Portfolio

Case Study 1: Communicating Purdue Research to Public Audiences

Featured Work: Two Purdue-related broadcast stories produced for WRTV.

My Role

Produced two broadcast stories highlighting Purdue University research and faculty expertise for television audiences. Collaborated with reporters, researchers, and newsroom staff to translate technical findings into engaging, audience-focused content suitable for a broad public audience.

Featured Topics

  • Heavy rainfall’s impact on agriculture near Martinsville.
  • Consumer insights on how more Americans are hoping to grow food at home.

Relevant Marketing & Communication Skills

  • Higher Education Communications
  • Research Translation
  • Audience-Focused Storytelling
  • Stakeholder Collaboration
  • Content Development
  • Broadcast Writing


Reflection

Producing stories centered on Purdue University reinforced the importance of translating specialized research into clear, engaging communication for broad audiences. These projects strengthened my appreciation for higher education’s role in advancing research, innovation, and community impact, while demonstrating how effective communications can connect institutional expertise with the public.

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Case Study 2: Community Event Promotion – Delphi Bacon Fest

Overview


As a television news producer at WRTV, I coordinated and produced a live interview highlighting Delphi Bacon Fest, an annual community event organized in partnership with the Carroll County Chamber of Commerce. The segment informed viewers about the event while providing local organizers an opportunity to share its purpose, attractions, and impact on the community. Throughout my time at WRTV, I coordinated similar interviews with organizations including the Indianapolis Indians, the Indianapolis Colts, and the American Dairy Association, strengthening relationships with community stakeholders while helping communicate public-facing initiatives.

My Role

  • Coordinated the interview with an external stakeholder.
  • Produced the live television segment.
  • Collaborated with newsroom staff to ensure the interview fit the broadcast’s editorial priorities and time constraints.
  • Helped communicate event information to a regional television audience.

Relevant Marketing & Communications Skills

  • Coordinated the interview with an external stakeholder.
  • Community Engagement
  • Event Promotion
  • Broadcast Production
  • Interview Coordination
  • Audience-Focused Storytelling

Why I Chose This Sample

This project demonstrates my experience working with external organizations to communicate their message to the public. While produced in a broadcast journalism environment, the project reflects many of the same communication skills required in higher education marketing, including collaborating with stakeholders, promoting community initiatives, and translating organizational priorities into clear, engaging content.


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Case Study 3: Communicating Public Health Information During COVID-19

The Challenge

During the COVID-19 pandemic, viewers relied on local news to understand rapidly changing case counts and public health information. Accuracy, consistency and clarity were essential as new data became available each day.

My Role

As a producer, I compiled the latest local and statewide case information, verified updates and helped translate complex public health data into concise, understandable broadcasts for viewers.

Communications Skills

  • Translating technical information
  • Accuracy
  • Audience-first messaging
  • Information design
  • Trust building
  • Data Communication

Work Sample

39-second update

Behind the Scenes

The early days of the pandemic sparked uncertainty amongst Hoosiers. With the surge of numbers coming out from the Indiana State Department of Health, it was our responsibility to break down the data and try to showcase it each day to contribute to the long-term story that was the COVID pandemic. Given that this was going to be a consistent story we would return to, our team consistently re-evaluated how to present these numbers. Whether they were full-blown explanations, questioning the frequency of showing the data, and later delving into interviewing experts from county health departments, local hospitals and gaining information from impacted external stakeholders.

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Case Study 4: Tyson Plant Shutdown

During my time at WLFI, I produced coverage of the Tyson Foods plant shutdown and its impact on local employees, businesses, and the surrounding community. The story required translating a complex and rapidly evolving community issue into clear, accurate information for viewers while highlighting the perspectives of those most affected.

My Role

  • Produced the broadcast segment from concept to air.
  • Coordinated coverage of a developing community issue.
  • Organized information from multiple sources into a clear narrative.
  • Worked with reporters and newsroom staff to communicate accurate, timely information under a deadline.

Skills Demonstrated

  • Crisis Communications
  • Stakeholder Communication
  • Community Engagement
  • Audience-Focused Storytelling
  • Editorial Judgment
  • Broadcast Production

Why I Chose This Sample

This project demonstrates my ability to communicate complex organizational and community issues with clarity and accuracy. It reflects experience synthesizing information from multiple stakeholders and presenting it in a way that helped audiences understand both the immediate news and its broader community impact.

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Case Study 5: Press Release on Book Launch – Columba Books (2018)

During my internship with Columba Books in Dublin, Ireland, I wrote and edited press materials supporting book publications and organizational communications. This project demonstrates my experience developing clear, professional messaging tailored for external audiences.

My Role

  • Wrote and edited a professional press release.
  • Organized information into a concise, media-ready format.
  • Applied AP Style and editorial standards.
  • Communicated key organizational messages for public distribution.

Skills Demonstrated

  • Press Release Writing
  • AP Style
  • Professional Editing
  • Organizational Communications
  • Audience-Focused Writing

Why I Chose This Sample

Although this project was completed during my internship with Columbia Books, it demonstrates foundational experience in organizational communications, press release writing, and translating complex information into clear, audience-focused messaging.

View Sample

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Case Study 6: Identifying a Story with Statewide Interest

Writing Sample: The National Eucharistic Pilgrimage

Why I Chose This Sample

This story demonstrates my ability to communicate a complex, large-scale event in a way that is accessible to a broad audience. It required distilling historical, religious and logistical information into a concise, engaging news story while maintaining accuracy and neutrality.

My Role:

While monitoring developments, I recognized the significance of the National Eucharistic Pilgrimage as it entered Indiana. I wrote the initial digital story during the early stages of the pilgrimage, but later flagged the story for newsroom consideration, which led to additional reporting by our morning reporter, Jessica Gruenling. The follow up story arrived when groups from across the nation started converging in Indianapolis.

Skills Demonstrated

  • AP Style writing
  • Feature writing
  • Audience-focused storytelling
  • Research and fact verification
  • Explaining complex topics
  • Copy editing

Initial Digital Article: Thousands of Catholics Begin Pilgrimages to Indianapolis

Photo By: Jessica Hill / Associated Press

Written By: Nolan Leahy

INDIANAPOLIS — Catholics from across the United States are making a pilgrimage on foot to Indianapolis.

Their journeys are starting from U.S. cities both big and small, and amount to 6,500 miles of territory to cover.

The National Eucharistic Pilgrimage officially started on Friday, May 17, and is expected to end in Indy on July 16 at Lucas Oil Stadium. Immediately after the pilgrimage marks the National Eucharistic Congress, which marks the first time the Catholic Church has held an event under that name since 1941.

Each procession is being led by a priest holding a monstrance, which is vessel holding the host, or bread wafer consecrated by a priest.

The faith-based journey has four routes with starting points in San Francisco, California; Bemidji, Minnesota; New Haven, Connecticut; and Brownsville, Texas, which is right at the tip of the U.S. southern border.

It’s anticipated that more than 100,000 people will take part in either parts of their route or the entire trek of their route. Most participants are expected to take part in a smaller trek.

The pilgrimages will make stops in Indiana towns and cities like Greenfield, Greenwood, Plainfield, Kokomo and Terre Haute.

Television Coverage

Video Title: National Eucharistic Congress // Thousands of Catholics in Indy

Following my recommendation to pursue the story, our morning reporter developed a television package covering the event. I have included it here to provide context for the broader newsroom coverage.

Note: Due to WRTV’s video embedding restrictions, the player may not function directly on this page. If playback does not begin, please click the video title to view it on YouTube.

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News Reel: Managing Communications During a Major Winter Storm

The Challenge

On the morning of January 25, 2023, central Indiana experienced a significant winter storm that created hazardous travel conditions, school closures and rapidly changing weather forecasts. Viewers depended on timely, accurate information before and during the morning commute.

My Role

As the morning newscast producer, I coordinated two hours of live television coverage by working with reporters, meteorologists, anchors, photographers and newsroom leadership.

I was responsible for prioritizing breaking developments, organizing coverage throughout the morning and ensuring viewers received clear, verified information as conditions evolved.

Communications Skills Demonstrated:

  • Project Management
  • Content Strategy
  • Crisis Communications & Leadership
  • Cross-functional Collaboration
  • Editorial Judgment
  • Audience Communication
  • Stakeholder Coordination

Behind the Scenes

This is NOT what’s shown in the video above. As a producer, I had to coordinate with reporters on evolving situations, number and length of live hits, and had to cut several non-weather related stories to adapt to the evolving winter storm conditions. This included finding time for Adam Schumes (featured at 42:33 in the video) to discuss a crash on the interstate, showcasing the hazardous conditions for morning commuters in Indianapolis as they get ready to head out the door to work at 7 a.m.

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