HWS News
7 March 2018 Finn '16 Launches Journalism Career
Journalist Teaganne Finn '16 earned a master's in journalism and public affairs at American University while completing internships at the Washington Post and Reporters Without Borders, a non-profit organization defending press freedom.
At the Washington Post, Finn interned with John Sullivan, investigative reporter and winner of the Pulitzer Prize where she worked with the papers investigative team, researching and writing. Her efforts contributed to such pieces as the Post's recent investigation into fake guns and police shootings: In two years, police killed 86 people brandishing guns that look real but aren't. Additionally, Finn worked for NBC 4 Washington, earning a contributing line on the networks Election Day news coverage.
"I believe what best prepared me for this role in grad school and at the Post were a combination of courses in rhetoric and internship opportunities," she says.
At HWS, Finn graduated cum laude in writing and rhetoric with a concentration in journalism and minored in media and society. She is a recipient of the Geneva Scholarship Associates (GSA) endowed scholarship. She credits Professor of Writing and Rhetoric Cheryl Forbes and Assistant Professor of English and Comparative Literature Geoffrey Babbitt for nurturing her passion and skills for writing.
"I took one of Professor Babbitt's courses and began to switch over to WRRH. I then took a class with Professor Forbes and discovered writing came easily to me and I really enjoyed it," she says.
During her time at HWS, Finn interned at WHEC News 10NBC in Rochester, the Finger Lakes Times in Geneva, and freelanced for the Messenger Post in Canandaigua. Finn also served as the editor-in-chief for the HWS section of Odyssey Online and was a student writer in the Office of Communications.
"Journalism is about passion and drive, and to be successful in this career you need to figure out what motivates you," she says.
Currently, Finn is continuing her internship at the Washington Post and also interning with the investigative team at WJLA, the local Washington ABC affiliate.