While working on an article about the presidential election, Eleanor Cook of Kalamazoo, Michigan, was asked out for drinks and dinner by an interviewee. She declined.
From street reactions with strangers to meetings with industry professionals, Medill cherubs have had some memorable interviews. Most stories required each of the 84 summer journalists to interview at least three sources.
Cook said the man approached her.
“I work in retail, so I have a lot of experience dealing with people who make you feel very uncomfortable,” she said. “For that interview, I was trying to stick it out to get a good quote because I didn’t think there was any safety issue with it.”
Sophia Bateman of London said she had an incredible interview experience. Bateman said she introduced herself as a Northwestern journalist to a man walking his dog along Lake Michigan. He said he had been a cherub in 1967. She was talking to Rick Tulsky, a Pulitzer Prize-winning investigative reporter and co-founder of Injustice Watch, a nonprofit newsroom.
“We sat down on a bench in the park and he told me about his career, and it was just the most insane experience,” Bateman said. “It was really interesting to hear about his thoughts on the election as someone knowledgeable about news and journalism.”
Max Averbach of Allentown, Pennsylvania, said he visited the local beach looking for someone to interview following the presidential debate and found an international student.
“He went on about how he thinks Biden is going to die before the election because of how bad his debate performance was, but he still thought the Democrats were going to win,” Averbach said.
When interviewing strangers on the street and dealing with pre-interview nerves, Uma Morris of Chicago said she prefers to “just go for it.”
“I always follow the advice to count down from three and then just start the interview,” Morris said. “The worst thing that they could say is no.”
Benjamin Fogler of Needham, Massachusetts, said he interviewed a stranger at the Evanston Fourth of July Parade for almost 20 minutes. The man told him he was there because he was secretly in love with a girl.
To establish rapport and get good quotes from interviews, Fogler said letting people talk is key.
“If you leave room for silence, your interviewee will want to fill it and continue talking more,” Fogler said. “But also act like it’s a conversation. If you’re genuinely curious and want to know more about them, they’ll be more willing to talk to you.”
