Well, hello! My name is Allison Downs (call me Ally), and I am currently a senior studying Communications with a concentration in Converged Journalism at Slippery Rock University. I grew up in a stereotypical one-stoplight town with a Family Dollar, and we just recently got a gas station with a Subway inside. I’ve had a passion for writing ever since I was
a kid, so it came as no surprise to anyone when I declared my major. My love for writing is
why I began contributing to The Rocket, SRU's student-run newspaper, which ultimately led to my becoming the news editor in my senior year. I also recently discovered a passion for beauty and fashion, which is why my ultimate career goal is to become an editorial writer for a publication like Vogue or Marie Claire.
Downs Day-By-Day is a journalism blog focusing on happenings and events in Slippery Rock and surrounding areas. This blog is an assignment for the New-Media Journalism class I’m taking this semester, and I’ll be posting regularly – at least once a week! Journalism is expanding beyond print; it’s online, in television and radio, and even on social media platforms like Twitter and Facebook. That’s why, during my time at SRU, I’ve been learning about journalistic-style writing along with video and audio production and web design.
A publication that I’ve always admired (aside from Vogue) is The New York Times. The content they produce is always well-researched and well-written, and they reach an unbelievably large audience with stories and news from around the world. I got to see the NYT building while visiting New York with SRU’s College Dress Relief, and it was nothing short of spectacular. Another media outlet that I enjoy is PopSugar. It started out as a small pop culture blog, but as it became more popular, it expanded into an outlet that covers a variety of topics from fitness, travel, equal rights issues, and everything in between.
As a Communications student (and as a younger person in general), I enjoy being on social media. I’m on Facebook and Twitter, where I mostly share memes and cute animal videos. I’m also on LinkedIn, where I connect with other college students, coworkers, and professionals as well as staying updated about business trends and job openings.
Follow me on Twitter, friend me on Facebook, or connect with me on LinkedIn to keep up with everything I’ll be doing in my last year as an SRU student. I’m so excited to share my life and learning experiences with all of you, so stay tuned!