{"id":237516,"date":"2026-07-16T14:50:24","date_gmt":"2026-07-17T00:50:24","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/?p=237516"},"modified":"2026-07-16T14:51:24","modified_gmt":"2026-07-17T00:51:24","slug":"budiono-builds-newsroom-career","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/2026\/07\/16\/budiono-builds-newsroom-career\/","title":{"rendered":"Reporting for duty: UH<\/abbr> alumna builds newsroom career"},"content":{"rendered":"Reading time: <\/span> 2<\/span> minutes<\/span><\/span>
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Reporter Victoria Budiono interviews House Speaker Nadine Nakamura (Photo credit: Cindy Ellen Russell)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

What is the most important trait of a journalist? It\u2019s helpful to be a strong communicator. But ask editors and newsroom leaders what professional strengths are highly valued, and the answers include tenacity, curiosity and, perhaps foremost, someone with high ethical standards who is meticulous about fact-checking.<\/p>\n

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Victoria Budiono (Photo credit: Cindy Ellen Russell)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

In May 2024, the Honolulu Star-Advertiser<\/em> found someone who fit the bill. Victoria Budiono, a UH<\/abbr> M\u0101noa double major in journalism<\/a> and psychology<\/a>, was hired as a reporter only a year after graduation. That\u2019s partly because the now 23-year-old alumna held multiple internships and freelance opportunities while enrolled at the College of Social Sciences<\/a>.<\/p>\n

“We couldn\u2019t be prouder of Victoria, or more grateful to UH<\/abbr>, for preparing one promising student after another for our annual winter and summer internships,” said Dan Nakaso, Star-Advertiser<\/em> capitol bureau chief. “Victoria quickly earned a reputation as a promising, smart, curious and respectful journalist who understood the importance of double- and triple-checking facts. Now she\u2019s a general assignment reporter covering personal tragedies, triumphs and everything in between.”<\/p>\n

Budiono grew up in Jakarta, Indonesia, and came to UH<\/abbr> M\u0101noa after working on school newsletters and magazines from elementary through high school.<\/p>\n

“I\u2019ve always loved writing, talking to people and hearing their stories,” she said. “Through reporting, I saw how these stories could bring attention to issues that often went unnoticed, especially in Indonesia, where many topics are considered taboo, and people are often taught not to air their ‘dirty laundry.’”<\/p>\n

Her passion for journalism grew throughout her three years at UH<\/abbr> M\u0101noa and beyond through multiple learning experiences at news organizations and a nonprofit, including:<\/p>\n