Dear prospective employer,
I was 10 years old when my house burned down on Thanksgiving Day.
I relived the memory a few days later, when the next print addition of my hometown newspaper plastered its charred ruin across the front page.
I remember reading the article as I lay across the bed of the dirty roach motel that was my temporary home. I was both fascinated and embarrassed by the fleeting spectacle my life had become and irritated at the details the story had gotten wrong.
Before, news had been an abstract thing to me. But in that moment, when I was the subject, it finally became real in my young mind. I’ve been captivated by it ever since.
As someone who had journalism done to me at a young age, I consider myself lucky to have had that frame of reference throughout my career. It’s allowed me to never take for granted the power that we journalists hold over other’s lives. I’m committed to getting things right, not just for my own reputation, but because I know what it’s like to be on the other side. Perhaps a part of me has always wanted to do justice to that little girl who felt so lost in that moment all those years ago.
I received my bachelor's degree from the University of Missouri School of Journalism in December 2016, with an emphasis in print and digital news. On the Columbia Missourian daily newspaper’s public life beat, I covered local politics and public policy, learning how to find and maintain sources and cut through bureaucratic jargon to make my stories accessible to the average reader. I've also written for the MU College of Engineering's communications office, learning how to interview engineers and scientists and translating complex scientific concepts into accessible explanations.
I served as assistant city editor at the Columbia Missourian, which gave me invaluable knowledge about how a newsroom operates. I juggled numerous tasks in this position, including scanning for news, assigning stories, mentoring beginning reporters and editing articles using BLOX CMS software.
My personal and professional experiences have spurred me to fulfill the high standards I’ve set for myself. I’m ready for the opportunity to further build my experience so that I may continue to be a servant to the public.
I was 10 years old when my house burned down on Thanksgiving Day.
I relived the memory a few days later, when the next print addition of my hometown newspaper plastered its charred ruin across the front page.
I remember reading the article as I lay across the bed of the dirty roach motel that was my temporary home. I was both fascinated and embarrassed by the fleeting spectacle my life had become and irritated at the details the story had gotten wrong.
Before, news had been an abstract thing to me. But in that moment, when I was the subject, it finally became real in my young mind. I’ve been captivated by it ever since.
As someone who had journalism done to me at a young age, I consider myself lucky to have had that frame of reference throughout my career. It’s allowed me to never take for granted the power that we journalists hold over other’s lives. I’m committed to getting things right, not just for my own reputation, but because I know what it’s like to be on the other side. Perhaps a part of me has always wanted to do justice to that little girl who felt so lost in that moment all those years ago.
I received my bachelor's degree from the University of Missouri School of Journalism in December 2016, with an emphasis in print and digital news. On the Columbia Missourian daily newspaper’s public life beat, I covered local politics and public policy, learning how to find and maintain sources and cut through bureaucratic jargon to make my stories accessible to the average reader. I've also written for the MU College of Engineering's communications office, learning how to interview engineers and scientists and translating complex scientific concepts into accessible explanations.
I served as assistant city editor at the Columbia Missourian, which gave me invaluable knowledge about how a newsroom operates. I juggled numerous tasks in this position, including scanning for news, assigning stories, mentoring beginning reporters and editing articles using BLOX CMS software.
My personal and professional experiences have spurred me to fulfill the high standards I’ve set for myself. I’m ready for the opportunity to further build my experience so that I may continue to be a servant to the public.