Ana Goodwin was drawn to the empathetic way The Drag told stories rooted in journalistic integrity. She never wanted to lose the humanity in her storytelling. Goodwin, a rising journalism senior at the University of Texas at Austin, always listened to podcasts during her commute to work or while she was doing housework. When the…

Hannah Ortega always had her sights set on becoming a writer, even before she knew what opportunities awaited her with journalism. The two of us bonded over both dressing up as writers at our respective career days in grade school. The costumes were clear-cut for kids who aspired to become professional athletes, doctors, or astronauts….

Journalism junior Cecilia Garzella became interested in audio storytelling in middle school, but she didn’t listen to a typical science, news, or pop culture podcast. Instead, her first podcast explored a murder case that she now acknowledges was above her paygrade.  “My cousins told me to listen to Serial,” Garzella said. “As a middle schooler,…

As a child growing up in Plano, Texas, Jennifer Xia spent her weekends consuming library books. “I would check out, like, 15 at a time,” Xia said.  Xia, a rising senior in the School of Journalism and Media, said she never expected she would write a children’s story of her own one day.  “I think…

No one loves Lady Bird Johnson more than Laurie Grobe does.  “She is, without a doubt, one of the most incredible people to have ever walked the Earth,” Grobe said. “Oh, my God, I feel like I can spend the rest of my life learning about Lady Bird and things that she did and her…