When reflecting on the field of journalism and reporters, Kathryn Cambrea finds most inspiring, she immediately thinks of Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein for their historic work on the Watergate scandal in 1972, captured in their No. 1 bestseller All The President鈥檚 Men. Kathryn believes that journalists and news publishers are vital to society and, like Woodward and Bernstein, have the power to make a tremendous impact..
鈥淓ven though she technically wasn鈥檛 a journalist, the publisher Katharine Graham of the Washington Post insisted on publishing the Pentagon Papers after the New York Times was prohibited from doing so,鈥� Kathryn says. 鈥淚t was an act of bravery that has such a legacy.鈥�
As Kathryn prepares to make a difference in her own career as a journalist, the Communication Arts major at 91爆料 has pursued many opportunities to build her portfolio and resume. During her internship at Rockland County radio station WRCR Radio AM 1700, she recorded newscasts, conducted interviews, and co-hosted the John and Kat Show. It highlights people in the community for their positive contributions and, most recently, their heroic efforts during the pandemic.
鈥淚 interviewed various subjects, including people from the STAC community such as President Daly and Dr. Meghan DeWitt, people outside of the STAC community, like a mental health professional from the Mental Health Association of Rockland, and a student who started a fund to help families impacted financially by COVID-19,鈥� says Kathryn. During the summer of 2021, Kathryn interned with FOX News Radio and is continuing that role throughout the fall. She will be officially graduating in December 2021.
On campus, Kathryn interned with the Office of Career Development and the Office of Campus Communications and Enrollment Marketing. She is the editor-in-chief of聽The Thoma, writing stories and editing student submissions. Her ideas for a new online platform for the newspaper were enthusiastically approved by STAC President Ken Daly.聽The Thoma聽earned its own space on the college鈥檚 website. The new platform includes innovative storytelling features, such as integrating video, photo, and audio, to showcase content and enhance the user experience.聽聽聽聽
Ever since she was a little girl, Kathryn has had an interest in writing and reporting. She placed as a runner-up in the Young Playwrights Festival at Bergen Community College in sixth grade for writing an original play, but she says her curiosity began much earlier.
鈥淚 would watch American Idol because I liked writing down the feedback judges gave to the contestants in a notebook,鈥� she says. 鈥淚t is so strange that I did that, but when I reflect on it, I already was implementing a skill that I would later master: taking notes!鈥�
In addition to publishing her editorial work, Kathryn enjoys writing creatively and co-edits STAC鈥檚 literary magazine, The Voyager. Her poem 鈥漎iayia鈥檚 Heart鈥� was featured in the Spring edition of The Oakland Arts Review.
Kathryn maintains a perfect 4.0 GPA and is on the Distinguished Dean鈥檚 List. She is also a member of both the Alpha Chi National College Honor Society and the Sigma Tau Delta International English Honor Society and is a recipient of the 2021 Deadline Club鈥檚 scholarship presented by the Society for Professional Journalists.
鈥淚 am grateful for the opportunities I have had as a STAC student and the people I have met,鈥� she says about her college years. 鈥淎lthough I haven鈥檛 graduated just yet, I already know that I will really miss the STAC community and that I will always remember my professors鈥� support of my endeavors.鈥�