The Joys of Journalism with Abigail Hakas ’24
I met Abigail for the first time in my first year at college, in my first very class. When we first met, we were both Creative writing majors! She has since committed wholeheartedly to the Communication major’s Journalism concentration, and loves every minute of it. Her passion for Pittsburgh journalism radiated through her senior-to-senior interview— she’s the second place winner of the Women's Press Club of Pittsburgh’s Gertrude Gordon Scholarship Contest— almost as much as her passion for the Communiqué, Chatham’s student newspaper.
How did you decide to attend Chatham?
Abigail Hakas
She/Her
Pittsburgh, PA (South Hills)
Major: Communication: Journalism
Minor: African American Studies
I knew I wanted to stay here in Pittsburgh. I love the city, I grew up in Pittsburgh, so I’m very attached to it. I knew I would want to be here for undergraduate education. I was touring Chatham and a couple other colleges one day, and Chatham was the first one I toured. It was just me my mom and the tour guide. As soon as we got into the car, I told my mom, “We don’t have to see any other schools; I'm going here.” I was enrolled that same week. I really fell in love with the campus. It was absolutely stunning.
Can you describe the Gertrude Gordon Scholarship, and what made you want to apply for it?
Every professional journalist I knew sent me that scholarship. I honestly thought I didn’t stand I chance. I decided to compete because I want to get involved more with local journalism. It was through the Women’s Press Club for Pittsburgh, which is an amazing institution, and it was such an honor to place in the scholarship contest. We interviewed a local environmental journalist and had an hour over zoom to interview as a group, and then two hours on your own to write.
What did you write for the contest, and what was your experience like?
We interviewed Kristina Marusic a local environmental journalist who wrote a book about carcinogens. I wrote my article as a profile about her and her work. I focused on her journey and telling her story, which I think is my favorite part of journalism. I think it’s the greatest gift a journalist can have is being able to tell people stories.
I didn’t hear anything for a couple weeks, but then got an email that I placed and was invited to the dinner. There I found out I got second place. My professor tells me I can call myself an award-winning journalist now, but I don’t think I will call myself one until I win a Golden Quill. It was an incredible honor to have won.
I want to give special thanks to Sara Bauknecht specifically for preparing me for the contest; she sat down with me and prepared me for it and explained what it would look like. It really helped me and I’m eternally grateful for her.
What’s your favorite part of the communication major?
The Communiqué. I was very nervous coming to college because I grew up homeschooled. It was a pretty big shift for me even though I did four years as a teenager at the community college of Allegheny County. I was so nervous to talk to people and I joined the Communiqué to write just one opinion story, and I ended up falling in love with it. I feel like it helped me adjust so much better than I would have otherwise. The community there was so friendly, and everyone on staff was amazing. It’s been really great for me now because I’m starting to make changes to professional places, local newspapers and magazines. I think it’s been so much easier because I have that professional environment built through the Communiqué, because the Communiqué functions like a real newsroom. It hasn’t felt hard to adjust to a newspaper that writes for wider audiences than it has to write for the Communiqué.
How did you start writing for the Communiqué?
Abigail Hakas and the spring 2023 Communiqué staff pose for a photo (Top row from left to right: Arlo McFarland, Jade Lombardo, Madison Butina, Abigail Hakas, Jacqueline Clark, Riley Hurst Brubaker, Carson Gates, Sara Bauknecht. Bottom row from left to right: Jada Jenkins, Alice Crow, and Jorie Meil.
It was my first semester and I noticed that a lot of the bathrooms on campus were gendered. That’s a cause I feel passionate about; I think all bathrooms should be gender-neutral. So I wanted to write an opinion article on gender-neutral bathrooms. The former opinion editor was in my creative writing class, and they told me to come to a pitch meeting. When I came to the pitch meeting, they wrote my name and staff writer next to it, and suddenly I was a part of the Communiqué. I wrote that first story and it went into print, and I felt really great about it. I felt good about getting my work out there. It was my first time getting published, and for a big audience. Writing for the paper felt amazing and so I stuck with it and I’ve been writing for them ever since.
What’s been your favorite story that you’ve written so far?
My favorite story I did so far, was in the Communiqué called “Chatham University needs to improve communication about Reorganization.” I try to have a bit of fun with every opinion article I write because it’s less structured than other sections. So, I decided I wanted to do a little gimmick. The first email that the school sent out was 751 words long, and so I made mine 752 words long. I was pretty proud of the story and some of the changes I suggested to be made were made, and I’m not sure if it was because of my article, but I appreciated it. I was able to have a lot of great conversations with faculty and students, and it made me really hopeful for the future of this University.
What is your favorite Chatham memory?
I started working at the OAAR writing center as a writing mentor. We are a staff of five students. I was nervous about getting along with everyone, but as soon as we met, we really clicked. Every Friday morning we have a weekly meeting. This one morning Douglas Bensch ’25 made up a sign on the library window facing the parking lot that said HONK if you love OAAR. We had such a hilarious time putting that up, and every time we get together it’s a good time. They all make me laugh so much, and I’m never going to forget it.
Abigail Hakas holds the Communiqué's Opossum Award of Prolificacy after being awarded it at the end of the 2023 spring semester.
What would you say to first year journalism students?
It’s nerve-wracking to be in a newsroom for the first time, but don’t be afraid to speak up. Communiqué is such a friendly environment. We always want people to feel comfortable pitching stories and discussing things. We’ve had so many great writers that have set the bar high, but it’s a learning place for everyone. That’s what a newsroom is for, you really have dialogue about your work. You can learn things without having to worry about the entire world’s eyes on your work, which hopefully someday it will.
What are your plans after graduation in fall 2024?
I want to become a community journalist in Pittsburgh. I really fell in love with it when I worked for the Pittsburgh Jewish Chronicle and Pittsburgh Union Progress. I love community journalism because these are stories that might not be covered otherwise. I’ve covered a few national stories as a journalist and I know realistically there are other journalists covering that, but for community journalism I might be the only one there. When I cover something local, I might be the only one who shows up. The appeal for me in community journalism is I want to tell stories that need to be told, but don’t have the resources to be told.
Lirit Gilmore is a Creative Writing and Food Studies student. Lirit’s academic focus is centered in food writing and how it intersects with social location and identity. She is from the DMV and the Midwest, and enjoys baking in her free time. See all her work on Pulse@ChathamU here.