Fun Fact: Barack Obama follows me on Twitter (it's my middle school account, but still). 

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Hi, I'm McKenzie! I'm a senior at the University of North Carolina Wilmington, where I study communication, journalism, and philosophy. As an aspiring journalist, I value the need for storytelling in our ever-changing world.

 

I came by my love for journalism upon realizing it incorporates many of my cornerstone beliefs:

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1. Everyone has a story to tell

2. Everyone’s story deserves to be heard

3. Our world has no room for complacency or indifference. Think, act, change.  

 

To me, journalism is all about capturing stories, experiences, beliefs and bringing these truths to light. One of my favorite examples of this narrative is Brandon Stanton's creation of Humans of New York. The stories in HONY may seem anecdotal, but its my intuition that many can identify with the various struggles and testimonies of others discussed throughout. Don't believe me? Just read the comments on any single post.

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Humans of New York, and storytelling in general, helps to humanize others and aids our understanding of the world through a humanistic perspective.

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Creating change by listening to and learning from others first- what could be more important?

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Now that I've finished preaching about storytelling, I guess I should tell a little more of my own. 

 

As far as journalistic involvement, I have served as both a reporter and anchor for TealTV, where I created my own segment and had the opportunity to interview Humans of New York founder, Brandon Stanton, during his visit to campus (check out the interview on my demo reel/interviews page).

 

I was so inspired by his work that I now write for Humans of The Dub, UNCW's version of Humans of New York. In 2017, I interned in the Newsroom at WWAY 3, and was there when the GenX scandal surfaced. 

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Outside of work and classrooms, I serve as a Student Ambassador at UNCW, where I give tours to prospective students and work closely with the Chancellor and Alumni Association. I also sing in the Seahawkappellas, the only co-ed a cappella group on campus- basically like Pitch Perfect, but with guys.

 

Right now, my current hobbies include- but are not limited to- watching copious amounts of Portlandia, building my corgi obsession, reading mystery/thriller novels, and blasting Børns every chance I get, all while drinking Dunkin Donuts iced coffee (3 cream, 2 caramel flavor swirls) in the vibrant coastal town of Wilmington, North Carolina. 

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