Hailey Closson
Glenelg,Maryland
Overview
2
2
years of professional experience
Work History
Research Assistant
Howard Center for Investigative Journalism
College Park, MD
01.2023 - Current
- Extracts data from 60,000 articles from the Library of Congress Chronicling America newspaper database published from 1789-1963 about lynching coverage in American newspapers.
- Studies the representation of lynch mobs and lynching victims between Black and white American publications, the assignment of justice, the responsibility of journalists in violence against African Americans, and spikes in racial terror lynchings.
- Identifies gaps in lynching coverage including missing cities, lack of mob and victim identification, and out-of-state lynching coverage across publications.
- Investigates language as a method of social control and the legitimacy of accusations against the accused matched with newspapers' use of racial stereotypes to promote extralegal activity.
- Co-authors antebellum lynching paper and conducts research for literature review.
Freelance Reporter
The Diamondback
College Park, MD
09.2023 - Current
- Writes feature stories about student entertainment events, academic forums and keynote speakers at the University of Maryland.
- Covers developments in resident life, campus dining, and construction at the University of Maryland and surrounding College Park neighborhoods.
Freelance Features Reporter
The Black Explosion
College Park, MD
10.2022 - Current
- Discovers and pursues stories about people of color on the University of Maryland's campus and the greater College Park community.
- Uses social media to engage with the public and assess article feedback to improve news coverage.
- Covers cultural discussions in the Black diaspora including black health crises, sexuality, religion, and class.
Investigative Reporter
The Daily Dot
College Park, MD
01.2024 - 06.2024
- Surveyed local and national news, press conferences, briefings, and social media for investigative story leads.
- Filed FOIA and public records requests for federal and state agencies under the Freedom of Information Act.
- Conducted interviews, follow-up requests, and negotiated fee waivers and obtainment of tax assessments, records, internal communications, body camera footage, records, emails, and proposals from federal and state agencies.
- Produced investigative and features stories about politics, technology, law enforcement, and social inequality based on information received using the Freedom of Information Act, research, and sources.
Congressional Reporter
Capital News Service
Washington, D.C.
01.2024 - 05.2024
- Reported on Capitol Hill covering press conferences, congressional hearings, meetings from administrative and federal agencies, and environmental, health, and foreign policy in Washington, D.C.
- Localized national and international news to Washington, D.C and Maryland for human interest stories.
- Produced data and multimedia stories about state and federal policies in American education systems, law enforcement, small business development, and healthcare in Washington, D.C and Maryland.
Features Reporter
The Baltimore Sun
Baltimore, MD
06.2023 - 08.2023
- Reported on environmental racism and sustainability, health disparities, crime, and education inequities in Baltimore City, Baltimore County, Howard County, Carroll County, and Anne Arundel County, MD.
- Published briefs and articles about local art, food, entertainment and cultural festivals in Baltimore City, Annapolis, and Howard County, MD.
- Engaged in company-wide meetings to discuss the history and direction of the publication.
- Assisted coworkers in gathering sources and fact-collecting for their projects.
Copy Editor
The Diamondback
College Park, MD
08.2022 - 01.2023
- Fact-checked, researched, and edited print content for grammar and style errors.
- Contacted reporters to verify sources of information.
- Edited material to fit The Diamondback and Associated Press stylebooks.
Data Analyst
University of Maryland School of Public Policy
College Park, MD
06.2022 - 08.2022
- Examined and categorized bill hearings from the Maryland General Assembly by analyzing the implications of legislators' policies.
- Defined socioeconomic effects of proposed policies across demographics.
- Analyzed policies' target demographics and assessed how policymaker's perceived racial and ethnic background influences voters' partisanship, understanding, and reception of the policymakers' legislation.
Education
Bachelor of Arts - Double Major in Journalism and English
University of Maryland - College Park
College Park, MD05.2025
Skills
- Proficient in Spanish
- Photography
- Adobe Premiere Pro
- Broadcast, DSLR Cameras
- Rundown Creator
- HTML/CSS
- Flourish/Canva
- Microsoft Excel
- Data Analysis
- Datawrapper
- FOIA
- Copy Editing
Timeline
Investigative Reporter
The Daily Dot
01.2024 - 06.2024
Congressional Reporter
Capital News Service
01.2024 - 05.2024
Freelance Reporter
The Diamondback
09.2023 - Current
Features Reporter
The Baltimore Sun
06.2023 - 08.2023
Research Assistant
Howard Center for Investigative Journalism
01.2023 - Current
Freelance Features Reporter
The Black Explosion
10.2022 - Current
Copy Editor
The Diamondback
08.2022 - 01.2023
Data Analyst
University of Maryland School of Public Policy
06.2022 - 08.2022
Bachelor of Arts - Double Major in Journalism and English
University of Maryland - College Park
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