Confident and Career Ready with Asha

Transcript

Growing up, I was pretty shy, except when I was making music and using my voice. I loved volunteering to read aloud in class, performing in recitals, singing in school plays, and pretending to be a news anchor. As a student at the University of the District of Columbia, I was able to find my place at the intersection of music and digital media, and to turn my childhood passions into an exciting career path right here at the district’s only public university, and a proud HBCU.

I started my journey as a music performance major, where I developed my voice and confidence with the support of faculty who truly invested in me. But after a vocal cord injury temporarily impacted my ability to sing, I had to rethink everything. I switched my major to digital media, focusing on broadcast and multimedia journalism, and that pivot changed my perspective.

I gained hands-on experience as a host, interviewer, and camera operator, and since graduating, I interned at legendary local DC radio station WHUR 96.3 FM, home of the Quiet Storm, and worked as a board operator. Once my voice recovered, I didn’t have to choose just one path. I stayed connected to the music program while continuing in digital media.

It really was the best of both worlds. That combination led to opportunities like the John Lennon Educational Tour Bus, where classmates and I collaborated to write and direct an original song and music video. I also still perform with the UDC Chorale, and I’m currently helping to produce a documentary tied to our first studio album.

At UDC, professors and advisors become mentors who continue to support you long after graduating, and that encouragement helped to give me the confidence that I need to step into my career and to create my own lane as a vocalist, musician, and multimedia producer.