MY STORIES: 

• Refugee mother of seven longs to see husband and sons again
• Uniting for a cause: Partnership provides promise of education for refugees in Salt Lake City
• University of Utah launches Doctors Without Borders student chapter

MY BLOG:

When I found out I was going to cover the refugee community in Utah for my beat this semester, I was both excited and equally nervous. I signed up for this class without prior experience in writing news stories and had a limited understanding of how to conduct a proper interview.

I have always been interested in cultures other than my own. Despite our differences, I believe the human experience is a shared one, so I was eager to learn about a group of individuals that I knew very little about. The people I interviewed were all unique and held vastly different roles in the refugee community, some of whom were refugees themselves. Interviewing such a diverse community allowed me to gain an expansive perspective of those affected by war and famine and individuals who are working together to help people in need.

Most of what I struggled with was not knowing how much narrative content to share while still keeping the story “newsworthy”. I learned a great deal that I was unable to communicate with my readers, which felt like sacrificing my personal voice. While I did all that was required of me, I was not able to portray the look on the Somalian woman’s face when she told me she hasn’t seen her husband in 7 years. My writing is the best that it has ever been, though I don’t think I fully shined a light onto the emotions portrayed by those I interviewed.

I realize now that I have a skill in connecting with people from all walks of life. As much as I have enjoyed this class, I don’t believe that my avenue of sharing stories is in news writing. I’m not sure what my future career will be, but I am eager to see where my passions lead me.

ABOUT ME: 

Hello all, my name is Anna Stump. I am a senior at the University of Utah studying communication with an emphasis in journalism, as well as a minor in parks, recreation and tourism. I will be graduating in the Spring of 2018, and have high hopes for my future as a communicator.

My passions lie in the outdoors, where I spend almost all of my free time. I enjoy climbing, skiing, paragliding, rafting, mountain biking, campfires with strangers etc. etc. If it pushes my limits and puts me outside, I’m all over it.

I was born and raised in the suburbs of Alpharetta Georgia, where I spent 18 years of my life. I was later accepted to the University of Utah, and made the spontaneous decision to pack my bags and fly across the country in pursuit of mountainous adventure. I am currently a competitive rock climber and love every moment of being gripped on rock. I am also working as a sales rep for Red Bull, planning events and spreading my wings as a communicator in the adventure industry.

My hopes for the future run far and wide. I don’t exactly know what it is I will be doing once I graduate, which is both liberating and terrifying. I would like to explore my potential as a writer in the context of adventure travel or documentary filming. Above all else, I love new experiences and the abundance of learning through travel.

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