Thanks for sending me a copy of your interview questions. Here are my comments:
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Eliminate questions about the Davis Scholarship. Let your interviewee bring it up (a little coaching, perhaps). Then you can ask a follow-up about the scholarship.
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Keep it simple. Let your interviewee answer open-ended questions. Limit your scripted questions to 5 or 6. You can ad lib a bit when there is an obvious opportunity.
Here are the questions I would keep from your list, but you may want to further revise:
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Where are you from?
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What drives you to pursue your education and be successful?
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What made you decide to attend WCC?
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What has your experience at WCC been like?
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What challenges in life have you overcome to get where you are today?
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What are your plans after WCC? (my addition, trying to get some life goals)
Remember that you don't want enough footage of each interview, but too much footage will be impossible to edit in the time you have.
Other groups, please feel free to post additional comments on this post.
About Kent Trickel
I have been a full time faculty member at Westchester Community College since the 2001-2002 academic year. I coordinate and teach courses in the English as a Second Language Academic Writing sequence, and I also teach Intro to Linguistics. I hold an MA in Linguistics and a BA in English Literature from the University of Florida. Before coming to WCC, I was an administrator and teacher at the University of Florida English Language Institute, where I coordinated admissions, the student visa process, and the program's databases and website.
My major academic interests are in the areas of cultural diversity, instructional technology, and distance learning. I am a member of the college's Academic Technology Committee and Center for Faculty Advisory Board, and I am a distance learning mentor for faculty teaching online courses. In addition, I serve on the Placement Committee and the Gateway Building planning committee. With all of the different "hats" that I wear at WCC, my focus is always on providing the best possible educational environment for our students. I am a firm believer in lifelong learning, as I have learned much from my colleagues and students, as well as formal courses, over the years. This program, too, has been a learning experience for me, and I expect that to continue with each new cohort.
On a personal note, I am married with a three-year-old daughter and a newborn son. I maintain a family blog at nytrickel.blogspot.com as a way for my friends and family, many of whom live across the country, to keep in touch with us. I also have Facebook and Myspace accounts, so feel free to add me to your contacts.