much thought until I joined my university’s alternative newspaper (shoutout to The College Hill Independent!). I was initially interested in writing essays and criticism, but I fell in love with the paper’s Metro section. In my senior year, I became managing editor, and getting to put the paper together with my incredible team was one of the most fulfilling things I’ve done in my life. In addition to simply enjoying the work of reporting and writing, I realized how much I value working in a community of people who care about language and the written word, and are deeply attuned to the community they live in. So that’s what brought me to journalism.
What has been your favorite story to work on so far? What is your favorite part of getting a story together?
I’m proud of my story about the donation the Santa Barbara District Attorney’s office made to a family in need. The whole thing was set in motion by an online shopping mix up nearly a decade ago. I was struck by the way that something as small and random as receiving the wrong blanket could end up impacting someone’s life in a meaningful way, and it was moving to see people in our community care so much about helping a total stranger.
I’ve really enjoyed interviewing people, especially in person. People like to call Santa Barbara a small town. It isn’t, but I understand the feeling. But in the process of reporting, I keep going to places I wouldn’t have otherwise gone, speaking to people I wouldn’t have otherwise met, and I’m reminded of how many parts of Santa Barbara I have yet to experience. Interning at the Independent has given me a new lens on my hometown, which is such a cool experience.
Where did you go to school? Are you from Santa Barbara originally?
I’m from Santa Barbara. I spent the last few years in Providence attending Brown University, and I just moved back to California a few months ago. New England is awesome and I miss it, but I’m happy to be home. I have a new appreciation for 70-degree January beach days.
What are some of your favorite things to do here in Santa Barbara? Any hobbies or favorite places you like to go to?
I love spending time outside, and I feel blessed to live in a place with such abundant access to nature. More Mesa and Rock Garden are two of my favorite spots. I’m an avid reader, so I’m at the library often. I like going out with friends and playing pool (badly). I’m also a violist, and I actually just joined a community orchestra this week.
