Good Person. Great Lawyer.
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In Fall 2017 as part of an in-depth reporting class, I set out to profile Tom Kline. A well-known plaintiffs' lawyer in Philadelphia, Kline also had a reputation at Penn State: He represented "Victim 5" in the Jerry Sandusky sex-abuse case, and now he was back on behalf of the Piazza family in the Beta Theta Pi fraternity hazing case. Through detailed interviews with Kline, alongside his family members and close associates, I strove to create the most comprehensive feature possible to depict his storied life. This story placed third — out of more than 100 entries — in the 2017 Hearst Personality/Profile Writing Competition. It also won second place in the 2017-18 Student Keystone Press Awards in the Personality Profile category. |
Yiddish, on the Fringe
Through Penn State's international reporting class, I traveled to Israel, where I explored the modern cultural remnants of Yiddish, a fusion language of the Jewish Diaspora. I had one week to interview cultural activists — and attend Yiddish performances — in Tel Aviv and Jerusalem. The story placed in the Top 20 in the 2018 Hearst Features Writing Competition.
In an accompanying sidebar, I evaluated the rising status of Ladino culture among Sephardic Jews in Israeli society. |
Shedding Light
As the 10-year anniversary of Pennsylvania's revamped Right-to-Know Law approached, I attempted to understand just how successful the legislation was in unleashing governmental transparency.
The story won eight place — out of nearly 130 entries — in the 2018 Hearst Enterprise Writing Competition. It also received an honorable mention in the 2017-18 Student Keystone Press Awards for the Public Service/Enterprise category. |