The National Press Club Journalism Institute is spotlighting the next generation of journalists, students graduating from college or Master’s programs this spring into a challenging job market, in hopes they’ll meet future bosses and colleagues here, who will reach out and support them in building journalism’s future together.
Name: Kelly Kimball
School: American University
Location: Washington, D.C.
Currently: Social Media Editor, Foreign Policy
Previously: Intern, U.S. House of Representatives; Video Producer, World Bank
What’s been your best moment in journalism?
Kimball: My best moment in journalism was publishing my first long-form feature story with my own photography through a dispatch from Anchorage, Alaska for Foreign Policy magazine just days before nation-wide lockdowns occurred due to the coronavirus pandemic.
What’s the wackiest story you’ve worked on?
Kimball: The wackiest story I worked on was a video story about Washington, D.C.’s burgeoning drag king scene (Yes, drag kings, not queens!). What started off as a story about D.C.’s underreported queer night life turned into a story on the importance of uplifting the stories of folks who identify across the gender spectrum.
This inspired a podcast show I wrote and produced. During the first episode, I encountered someone who researched that the first drag queen on record was a newly-emancipated slave who lived in Washington, D.C. in the late 1800s.
What do you want to accomplish in your journalism career?
Kimball: I want to build an omnidirectional career that is purely based on shining a light on underserved communities, people and topics; innovating new mechanisms to make news-making sustainable and accessible to communities experiencing “news deserts”; and empowering other enterprising journalists who would otherwise find it difficult to thrive in this industry. A career in journalism is long, complex, and ever-winding, and I aspire to create meaningful change in multiple avenues of the industry.
What do you want potential employers to know about you?
Kimball: I want potential employers to understand that I could be an indispensable resource to any newsroom I’m a part of. I have a thorough grasp of a suite of digital journalism skill sets, as well as a horizontal knowledge across every aspect of the industry—from news to editorial, to sales, revenue and marketing. But above all, I’m an amicable colleague, an enthusiastic and supportive team player, and a professional who is deeply passionate about honing her career in a multitude of ways in hopes to contribute meaningfully to this industry.
When you aren’t practicing journalism, how do you spend your time?
Kimball: I’m bilingual and had the opportunity to live in Santiago, Chile, in 2014 during my undergraduate experience at the University of California, Irvine, so many of my hobbies have been shaped by that experience. I enjoy writing and reading bilingual poetry, dancing salsa/bachata/merengue, cooking new recipes for friends, and running the many trails in the greater D.C. area.
If you’re a senior studying journalism, or know one, we’re accepting information here for students to feature in the future. If you’re a supporter, you can contribute here to scholarships for journalism students.