Winter 2016 Works

Throughout my time at the University of Denver as a Strategic Communications and Economics major, I’ve been able to explore a variety of interests, investigate the happenings on and around campus and hone my media skills. From the winter of 2016, here are my best and favorite works, in order of my devotion to them.

Profile Story: What Happens When You Zen Out

While writing a profile story on Michelle Savage, a yoga instructor at Corepower Yoga, I was able to do more of an in-depth interview than I had before; I really got to know this girl. Interviewing, researching, planning and writing this piece was my favorite and most-prized project so far. This kind of reaching-for-the-depths of people, places, events, is what made me want to get into this field of work.

 

Event Story: Undergraduate Student Government & The Political Culture Of DU

I’m not usually a politics person, but with the current US Presidential election coming up, there is almost no way to avoid the constant drama and so, when assigned a campus Event Coverage story, I contacted an acquaintance in USG, went to a meeting, leaving feeling enlightened and empowered. I was able explore, through this article, the power and agency DU students were fighting for and utilizing, opening my eyes to my own agency, as a journalist. Illuminating me to the faculty people have, just by speaking, or writing, covering this event reaffirmed my passion for the media industry and reminded me of the importance of media’s presence.

 

Localized National Story: Chipotle: Extra Guac, Hold the E.coli

Like the true Denver-loving foodie I am, when assigned an article that attempts to localize a national story, my first thought was Chipotle. The burrito bank had been on the news for months with widespread E.coli outbreaks in its restaurant. My Local-National Story happened to land right as Chipotle closed all restaurants for employee training and the disaster that came from their attempts to reconcile their last six months with customers by sending out free burrito coupons. In trying to emanate Spotlight, I spent a couple minutes every afternoon for three weeks at Chipotle trying to get a comment from the original store’s employees. This was truly a foundation-building writing experience for me in that it showed me how to investigate, interview, remain unbiased and write this story so that the national news behind it was made particular to the Denver area.

 

#DUstories: Denver, Dining & Diversity: Tweeting Across Campus

On a scavenger hunt around the 303, the lives and experiences of myself and other DU Pioneers were documented in their natural environment, as they see their lives. These lives and experiences were tweeted, providing a platform for other college students and those dedicated to news and reporting. By profiling the University of Denver’s campus and the lives interacted with around campus, our #DUstories  were recorded.

 

Twitter Story: Hashtags, Hard News & Headlines: Twitter’s Place in Everyday Life

Interviewing students and professionals in the media industry on their thoughts on how Twitter interacts in the lives of real people. My Twitter Story provides illuminating insights on how college students are using and interacting on Twitter and the ways that changes when transitioning into professional life.

 

Mini Portfolio: #DUReporters Blog Posts 1-4:

1. #DUreporters: Innovation, Immigration, Imprisonment: Tweeting Across the Globe

Now, on a mission to experience lives around the world, I spent two weeks scouring the news, tweeting any stories I found interesting. Investigating and exploring these news stories further, I profiled the articles in the context that the current world order calls for. As a #DUreporter, my first #DUreporters #1 blog documents how I have learned and grown as a reporter, writer and investigator.

 

2.#DUreporters: Senator Sanders, Snow & Other Stuff: News Near & Far

Having published my #DUreporters #2 blog, more tweets on local to international news stories were accounted for. Now, more developments on the presidential election are flowing in, local news surrounding severe weather and more basic news stories are covered in this blog. Blogging in this way, recovering and re-sharing news articles, highlights the way that news mediums are, in some ways, responsible for interacting with and communicating with one another.

 

3. From the Superbowl to Science: Getting in the Know on Twitter News

Writing #DUreporters #3 further developed my skills in writing informative, unbiased and interesting commentary on popular news stories. Covering Manning’s Superbowl win for the Denver Broncos just as allegations of his sexual assault resurfaced, archaeological astonishments, the ways that economic success in lifestyle superiority are being linked to lifespan, and Columbine killer, Dylan Klebold’s mother’s memoir release, this week’s news transitioned over a wide array of topics. Diversifying my ability to cover all types of news in this week further developed my skills in news-writing and reporting.

 

4. #DUreporters: Protecting Privacy, Punishing Politicians & Pocketing Prosperity: News Never Ends

For my final #DUreporters #4 blog posting, I covered the ongoing war between the FBI and Apple over privacy rights, the sentencing of Ex-Sen. Leland Yee, convicted of corruption in California, Denver’s dominance in the housing market and the success of Chris Rock and Spotlight at this year’s Oscars. Moreover, the win for journalism by Spotlight at the Oscars concretely summarizes this ten week writing extravaganza and all the growth within journalism I’ve accomplished.