KATY SHERO

As a journalist and natural storyteller at heart, this quote has always been ingrained in me. Empathy has shaped me into the writer I am today, and it is undoubtedly the forefront of good reporting. Or great reporting. Perhaps, it might be what sets apart "great" reporting from award-winning, spectacular reporting. Transparency, accuracy and speed are the other essential pillars as well that take reporting to the next level. As my time closes at Penn State University, I am excited for that "next level." My objective is to turn my passions for storytelling and people into spectacular reporting about real voices in real communities. At Penn State, I have been fortunate with opportunities to explore this passion that have mimicked what a newsroom is *hopefully* like post-graduation! 

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I will never forget the first opportunity I had as a reporter for the Centre County Report. I was the only eager volunteer to wake up at 4am and drive two hours to cover the 20th anniversary ceremony of the 9/11 Flight 93 memorial in Shanksville, PA. This was my first "big girl" reporter experience, as I was in the press area alone, working alongside reporters from outlets I admired, like KDKA and AP Press. For others, I imagine it was just another assignment. However, for me, this was a highlight of my college career, having the opportunity to be in the presence of powerful political figures and to learn about the stories of real families impacted by 9/11. Interviewing family members about a tragedy with that much depth for my first story was the most challenging part of my career to date. Yet, I learned that empathy makes telling stories like these and the "hard" news a little easier. Spectacular storytellers need to be kind and to open their mind. And spectacular storytelling isn't limited to a reporter. It's a producer, a copyeditor, the assignment desk. It's everyone involved in the newsroom. Thus, collaboration and convergence is crucial to me in a newsroom. I have spent my college career cultivating skills in writing, editing and production beyond the traditional MMJ role, and I am looking for an environment that will challenge me, match my enthusiasm and give me the opportunity to contribute my skills to multiple areas. 

 

The resilience and strength it takes an individual or a community to share a story is admirable. People are full of stories, and these stories need to be told. That's what I strive to do. 

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