Arabella Diedrich

As much as I would like to claim that I'm one of those reporters who wanted to be a journalist since the age of 5, that's not who I am. Until high school, I wanted to be a veterinarian and move to Africa to work on an endangered animal reserve. In my sophomore year of high school, one of my teachers pulled me aside after I submitted my first essay of the year and asked if I'd ever considered being a writer. I realized that writing had always come naturally to me, so I'd never really thought much of it.

I remember being in kindergarten and getting sent to the second-grade hall to show a teacher my so-called "advanced writing abilities." For the rest of high school, I was set on becoming a writer, reading the works of Louisa May Alcott, George Orwell, Aldous Huxley, and dozens of other greats. Whether it was through poetry, essays, or the papers required for International Baccalaureate, writing was my release. 

The Covid-19 pandemic, which hit my junior year, opened my eyes to the world. In the context of a country becoming increasingly divided by social issues and politics, I knew I needed to do something. I had to apply my passion to something bigger than writing fictional novels.

My time at The Daily Texan as a social media staffer and as a student at UT has allowed me to understand the role of journalists. It is our job to inform the public and connect them to the truth. As mentioned, I have undertaken a social and behavioral sciences minor, focusing on law and the criminal justice system. I want to use journalism to bring light to issues that are underrepresented in the media. 

While I have little experience in investigative reporting, beside was I learned in my UT classes, I know that I must uncover stories that slip through the cracks. I will make my career in journalism worthwhile, ensuring those voices that have been silenced are heard. 

As a digital media student assistant at Texas Global, my role is to tell the stories of the many international programs hosted at UT through photo and video. I've met people from all walks of life, and they've truly taught me so much about the world outside of America. My favorite group, the Mandela Washington Fellows, educated me on how multicultural the continent of Africa is and how journalism in the States can do a much better job reporting on issues in their nations. The biggest thing I've learned from this internship has been how to tell a story when you can't use your words. 

Although I am a writer at heart, I recognize the importance of having a toolbelt of skills in this industry where we are expected to do it all.

Carl Bernstein and Bob Woodward