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Dear Elon

It is just over two weeks since I graduated from Magna Cum Laude Elon University with a Bachelors of Arts degree in journalism and business administration. In the time since I graduated, I celebrated with friends, family and mentors, I moved out of my first adult apartment to spend some time at home, and IContinueContinue reading “Dear Elon”

A year of growth

Reflecting on 2022, just before the year ahead.

Week two in review

Two weeks into my time in Arizona and I already can tell: I definitely like it here. The 2022 Carnegie-Knight News21 Fellows cohort. Right now, we are in the pre-reporting and research phase of our ten week project. I spend most of my days in “Bureau North,” reading about transparency and accountability within policing, speakingContinueContinue reading “Week two in review”

Reflecting on my first week in Phoenix

Today marks the end of my first week in Phoenix, Arizona, working as a News21 Fellow.

And even as I typed that, I could hardly believe it.

Covering Trauma: Being the not-so-typical first responder

We focused on column writing the last few class periods of this semester. While I have never written a column, the process felt cathartic. It was a structured version of the writing I often do for myself, which is often narrative, poetry and creative work in one of over 40 filled notebooks. Our assignment wasContinueContinue reading “Covering Trauma: Being the not-so-typical first responder”

As vaccines become more available, a lack of data could curb hope

To see my thoughts on this piece, check out my reflection post here: Writing about vaccines proves a service to community and to self – Kyra O’Connor (kyraoconnor.com) Photo by Clare Grant | Elon News NetworkAn Alamance County Health Department worker fills a syringe with the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine on Monday, Jan. 18 at The Career andContinueContinue reading “As vaccines become more available, a lack of data could curb hope”

Writing about home is complicated, reporter says

One of my favorite classes of the semester was hearing from Pulitzer Center reporters Jenna Kunze and Alice Qannik Glenn. All I want to do with my life is write stories like they do, stories that really touch people’s lives and educate people on things they might not have known about otherwise. Listening to theContinueContinue reading “Writing about home is complicated, reporter says”

Writing about vaccines proves a service to community and to self

Through class assignments I was able to dig into many angles of the vaccine rollout process Photo by Clare Grant | Elon News NetworkAn Alamance County Health Department worker fills a syringe with the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine on Monday, Jan. 18 at The Career and Technical Education Center in Burlington, North Carolina. The health department administers bothContinueContinue reading “Writing about vaccines proves a service to community and to self”

Reflecting on the halfway point…

This semester seems simultaneously like the longest and most fast-paced semester of college yet. As a sophomore in my second semester, this is not just the halfway point of the spring semester itself, but of my collegiate career, as well. Typing these words feels surreal, as I remember a time last year where I couldContinueContinue reading “Reflecting on the halfway point…”

A great reminder

Bryan Anderson, Elon alumnus and reporter for the Associated Press, visited our class and reminded me why I started in journalism in the first place One of the incredible assets to come out of the pandemic is the use of Zoom. While video conferencing technology is not new, I am astonished by all we haveContinueContinue reading “A great reminder”