How many people do you walk past on campus everyday whose stories you don’t know? I decided to interview some of these people to show how important it is to learn people’s stories. Each of the individuals I got to interview are people who bring joy and kindness to our campus daily.
Jollyfisher Ekpe, Class of 2024
Photo courtesy of Jollyfisher Ekpe
Where are you from, and how does that affect who you are?
“My name is Jollyfisher Ekpe, and I’m a junior! I’m an acting major with a screenwriting and a psychology double minor. I am from the East Coast, Pennsylvania. We have all the seasons, and I feel like I’ve experienced a lot of nature — I focus on the nature part of it because I do photography. I have experienced dry seasons, cold seasons and warm seasons, and I think that’s just been pretty cool to learn how to adapt to life in it. This has allowed me to experience life in different iterations and learn how to adapt to situations.”
What or who brings the most meaning to your life?
“I’ve been fond of specific artists. I’ve recently been exploring a lot of new genres, specifically King’s Kaleidoscope. I think their story is amazing; everything they do with their album musically and how it revolves around Christ is such an inspiration. I think that specifically [about] artists that are open and honest about their story, that don’t shy away from nitty-gritty details.
I listen to podcasts a lot. Podcast people are now not sugarcoating Christianity. I think those people are just inspiring me every single time I listen to them, just in how they are honest and try not to create a perfect version of Christianity to share.”
What would you say your favorite part about yourself is?
“I honestly love how I’m willing to try again even when I fail.”
What would you say your biggest dream is in life?
“My biggest dream is to reach people, primarily to fulfill the purpose that God has created me for. I hope to be able to reach people through my craft while pursuing that purpose.”
What season would you say you’re in right now?
“A season of relearning — like breaking down Christianity, [the] practice of it, [the] religion of it and the practice of the relationship in it. ‘Going back to the basics,’ I guess I would title it. It’s just a season going back to the basics and starting fresh and treating every day like the first day. I am focusing on why I’m doing the things that I’m doing.”
Juan Vilchez, Class of 2023
Photo courtesy of Jack Fitzpatrick
Where are you from, and how does that affect who you are?
“My name is Juan Vilchez. I am a senior, and I am a journalism major. I’m from Memphis, Tennessee, and I guess that being here in California is a different environment. What changes about me is that I am open-minded and hospitable to other people.”
Who or what brings you the most meaning in life?
“I think of Jesus Christ. He is the one that I can look up to in any circumstance. He is my savior; I admire him a lot. Just the way that He has been good to me and not just to me, but to others as well.”
What’s your favorite part about yourself?
“My favorite part about myself is that I’m reserved. I am cautious about what I am going to say. I think about the stuff that I’m going to say before I speak it out. I do my due diligence and then speak.”
What is your biggest dream in life?
“My biggest dream in life is to become a news anchor at a well-known, prestigious news outlet.”
What season would you say that you’re in?
“I am stressed out a bit — I mean, that’s normal. But I guess I am in a season of doing a lot of schoolwork.”
Ethan Martos, Class of 2023
Photo courtesy of Jack Fitzpatrick
Where are you from, and how does that affect who you are?
“My name is Ethan Martos. I am a senior, and my major is public relations. I’m from Hawaii, and I’ve always said this since I got to school, but Hawaii is a melting pot of different cultures. So it affects who I am because I don’t necessarily see differences in other people, and that’s a good thing but also a barrier because differences are significant.”
What or who brings you the most meaning in life right now?
“Being creative and just producing things brings the most meaning because I kind of have to be doing something all the time. Yeah, for me to feel useful and for me to feel like I’m doing something.”
What’s your favorite part about yourself?
“I think the fact that I am very open and I’m very approachable is my favorite part. Within the last few years, I’ve kind of honed in on that and became more likable socially, but I’m still the same kind of open and available person.”
What’s your biggest dream in life?
“My biggest dream in life is to be able to do things that I find fun without having to worry about anything. Whether that be financially or career-wise, I just want to be able to do stuff that I enjoy without having to worry about a job or if I have enough money for this.
What season would you say you’re in right now?
“I would say in a season of building. It’s like building a portfolio — building a network. I’ve been going to a lot of small shows in LA and making friends and getting invited out to other shows where I don’t necessarily have to pay, and I’m getting invited in for free. So I’m building and some of that building is becoming fruitful. Like, even when I get out of school, I’ll still be building, especially with things like, oh, a new job and internship and whatever I plan to do.”