Student Spotlight: Abby Hancock, Journalism and Public Communication

Abby Hancock always enjoyed writing as young kid. She would write fictional stories instead of coloring in books and as she got older she would watch the news instead of cartoons. Now as KTUU's weekend producer, Abby looks back at when she first started at UAA.

"It's crazy to see where I am now," she said. "Alaska was such a random decision at the time, one I made literally in one night."

Abby was encouraged to go into journalism, originally by her mom. So, when she finally declared her major after bouncing around, she wasn't surprised she landed on journalism. "My first year at UAA was the best. Everything was new to me, including Alaska. Living in the dorms and having moose walk right up to your window was wild," she said.

Meeting lots of new people through her professors, it wasn't hard for Abby to get involved both on- and off-campus. She wrote for UAA's student newspaper, The Northern Light, producing news articles each week. She was also involved in UAA's Radio Television Digital News Association's (RTDNA) student chapter as its co-vice president.

During Abby's junior year she was given the opportunity to intern at Anchorage Press, a local newspaper publisher. It wasn't until she interned that she realized how much she really enjoyed print journalism. She also took a class taught by Assistant Professor and Department Chair Paola Banchero, on how to create and piece together a magazine. The class produces the True North magazine, a general interest publication. Although Abby liked print, she knew she needed to branch out in other areas of journalism.

A couple of months later Abby received an e-mail announcing an associate producer position at KTUU. "I jumped right on it afraid that someone else would snatch it up," she said. Abby expresses the importance of students taking opportunities when they can. "It's these opportunities that set students apart."

More than a year ago, Abby was promoted to weekend producer at KTUU and is finding it to be quite different than her original associate producer position. "I prompt the news cast, write and find compelling stories, and much more. It's a lot of writing," she said. "I ultimately want to be a reporter. I know it's competitive, and with the industry changing now, it's even more competitive. The bottom line is people always have a need for news, but how they consume their news is changing."

Abby says she appreciates UAA's low student-teacher ratio allowing her to get the attention she seeks. Having professors that are experienced in the field has made her a better student and professional. "It really makes a difference when they give advice because they've been there."

Eager to graduate from UAA this December, Abby is also excited about being crowned Miss Alaska 2010 and inheriting the responsibility as Alaska's goodwill ambassador for the Children's Miracle Network.

As Miss Alaska, Abby traveled to Japan, Anchorage's sister city, to promote her personal platform, "Raising Global Citizens: The World is Our Classroom," where she advocates foreign exchange programs and foreign language education throughout Alaska.

As the countdown begins, Abby focuses on graduating and is preparing to compete in the national Miss America competition in Las Vegas in January.

"I've learned a lot through UAA's journalism department. The lessons I've learned in the classroom have shown me how to make good decisions in the newsroom. UAA has provided me with that extra edge employers are now looking for, and I thank them for that."