My interests have always varied throughout the years; however, there are a couple of things that I always seem to come back to: writing and photography. As college approached, though, I decided to major in psychology in hopes of becoming a clinical therapist. I knew I wanted to do something that would benefit others, as well as be rewarding to myself. Although this mindset remained throughout my college years, my original major did not. I changed my mind countless times, as many college students do. I considered social work, education, and political science, until I finally decided on Humanities with an emphasis in Peace and Conflict Studies and a minor in Journalism.

 

This major encompasses many important topics including –– but not limited to ––structural violence, systematic racism, genocide and migration. I gained many valuable skills and knowledge through Peace and Conflict studies that I have been able to incorporate into my work as a journalist. I have learned how to think critically when navigating through news and media. I have written countless stories and essays about prevalent local and global issues. I have learned the importance of empathizing with people who are typically viewed as the "other," or whose stories have been excluded from the dominant narrative.

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I have worked on numerous projects in the past few years –– some of which include a Gender Relations Literacy curriculum that was used by sex education volunteers working for Kansas to Kenya in 2016-17. The course is meant to motivate youth to think critically about gender and sex norms and to prevent instances of sexual violence in the future. I have also worked alongside others in creating a social justice campaign for environmental migrants and vulnerable communities largely affected by climate change. Additionally, I received a Certificate of Excellence Award for my work regarding the European Migrant Crisis while studying abroad in Italy during Winter 2019. 

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While at KU, I worked as a news reporter for the University Daily Kansan. I created and pitched four story ideas each week, wrote at least one story per week, facilitated interviews and conducted thorough research for given articles. Additionally, I learned how to work in a professional newsroom setting, effectively meet deadlines, and think of compelling, newsworthy story topics within a limited amount of time.

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As a journalist, I strive to be inclusive, educational, and honest. I enjoy writing about important global issues in order to spread awareness and motivate people to get involved in areas that may otherwise seem out of reach to them. Most importantly, I would like to use my platform to tell the stories of individuals and communities who may not have one, provoke meaningful dialogue, and produce change.