Where are you from and what were you doing before enrolling in graduate school?

I’m from Orange County, California, and graduated from UC Santa Barbara in 2023. I was a podcast host for The Indy, a weekly show from the newsroom of the Santa Barbara Independent and a news producer for UCSB TV. 

How did you learn of the degree program, and why did you choose USC Annenberg?

Furthering my journalism education at USC has been a core dream of mine since I was in high school. The faculty here are highly distinguished in the field and care so deeply about their students’ success. I feel grateful to have made great connections with faculty who have become my lifelong mentors. It’s also breathtaking to see all of the amazing work that comes out of the media center — a space that doubles as a classroom and a fully functioning newsroom. I am constantly surrounded by other student journalists who feel the same passion and excitement for journalism as I do.

What have you enjoyed the most about the degree program?

The MS degree program has allowed me to report on national and global political stories on the ground. In October, I traveled to Brussels, Belgium to cover the European Union and foreign policy. In January, I headed to chilly Iowa to report on the Iowa Caucus with a team of student journalists. Coming up in March, I’m flying to Chennai, India with a class to cover India’s religious communities and in June, I’m covering international relations in Washington, D.C. USC Annenberg is all about learning by doing, and the university has provided me with unique opportunities to hone my craft and explore our world with what I love most: storytelling