Jessica Blake

General Assignment Reporter, Inside Higher Ed | Service-Oriented Storyteller | Stamps Scholar Alum

Washington, District of Columbia, United States Contact Info
839 followers 500+ connections

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About

I'm a multimedia journalist with a particular interest in covering issues of education policy, equity and access. Compelled by journalists' vital role as public servants, I'm passionate about press freedom and defending the reporting work that is key to informed participation in democracy.

I've loved storytelling in its myriad of forms for as long as I can remember. From whimsical fairytales, to raw memoirs, from a broadway stage to a hardback book—stories are a common thread of humanity that span culture and time. As a recent graduate of the world's first journalism school I’ve found a type of storytelling to call my own.

Activity

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Experience

  • Inside Higher Ed Graphic

    General Assignment Reporter

    Inside Higher Ed

    - Present 1 year 2 months

    Washington, District of Columbia, United States

  • POLITICO Europe Graphic

    Production Intern

    POLITICO Europe

    - 4 months

    Brussels, Belgium

    Served on the desk that was the final checkpoint for all stories before digital publication. Checked headlines and deks, pulled photos, wrote captions and operated the content management system. Wrote, designed and scheduled social media posts for Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn.

  • Chalkbeat Graphic

    National Desk Intern

    Chalkbeat

    - 3 months

    New York, New York, United States

    Pitched and executed enterprise stories weekly about national trends in K-12 public education. Appeared as a guest commenter on WFLD, KPRC and more, following a story on how overturning Roe v. Wade would impact schools. Assisted in writing a weekly newsletter, key to audience engagement.

  • Columbia Missourian

    Columbia Missourian

    10 months

    • Columbia Missourian Graphic

      Assistant City Editor (ACE) & Enterprise Reporter

      Columbia Missourian

      - 5 months

      Columbia, Missouri, United States

      Co-led the newsroom's general assignment team while maintaining role as reporter. Delegated and edited stories and managed budget as ACE. Produced deep-dive explanatory piece on agricultural consolidation as enterprise reporter — part of larger, award-nominated project "2,500 Below."

    • Columbia Missourian Graphic

      Senior Education Reporter

      Columbia Missourian

      - 5 months

      Columbia, Missouri, United States

      Promoted from role as education staff reporter. Focused on feature and data-driven stories, with the challenges K-12 schools faced post-COVID as an underlying pulse. Built relationships with new sources, diversifying the beats' network. Served as a leader, assisting in education of new staff reporters.

  • Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press Graphic

    Communications Intern

    Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press

    - 5 months

    Washington, District of Columbia, United States

    Specialized in reporting on major events in media law and the impact of the Reporter's Committee. Read, comprehended and translated legal documents and jargon into language easily understood by the common reader. Increased audience outreach by leading the monthly newsletter team.

  • Columbia Missourian Graphic

    Data & Graphics Reporter

    Columbia Missourian

    - 5 months

    Columbia, Missouri, United States

    Collected, cleaned and visualized data for static and interactive graphics to accompany stories. Created maps, charts, illustrations and timelines primarily on Adobe Illustrator but I am fluent in other softwares as well. Won second place for Best Information Graphic in Missouri Press Association Awards 2021.

  • ProPublica Graphic

    Investigative Reporting Intern

    ProPublica

    - 4 months

    Remote

    Co-authored freelance investigation on lack of safety protocol enforcement in high-security biolabs with award winning reporter Alison Young. Drew attention to risk of public exposure when researching coronaviruses. Tracked 45+ record requests to NIH funded labs, analyzed and documented results.

  • Columbia Missourian Graphic

    Staff Reporter (General Assignment/Education)

    Columbia Missourian

    - 5 months

    Columbia, Missouri, United States

    Wrote primarily dailies, alternating between general assignment and education. Covered the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic and maintained strong local reporting for Columbia community even while remotely from Columbus, Ohio after stay-at-home orders went into affect.

  • Investigative Reporters and Editors Graphic

    Editorial Assistant

    Investigative Reporters and Editors

    - 10 months

    Columbia, Missouri

    Wrote for association's quarterly journal. Connected with talented journalists to collect tools, tips and story ideas for strong investigative reporting. Fact checked and edited the work of guest writers.

  • ABC 6 WSYX-TV Graphic

    ABC6 On Your Side Investigative Intern

    ABC 6 WSYX-TV

    - 3 months

    Columbus, Ohio

    Assisted ABC6 On Your Side Investigative team. Demonstrated skills in broadcast script writing and video editing while collaborating on three feature packages.

Education

  • University of Missouri-Columbia Graphic

    University of Missouri-Columbia

    Bachelor of Journalism with a Minor in Sociology GPA 3.98

    -

    Activities and Societies: Research Fellow

    Summa Cum Laude, Honors College Certificate, Kappa Tau Alpha Honors

  • Dublin Jerome High School Graphic

    Dublin Jerome High School

    Honors Diploma GPA 4.23

    -

    Valedictorian, Summa Cum Laude, Honors Diploma

Honors & Awards

  • Truman Scholar Finalist

    the Harry S. Truman Scholarship Foundation

    Established in honor of President Harry S. Truman, the scholarship is a highly competitive, nationally prestigious award meant to celebrate and prepare the nation's next generation of public service leaders. One scholar is selected to receive the award from each state and territory with a few additional wild card spots available upon exceptional performance. I was one of six finalists for Ohio and one of 193 national, selected from a record number of 845 applicants.

  • Stamps Scholar

    the STRIVE Foundation & the University of Missouri

    Stamps is the University of Missouri's premiere merit scholarship program. Each year the honors college selects five to seven students who reflect the top of their class, demonstrating academic achievement, strong leadership potential, and exceptional character. Honorees receive a full scholarship and an educational enrichment fund of $16,000.

  • Mizzou 39 Honoree

    the University of Missouri

    Each year the Mizzou '39 award, named in honor of the university's founding in 1839, recognizes the top 39 seniors from all corners of campus. Honorees are chosen for academic achievement, leadership, and service to the university. It is a longstanding tradition at Mizzou and is viewed by students and faculty as one of the highest graduation regards.

  • Walter Williams Scholar

    the University of Missouri

    The Walter Williams Scholars program is designed to recognize the top tier of incoming students at the Missouri School of Journalism, one of the most accredited journalism programs in the nation. Students are welcomed to the cohort by invitation only.

Organizations

  • Young Life College

    Small Group Leader

    -

  • Mizzou Women In Media

    Co-President

    -

  • Diversity Peer Educators

    Workshop Facilitator

    -

  • Mizzou Outreach

    Undergraduate Student Ambassador

    -

  • Ryan Seacrest Foundation: Seacrest Studios, Children's National Hospital

    Volunteer

    -

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