I can finally say I am a journalist without qualifiers like “student” or “intern.” I am beyond excited to return to NonDoc and take over the Edmond Civic Reporting Project.
As a NonDoc intern last summer, I received the best of training from our skilled staff, including Blake Douglas, who held down the Edmond beat over the last year before taking a promotion this month to an editor role. I followed 2024 elections around the state and handled the “sketchy sheriff beat,” which included coverage of a utility vehicle embezzlement scheme and revelations about the “behind the scenes guy” in Tillman County politics. I also attended a couple of Edmond city meetings and quietly hoped to cover many more.
In the meantime, I returned to Oklahoma Christian University to finish my degree in journalism, and I had the pleasure of leading our campus newspaper, The Talon, as editor in chief.
My senior year at OC was a success. Our staff published all kinds of stories, from breaking news of a chemistry lab causing hospitalizations to the freshmen class seeking a Redbox for their dorm building. I rounded out my time at The Talon with the conclusion of changes to core curriculum, a final photo gallery of the annual Spring Sing show and a sentimental farewell essay.
I walked for graduation in May beaming with pride at my academic accomplishment, but also with a heart filled from the fullness of community. The slogan “OC is home,” however trite, did prove true because of the amazing people I met there.
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However, Oklahoma Christian is not the only place that carries this homey environment. After graduation, I had to determine where I would find community again. While touring other newsrooms that wanted me to join them, all my heart could long for was a return to NonDoc.
I missed going on little road trips with the staff to host debates. I missed handing out bright yellow stickers and telling people about the work we do. I missed representing an organization that provides community journalism with context.
Although I could enjoy those experiences again on any beat NonDoc covers, I was elated by the announcement of an opening for the Edmond Civic Reporting Project because I grew up just outside of Edmond and learned a lot about the community as an OC student. Now, my quiet dream from last summer is coming true. I am excited to carry the torch Blake has passed along as he rises to an editor position.
In this role, I anticipate reporting on important policy topics like affordable housing, while also enjoying festivities like Heard on Hurd. I will happily work from and meet stakeholders at coffee shops and bakeries in town. Cafe Wren, Sweet Friends Bakery and Aspen Coffee Company are just a few of my favorites.
I believe in loving my community by telling its stories. I will strive to steward the stories of Edmond faithfully and connect with residents from all walks of life. Coming from a generation known for its TL;DR attitude, one may wonder how effectively Edmond news can reach residents, but for a community to thrive, its citizens need to be curious about each other and what is happening around them.
So please remember, a small spark of curiosity can be a great way to start engaging in community. Whether you have been in Edmond for 50 years or five minutes, I am confident there is plenty to explore. My curiosity manifests in trying new coffee, picking up a book outside my normal scope of interest or trying to learn a new skill. Sometimes those endeavors turn out great; other times I’m not as fond. No matter the outcome, I tell myself I am investing in my curiosity.
My hope is that when our Edmond Email newsletter hits inboxes on Tuesdays (are you subscribed yet?), readers will spare a few minutes to learn about our city. As curiosity grows, I aim to be your trusted reporter to fuel it.
And if you find yourself with a community question that needs an answer, I hope you will track me down, because inquiring minds deserve to know.
