Seeking the Dream by Ainslie

Seeking the Dream by Ainslie - February 2019 Scholarship Essay

Last spring, I graduated with both my associate’s degree from Clark College and my high-school diploma. For the next three years, I’ll be studying journalism at Emerson College in Boston as a journalism major with a narrative nonfiction and music minor.
My passion and diligence in pursuing journalism began as early as I could read picture books. At this young age, I knew I wanted to write and it was that natural intrigue that introduced me to journalism during my junior year of high school. Finding a place where I can use my curiosity to build stories and news packages that have immediate value and necessity to the public sounded like the perfect career and I’ve been on its path ever since.

With the opportunity to attend a school devoted to digital and broadcast journalism in specific, I’ve been constantly adding new programs to my schedule. I’ve had the opportunity to anchor, produce, direct, correspond, write and head the graphics and teleprompter through J-Channel’s news station. Along with this, I’ve been involved with two different Emerson Channel news shows, one which hosts live reviews of new movies and one where I pieced together my own packages for the live newscast. I also host a one-hour radio show where I create the playlist but discuss interviews with local artists on-air in between songs.

Last summer, I interned with the Portland Tribune and pitched the idea for a digital story on the Portland Mounted Patrol. While it took plenty of long hours, I brought this article to life with extensive fieldwork and found the overall project to be invigorating, rewarding and exciting. Through interactions with my sources and news team, I also learned much about professional collaboration. While at Clark, I spent a year working with the student news organization, the Independent, where I was the life section editor and a reporter. I’ve also led the sports and A&E sections when other editors were unavailable.

Furthering my education at Emerson has given me extensive academic grounding and I’d like to evolve my experiences by putting scholarship funds toward my next year of tuition and ensuring the ability to continue at such a prestigious college. If gifted these funds, I intend to reduce the cost of tuition and avoid building debt, which could put a major weight and possible barrier on my path in digital journalism. Building this future is incredibly important to me and in doing so, it’s been equally important reaching out to mentors and organizations who support my mission in becoming a digital journalist. Every day since I’ve started reporting I’ve met someone who’s graciously allowed me to pick their minds and share their lifestyle if only for a day. I get the honor of always stepping into new shoes and adopting information I never thought I’d have access to. This is why I’d like to devote my days to this field. Having a platform to tell people’s stories, understand and build my own, has been a driving factor in all my characteristics.

Thank you for considering my application and providing this opportunity.