Communications Advisor to the Mayor of Alytus, former TV3 journalist / Journalism
Why did you decide to study at the Faculty of Communication?
For as long as I can remember, I have always dreamed of being a journalist. From 5th grade I attended courses for young journalists, and already in gymnasium I started to earn money from it - I wrote articles for the local newspaper "Alytus naujienos". I liked to learn a lot of things first, to meet interesting and courageous people, to think about things in different ways. Studying journalism at Vilnius University was my only choice.
What was the most memorable aspect of your studies?
The aura of the university. I was fascinated by the university's encouragement not to go beyond the surface. I remembered the personalities of the lecturers: r.i.e.p. Romas Sakadolskis, Rolandas Barysas, Gintaras Deksnys, Margarita Matulytė, Deimantas Jastramskis, Jolanta Mažylė, Andrius Vaišnys, who, by the way, many students were afraid of, but I liked because he demanded not to be a jerk, but rather to think broader, deeper.
I started working in the media during my studies. I also remember my studies as a constant run: lectures, filming interviews, seminars, filming, passing the exam and then running back to work. It was very hardening.
How did the knowledge you gained at the Faculty of Communication at Vilnius University help you in your work?
The University is not a forge for crafts like vocational schools. I came from school to the university with a different view of the world. The people I met here broke down those walls and broadened my field of vision. I learned to look at things critically. There is no one right answer. Just as there is no one right truth.
What does your working day look like?
I worked as a reporter for TV3 News for quite a long time. I have the best memories, although there was a lot of tension due to the nature of the work. Then my family and I decided to move back to our hometown Alytus. Now I work for the team of the Mayor of Alytus, Nerijus Cesiulis. I am the mayor's advisor, taking care of his communication.
It's hard to describe what a working day looks like. A month ago, there was a big fire at the Alytus tyre recycling plant. That's when I started working. It was hot. And only now the work is starting to get some rhythm. Lots of new questions, topics, local problems.
What skills and personal qualities are most important in your work?
You have to do the best you can in a limited and short time. This kind of challenge is my daily bread - so you have to be flexible, fast, sharp and, of course, creative. Otherwise it's just not interesting.
You can't know everything, but you have to know who to ask, find reliable sources. And you always have to check information. Make it so that everyone understands it. Anyone who has worked with me knows that I am a pedantic person. I have to do it meticulously well, otherwise it's just conscience-biting.
What kind of people would you recommend a journalism degree programme to?
They say if you can't sing, don't sing. It's probably the same with journalism. If you come to do it for the sake of it, you'd better not do it at all. But if you see a purpose in it, then congratulations - you are where you need to be.