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HomeAlumni and Giving Alumni ProfilesAlumna Rachel O'Brien

Rachel O'Brien Morano '08

B.A. Journalism
B.A. Political Science

Rachel O'Brien-Morano

Current Job:

Editor, Open the Books
Freelance Reporter, Newsday

Working full time for a non-profit government watchdog. What I do is journalism, even though it's not a traditional news outlet. I write byline articles every week about government spending, and go on TV to discuss my reporting. I also write feature articles for Newsday as a freelancer

What the SoCJ taught me: 

The important basics of good reporting: finding good, reliable sources, checking facts, looking in unusual places for stories, writing to keep a reader's interest.

Advice for future students: 

I worked for traditional newspapers for many years and I loved it. But being able to work from home with a child is very important to me, so students shouldn't shy away from non-traditional careers that allow flexibility, whether it's to travel, stay home or just have a different way of life than newsroom jobs allow. Especially after the pandemic, there are many jobs that no longer require you to sit at a desk M-F.

Favorite Thing About SoCJ: 

The professors! They're all journalists who have worked in the field for decades and had personal experience with what they were teaching. Without their expertise, I wouldn't have learned what I did.