For the past seven years, I have worked for my local newspaper, the Times News. I started as a stringer by freshman year of high school and have since worked my way up to covering borough council and other local government meetings. Last summer, I also interned at the Bethlehem Press, a weekly publication in the Lehigh Valley, where I wrote feature articles, copy edited, took photographs and laid out pages. I continue to work for both these publications when I am home for break and am always eager to get right back into my reporting duties.
I have always been fascinated with writing. In fifth grade, I started my own publication and enlisted the help of fellow classmates to write articles. That publication continued until junior high school, when I merged with the high school’s publication.
Now, I am a member of Penn State University’s student publication, the Daily Collegian. I have covered both campus and local township news and have since moved to the copy desk where I work with page layout, design and editing.
I take my writing very seriously and am always looking for new and interesting stories to write. I feel this is an invaluable skill to have in the journalism field, since newspapers and other print publications must produce the best quality materials in order to compete with television markets.
Aside from writing, I also enjoy reading Newsweek magazine and USA Today. Reading local newspapers is also a focus of mine, as I feel it is important for all people to be knowledgeable of what is going on in their own communities. Additionally, I enjoy working with digital media, creating video and web projects for classes and in my free time.
JOURNALISTIC TIMELINE
1997- First issue of the BBT Newsletter is published; publication continues until 2000 with monthly issues
2000-2001- Raider Times (Junior High School newspaper) editor-in-chief
2001- began work as a correspondent for the TIMES NEWS
2001-2004 Blue and White (High School) newspaper writer
2004-2005- Blue and White Newspaper editor-in-chief, Photo Editor and writer
April- May 2005- Named Pa. high school journalist of the year runner-up; also attended Freedom Forum Free Spirit of the Year Conference in Washington D.C.
May- August 2006- Times News intern; TV-13 Cable News intern
January 2007- became a Daily Collegian staff writer
May- August 2007- Bethlehem Press intern; Times News intern
August- December 2007- Education news writer for the Daily Collegian
January-May 2008- State news writer for the Daily Collegian
July 2008- May 2009- Copy desk editor for the Daily Collegian
May - July 2009- International news intern at the China Daily newspaper in Beijing, China.