糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock Prepares Student Journalist to Take On the World After Graduation
Chloe McGehee, from Bryant, Arkansas, has graduated from 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock with bachelor’s degrees in mass communication and political science.
McGehee has known she wanted to be a journalist since middle school, where she was editor of the Bryant Junior High yearbook. When she transitioned into high school, she remained on the yearbook staff and became editor of the award-winning Bryant High School yearbook staff her senior year.
When it came time for her to choose a college, 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock was an easy decision. Her mother and maternal grandparents graduated from the university, making her a legacy student. She was also accepted into the Donaghey Scholars Honors Program, which was another incentive hinting that 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock was where she needed to be. As such, she attributes a lot of her success to Dr. Simon Hawkins and Dr. Jessica Scott, director and assistant director of the honors program.
鈥淚 knew I would need scholarships to attend college, and they made it possible for me to go to school debt-free, which was something I never thought would happen,鈥� McGehee said. 鈥淚 was able to give my all to school, and if not for Donaghey, I probably wouldn鈥檛 have been able to be so involved on campus.鈥�
She was on the Donaghey Committee her senior year, which involves planning events for the program and interviewing potential new scholars.
鈥淚 just wanted to make an impact on the program the same way it did for me,鈥� McGehee said.
The program requires its scholars to study abroad, so she had the opportunity to travel to Amsterdam from August to December as well.
鈥淚t was life changing,鈥� McGehee said. 鈥淓verything that I wanted it to be, it was. It altered my view on politics and life, it made me more independent, and completely changed my outlook on life.鈥�
She has done a lot in her time at 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock, but the accolade she鈥檚 most proud of is being executive editor of The Forum. She became editor her sophomore year, making her the youngest in the newspaper鈥檚 history, and was also named Newspaper Editor of the Year at the 2023 Arkansas College Media Association award competition.
鈥淚鈥檝e never known anybody as energetic as Chloe,鈥� Sonny Rhodes, advisor of The Forum, said. 鈥淚鈥檝e known some great editors in my 23 years of advising The Forum. I wouldn鈥檛 want to embarrass anybody by saying she鈥檚 the best, but she鈥檚 certainly one of the best. I鈥檝e never known someone who can do so many things quite so well.鈥�
McGehee met Rhodes when she joined the newspaper staff as a freshman, and thinks just as highly of him as he does of her.
鈥淗e鈥檚 been such a positive influence on my life and he鈥檚 probably my biggest supporter,鈥� McGehee said. 鈥淚 feel like I can go to him with anything and he鈥檒l help me with it. He鈥檚 written countless letters of recommendation for me, and he鈥檚 really become a friend. I鈥檓 really thankful for him.鈥�
McGehee serves as communications director for the Student Government Association, in which she has grown the and made it a 鈥渙ne-stop shop鈥� for things going on around campus.
McGeehee has also done Model Arab League since 2021, which is a multi-regional competition where high school and college students come together to cover topics and write resolutions to issues important to the Arab League. During that time, she and the rest of the team have traveled to Texas, Washington, D.C., and South Carolina. She has won awards at each of the five conferences she has attended.
鈥淚 say, if you like to argue diplomatically, the Model Arab League is where you should go,鈥� McGehee said. 鈥淵ou really have to know how to argue in a polite way. I鈥檝e won three national awards and awards at Houston and South Carolina. It really opened my eyes. It鈥檚 a different part of the world with an entirely different culture and lifestyle that I wouldn鈥檛 know anything about if not for the class.鈥�
She has tutored students at the 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock writing center and completed several internships at Little Rock publications such as the Arkansas Business Publishing Group, the Venture Center, and the Daily Record, all of which have helped prepare her for a career in journalism.
鈥淟ittle Rock is my city,鈥� McGehee said. 鈥淚n five years, I hope to have made a positive impact on Little Rock and have a really robust writing and photography portfolio. I just want to grow in my career, my portfolio, and my personal life to be the best person I can be.鈥�