Kat McGrory made a bold venture into the world of journalism. Although it only saw limited circulation among family members, the publication of The Kathleen Times was an impressive feat for an aspiring writer - one who happened to be five years old.
When Kat arrived at Hamilton 13 years later, she continued to put her love of writing and language into practice by joining the staff of The Spectator, Hamilton's weekly student-run newspaper. In just a few weeks, Kat had eight articles in one issue, and throughout her time on the Hill has written opinion pieces for the Utica Observer-Dispatch, and her local paper, the Poughkeepsie Journal.
After working her way from news editor to editor-in-chief of The Spec, Kat routinely puts in 14-hour days before the paper goes to press, leaving her office in the Bristol Center at 2 a.m.
Kat stresses the importance of communicating Hamilton news to a broader audience than just current students. "People stay connected to Hamilton," she explains. "What happens when you are not here is just as important as when you are here."
"Journalism is one of those things that is universal," says Kat. "There are similar forces that work across languages and across cultures . . . breaking communication barriers is like an adrenaline rush." She experienced this first-hand. While spending the fall semester of her junior year in Madrid, Spain, Kat designed an opportunity that perfectly combined her interests - she studied with an economic journalist in Spain. Kat speaks Spanish fluently, and her familiarity with French and Chinese languages helps her when looking at markets and publications in other countries.
After graduation, Kat hopes to attend a journalism program at a top-ranked graduate school. In addition to the grounding in the liberal arts tradition that her Hamilton education provided, she hopes that an advanced degree in the theories of journalism will prepare her for a career as an international journalist.
