In today’s episode, we’re joined by Tavleen Tarrant, a newsgathering reporter from NBC news. Tarrant will discuss her role as a newsgathering journalist, and her experiences working on various recent breaking news.

Referenced work：
Allies Welcome: https://www.docnyc.net/film/shorts-doc-nyc-u-portraits/allies-welcome/
ICE agents blocked from Ecuadorian consulate: https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/immigration/ice-agent-blocked-ecuador-consulate-minneapolis-trump-immigration-rcna256284
Grandma’s refugee journey: https://www.aljazeera.com/amp/features/2021/2/14/from-pakistan-to-india-tracing-my-grandmothers-refugee-journey

‼️New segment alert - Rapid Fire Questions starts now 19:15

Interviewer: Zhuoya Ma
Guest: Tavleen Tarrant
Camera:Danny Liu
Edit: Danny Liu/Zhuoya Ma
Producer: ZJ Yang

YOUTUBE CHAPTERS:
00:00 start
00:15 beginning
00:59 influence of living in different countries
02:14 the inspiration of being a journalist
04:24 documentary - Allies Welcome
06:35 the difficulties of making a documentary
08:27 freelancing vs full-time employed
10:12 the duty as a newsgathering reporter at NBC News
12:39 breaking news
14:00 accuracy in the newsroom
14:42 latest article - ICE in Minneapolis
17:58 journalist's duty and external pressure
19:15 rapid fire questions
23:38 monologue
26:32 ending

💡 About Postgrads:
Postgrads is a video podcast founded by Zhuoya Ma and Danny Liu, spotlighting Columbia Journalism School graduates carving their path after graduation. Each conversation dives deep into career choices, creative pivots, and the reality of building a meaningful life in media.

📬 Want to be featured or collaborate? Email us at zhuoyama79@gmail.com

In today’s episode, we’re joined by Arshi Qureshi, a freelance journalist based in New York City who reports on politics, online extremism, crime and justice, and various other topics. Qureshi will discuss the process of fact checking, the difficulties she ran into while working in India, and abuses in jail system, H-1B policies, and other issues.

referenced work：
401(k) funding ICE detention center: https://breakthroughnews.org/your-retirement-account-could-be-contributing-to-over-1-billion-invested-in-ice-detention/
Abuse in Allegheny County Jail: https://www.publicsource.org/allegheny-county-jail-sergeant-lawsuits-allege-abuse/
New H-1B policy: https://breakthroughnews.org/billionaires-funding-h-1b-backlash-anti-south-asian-racism-immigration/

Interviewer: Danny Liu
Guest: Arshi Qureshi
Camera: Zhuoya Ma
Edit: Danny Liu/Zhuoya Ma
Producer: ZJ Yang

YOUTUBE CHAPTERS:
00:00 start
00:23 intro
01:00 necessary technique for investigative journalist
05:35 daily schedule
07:02 the difficulties of an Indian muslim female journalist
10:57 master's project - the abuse of a U.S. jail sergeant
15:40 workpiece - H1B work visa
18:25 the prejudice of U.S. pop culture towards Southasian
20:37 monologue
21:23 ending

💡 About Postgrads:
Postgrads is a video podcast founded by Zhuoya Ma and Danny Liu, spotlighting Columbia Journalism School graduates carving their path after graduation. Each conversation dives deep into career choices, creative pivots, and the reality of building a meaningful life in media.

📬 Want to be featured or collaborate? Email us at zhuoyama79@gmail.com

In today's episode, we're joined by Tandy Lau, a public safety reporter for New York City Amsterdam News. Lau will discuss recent public safety stories in New York City, as well as how journalists can effectively address systemic racism in their stories.

Referenced works:

Oversentencing: https://amsterdamnews.com/news/2025/12/11/judge-decides-on-resentencing-for-bronx-father-andre-brown/
Chinatown jail: https://amsterdamnews.com/news/2024/08/15/will-chinatowns-borough-based-jail-save-lives-or-destroy-them/
Black and Asian relationships: https://wordinblack.com/2023/05/false-narratives-how-social-media-divides-asian-and-black-communities/

Interviewer: Danny Liu
Guest: Tandy Lau
Camera: Zhuoya Ma
Edit: Danny Liu/Zhuoya Ma
Producer: ZJ Yang

💡 About Postgrads:
Postgrads is a video podcast founded by Zhuoya Ma and Danny Liu, spotlighting Columbia Journalism School graduates carving their path after graduation. Each conversation dives deep into career choices, creative pivots, and the reality of building a meaningful life in media.

📬 Want to be featured or collaborate? Email us at zhuoyama79@gmail.com

In today's episode, we're joined by Anna Oakes, a multimedia freelance journalist focusing on immigration. Oakes will share with us her experience reporting on the student protest in Columbia University and immigrant issues, as well as the ethics and nuances of romantic chatbots.

Interviewer: Zijie Yang
Guest: Anna Oakes
Camera: Danny Liu
Edit: Danny Liu/Zhuoya Ma
Producer: Zhuoya Ma

Referenced works:
Bot Love - https://radiotopiapresents.fm/bot-love
Feels Like Home - https://www.feelslikehomefilm.org/
Undue Process - https://theintercept.com/2025/05/10/columbia-library-gaza-protests-students-suspended/

💡 About Postgrads:
Postgrads is a video podcast founded by Zhuoya Ma and Danny Liu, spotlighting Columbia Journalism School graduates carving their path after graduation. Each conversation dives deep into career choices, creative pivots, and the reality of building a meaningful life in media.

📬 Want to be featured or collaborate? Email us at zhuoyama79@gmail.com

#postgrads #columbiajournalismschool #multimedia #podcast #aichatbot

In today's episode, we're joined by Vidhi Choudhary, a full-time business reporter at Morning Brew and Modern Retail. Choudhary will share with us her experiences working in both India and the United States, as well as her opinions on topics such as e-commerce and AI.

Interviewer: Zijie Yang
Guest: Vidhi Choudhary
Camera: Danny Liu
Edit: Danny Liu/Zhuoya Ma
Producer: Zhuoya Ma

💡 About Postgrads:
Postgrads is a video podcast founded by Zhuoya Ma and Danny Liu, spotlighting Columbia Journalism School graduates carving their path after graduation. Each conversation dives deep into career choices, creative pivots, and the reality of building a meaningful life in media.

📬 Want to be featured or collaborate? Email us at zhuoyama79@gmail.com

#postgrads #ai #businessreport #morningbrew #retail

In today’s episode, we’re joined by Claudia Gohn, co-founder of Grassroots magazine NYC and an adjunct assistant professor of Columbia Journalism School. Gohn will share with us her responsibility as a student journalist during the Columbia University encampments as well as her experience reporting on social movements and activism.

Interviewer: Danny Liu
Guest: Claudia Gohn
Camera: Zhuoya Ma
Edit: Danny Liu/Zhuoya Ma
Producer: ZJ Yang

💡 About Postgrads:
Postgrads is a video podcast founded by Zhuoya Ma and Danny Liu, spotlighting Columbia Journalism School graduates carving their path after graduation. Each conversation dives deep into career choices, creative pivots, and the reality of building a meaningful life in media.

📬 Want to be featured or collaborate? Email us at zhuoyama79@gmail.com

#Postgrads #ColumbiaJournalismSchool #CareerAfterCollege #Journalism #MediaCareers #PostgradsLife

In today’s episode, we’re joined by Flora Warshaw, an audio producer for SpyCast in Washington, D.C., and formerly an audio producer at Marketplace by APM. Flora will share how she discovered her true passion for audio production, her job-hunting strategies, and what it’s really like working in the audio industry after graduation.

Interviewer: Zhuoya Ma
Guest: Flora Warshaw
Camera: Danny Liu
Edit: Danny Liu/Zhuoya Ma
Producer: ZJ Yang

💡 About Postgrads:
Postgrads is a video podcast founded by Zhuoya Ma and Danny Liu, spotlighting Columbia Journalism School graduates carving their path after graduation. Each conversation dives deep into career choices, creative pivots, and the reality of building a meaningful life in media.

📬 Want to be featured or collaborate? Email us at zhuoyama79@gmail.com

#Postgrads #ColumbiaJournalismSchool #CareerAfterCollege #Journalism #MediaCareers #PostgradsLife

In today’s episode, we invited Alex Fang, who transformed from an economic reporter to a taxation lawyer. She will bring us through her academic journey — from her undergrad at Fudan, to her Master’s at Columbia Journalism School, to her Juris Doctor at Harvard Law School. Now, as a lawyer, as well as a translator and a poet, Alex will also share with us her contemplation of the present and the future.

Interviewer: Zhuoya Ma
Guest: Alex Fang
Camera: Danny Liu
Edit: Danny Liu
Producer: ZJ Yang

💡 About Postgrads:
Postgrads is a video podcast founded by Zhuoya Ma and Danny Liu, spotlighting Columbia Journalism School graduates carving their path after graduation. Each conversation dives deep into career choices, creative pivots, and the reality of building a meaningful life in media.

📬 Want to be featured or collaborate? Email us at zhuoyama79@gmail.com

#Postgrads #ColumbiaJournalismSchool #CareerAfterCollege #Journalism #MediaCareers #PostgradsLife

Content Warning: Rape, Sexual Assault 9:51-11:50

In this episode, we invited the editor of New Lines Magazine, Surbhi Gupta. Surbhi's articles focus on South Asian arts & cultures. In this episode, Surbhi will share with us her experiences working both in India and the United States, as well as the stories behind some of the articles she has written in the past.

Interviewer:Danny Liu
Guest: Surbhi Gupta
Camera: Zhuoya Ma
Edit: Danny Liu
Producer: ZJ Yang

💡 About Postgrads:
Postgrads is a video podcast founded by Zhuoya Ma and Danny Liu, spotlighting Columbia Journalism School graduates carving their path after graduation. Each conversation dives deep into career choices, creative pivots, and the reality of building a meaningful life in media.

📬 Want to be featured or collaborate? Email us at zhuoyama79@gmail.com

#Postgrads #ColumbiaJournalismSchool #CareerAfterCollege #Journalism #MediaCareers #PostgradsLife

In this episode, we invited freelance writer Madeline Reilly, whose articles focus on the competitive job market within the context of Generation Z. Madeline will share her experiences studying at Columbia University, how she discovered her niche within the industry, and her unique perspective on the journalism field.

Interviewer:Danny Liu
Guest: Madeline Reilly
Camera: Zhuoya Ma
Edit: Danny Liu
Producer: ZJ Yang

💡 About Postgrads:
Postgrads is a video podcast founded by Zhuoya Ma and Danny Liu, spotlighting Columbia Journalism School graduates carving their path after graduation. Each conversation dives deep into career choices, creative pivots, and the reality of building a meaningful life in media.

📬 Want to be featured or collaborate? Email us at zhuoyama79@gmail.com

#Postgrads #ColumbiaJournalismSchool #CareerAfterCollege #Journalism #MediaCareers #PostgradsLife

In this episode, we talked with Olivia Empson, a freelance journalist whose works have been featured in The Guardians, Vanity Fair, Reuters, and many more. Olivia shared her journey from Columbia Journalism School to full-time freelance journalist, from how she’s built her career, to what she learned about finding her voice after graduation.

Interviewer: Zhuoya Ma
Guest: Olivia Empson
Camera: Danny Liu
Edit: Danny Liu
Producer: ZJ Yang

💡 About Postgrads:
Postgrads is a video podcast founded by Zhuoya Ma and Danny Liu, spotlighting Columbia Journalism School graduates carving their path after graduation. Each conversation dives deep into career choices, creative pivots, and the reality of building a meaningful life in media.

📬 Want to be featured or collaborate? Email us at zhuoyama79@gmail.com

#Postgrads #ColumbiaJournalismSchool #CareerAfterCollege #Journalism #MediaCareers #PostgradsLife