16 May 5, 2021
The Hawk Newspaper
Reporting during a
pandemic From left to right: Opinions Editor Tayler Washington ’22, Staff Writer Kaylah Hernandez ’23 and Copy Chief Cara Smith ’21 report at a protest at Malcolm X Park in West Philadelphia.
Nick Karpinski ’21 Managing Editor COVID-19 is obviously at the center of everyone’s lives. It’s also at the center of the reporting process. I won’t soon forget holding a six-foot, socially-distant boom pole in one hand and a notebook in the other trying to record video all while staring at a camera through my all too commonly fogged glasses. I’ve come to the conclusion that every mask will fog my glasses, which is of course a fair trade-off.
Jackie Collins ’21 Senior Editor When I used to conduct in-person interviews, I would draw inspiration for my story through my observations of the space I entered into or even through the body language of the source I spoke to. Those little things would help my story come to life. Zoom interviews and phone interviews during the pandemic did not afford me the same experience in the reporting process.
Cara Smith ’21 Copy Chief After being on The Hawk for a year and a half prior to the coronavirus pandemic, adjusting our production schedule to abide by COVID-19 protocols was initially heartbreaking. The newsroom served as my “place” on campus and it was difficult to adjust my reporting and publishing practices while maintaining my excitement for my senior year. However, throughout this year, The Hawk not only gave me the skills I need to succeed in the start of my professional journalism career, but also gave me comfort throughout a tumultuous time. I am continuously inspired by the dedication of my colleagues over the past two semesters despite facing seemingly insurmountable challenges every week. The Hawk (Newspaper) Will Never Die!
Nenagh Sheehan ’21 Assistant Features Editor I started working for The Hawk in my News Reporting class during my junior year before the pandemic. I would mostly interview students, faculty and staff in person to voice record them and take notes. After my News Reporting class, I began working as the assistant features editor when the pandemic started to get bad and reporting drastically changed. Due to social distancing, I had to start reporting and interviewing people over Zoom and over the phone, which became exhausting because of Zoom burnout. The majority of my classes are online, so I spend most of my time sitting on Zoom all day staring at a computer screen. I also enjoy connecting face to face with people on campus, so when reporting became remote I felt like I lost that sense of personal connection.
