Over the past few years, I’ve interned for a few different publications and worked extensively for North by Northwestern, voted the nation’s No. 1 Online Independent Student Publication by the Society of Professional Journalists. Here’s a selection of my work.

North by Northwestern, an independent online newsmagazine at Northwestern University

• The Gawker Effect: This is a feature I crafted for the NBN Fall 2011 print magazine. I later had the honor of speaking about it at the Medill Student Showcase. I wanted to find out what the true story is behind Evanston-Northwestern relations. I dug deep into the archives, spoke to administrators on each side and chatted up students and residents. The result? Life isn’t all that bad here.
• Taking a look at Northwestern’s own Mad Men: There’s more to Mad Men than just sex and drugs. Northwestern’s own campus has more ties to the show than you might think.
• A look back at 1931 men’s basketball: The Wildcats are infamous for missing the NCAA tournament every year. But what about before the creation of the tournament? Check out the details behind the unofficial No. 1 ranking in the university’s past.

North Jersey Media Group: The Record, a daily newspaper based in Paterson, NJ

• Maywood center applauds advance of bill to aid stroke victims: Maywood was one of the towns on my beat during summer 2010. While driving through town in search of stories, I happened upon a facility aiding people who had suffered from brain trauma. With a strong push from these patients, the state of New Jersey passed a bill that would improve funding for their needs.
• Volunteers struggle to pay for training: As statewide funding decreased for volunteer EMT workers, I looked into how northern Jersey towns are coping with the changes.
• Rochelle Park mayor leading charge against Route 17 expansion: This story is from a rare moment when sitting through a long town council meeting pays off. Then-Mayor Frank Valenzuela stood up for his town in the fight to help out his business owners and residents.

El Nuevo Día, a daily Spanish-language newspaper based in San Juan, Puerto Rico

• Las tendencias suicidas pueden superarse: I took an in-depth look at statistics from the past decade to determine whether there has been a trend in suicides on the island and, if so, why. I spoke to experts but also got crucial firsthand narratives from formerly suicidal individuals.
• El empresarismo como alternativa: In a rough economy, young people are looking to start up their own businesses. I walk you through their struggles and successes and provide a clear picture of what resources are available for entrepreneurial help in Puerto Rico.
• El curioso encanto de los memes: Meme culture is big everywhere, and Puerto Rico is no exception. Although various types of Internet jokes have been popular for ages, I noticed  a major gap: No big publications on the island had covered the topic. I went straight to the source and talked to meme creators, while getting the bigger picture from Know Your Meme.