

Professional Goals
"Leave no stone unturned" is a favorite saying of mine, as my ambitious drive leads me to all corners of Eastern Tennessee. As an early-career multimedia journalist, I have developed a strong versatility with news writing, features writing, sports photography, videography and editing. I am not afraid to ask uncomfortable questions to get the story. Moreover, my defining trait-- unsatiable curiosity-- uniquely suits my passion for storytelling.
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Experienced in newsroom practice and field reportage, my next goal is to seek employment at a mid-sized newspaper. For my long-term career, I am committed to earning a spot among the industry's best at the LA Times, Washington Post or New York Times.
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As an optimistic person, I know how to engage with people from diverse backgrounds, and I never forget my beginnings as the son of a factory employee and special education teacher. When not writing stories, I'm reading the news, practicing photojournalism or schooling opponents in an occasional video game. And, if I can work it into conversation, I always remind people to stay true to themselves.
Academic Highlights


TV News Production
As a scholar of communication, rhetoric and criminal justice, it's important for me to incorporate the theories, insights and ideals behind each discipline into my personal and professional life.

Photojournalism I & II
I studied under the legendary photojournalist William "Billy" Weeks, whose awards and career span decades.

Rising Rock
As a junior, I won two national awards in this experimental, invite-only senior capstone class that mirrored real-world publishing.

Feature Writing
Veteran newspaper columnist Mark Kennedy taught advanced writing techniques based off Jon Franklin's 1986 book, Writing for Story.

Advanced Reporting
Broadcast news guru Mike Andrews taught social media integration in this advanced-level course.

Mass Comm Perspectives
This course taught valuable theories, encouraged critical thinking and contributed to my understanding of mass media effects.
Publication Design
I learned the foundational principles in design from Robin Williams' The Non-Designer's Design Book.

Media and Diversity
Members of the media have powerful responsibilities in ensuring equitable and fair content and work environments.
From writing scripts, building packages and anchoring, I gained valuable experience in broadcast news style.

Comm Law and Ethics
Copyright, defamation, regulations and court access all affect the day-to-day lives of today's journalism professionals.

Rhetoric and Professional Writing

Writing for Social Change
Learning about the interconnected nature of housing, food scacity and crime helps us develop solutions with city-wide impacts.

Digital Cultures
How humans interact with each other, shape their identities and develop arguments online is a heuristic field researchers are still unraveling.
Humor, Parody, Satire
Comedy often reflects contemporary social issues, and understanding its power to amplify and diminsh voices is a vital step in understanding modern rhetorical trends.
Criminal Justice Studies

Media & the Criminal Justice System
Because of the mass media's influential framing, gatekeeping and other powers, its important to understand how media creates and alters crime myths.

Criminology
For as long as crime has occured, scholars have set out theories to explain it. Regardless of their accuracy, theories explaining crime have and will continue to shape modern crime control measures.

Family Law
The creation and dissolution of families heavily impacts American families, regardless of class, culture or fame. Divorce, custody and alimony shape the lives of millions of people, and understanding how those processes work helps us console others, even in dire times.
General Education Highlights

Public Speaking
Impromptu, arguementative and informational speaking shapes how we understand and interpret information, and in turn, guides our actions and beliefs in a democratic republic.

Intro to Film
Learning the principles behind good narratives, special effects and camerawork helps immerse audiences into experiences they enjoy.

Calculus for Social Sciences
Forecasting trends, sales and supplies off limited data is an underrated but vital componet of healthcare, businesses and dozens of other industries.
Informal Learning
I've joined the growing number of students whose learning does not start nor stop at their involvement in an institution. Technological advancements have made learning more accessible and entertaining than ever-- placing everyone's educational agency at their fingertips.
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World, American History
Every culture has its heros, villians and archetypes-- why study just our own? The Extra Credits and Extra History channels are ripe with information and research, packaged into easily understood narratives.
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Technology
Linus Tech Tips helped me stay informed about computing power and artificial intelligence years before the mainstreasm media noticed our changing IT landscape.

Nuclear Science
Science communicator Kyle Hill's Half Life History series is a thrilling, fascinating dive into everything about nuclear reactors, accidents, regulartory bodies, orphan sources and so much more.
