Hannah McClellan graduated from Bellwood-Antis in 2024.
Although she was always a good writer, she never seriously considered journalism until she went to college.
In high school, she always enjoyed writing, whether it was essays for class, letters to friends, or even just compiling thoughts in her notes ap, but BluePrint, B-A’s online student newspaper, was never something she could fit into her schedule.
For college, Hannah was accepted at University of Connecticut, and the move to Storrs meant a new environment and new people. To settle in, she attended a meeting for the Daily Campus. UConn’s student-run newspaper.
After she pitched her first story, she was invited to be a campus correspondent, and since then, she has had the opportunity to publish several pieces.
Hannah has a volume of published stories readers could link to on the Daily Campus website. While many of her stories fall into the opinion category, like her critique of our current “unboxing culture” or her insightful commentary on human relationships and the loss of human connection, she has also delved into the social and political. In January, she published an article questioning the future of New York City’s subway system.
Hannah said she wrote the stories she did to bring awareness to issues she felt were important. Many people are either unaware of current events or choose not to engage with them, she said, so it became important for her to educate herself thoroughly and find ways to present these topics in a relatable, accessible way.
Hannah is one of three members of the class of 2024 now involved with journalism. The other two are Olivia Hess in University Park and Kate Wallace at Penn State Altoona.
Blueprint advisor Mr. Naylor said he wasn’t surprised to see Hannah thriving as a writer, though he jokingly had some regrets about her never writing for the BluePrint.
“I still remember her work as a freshman year in ninth grade English. She was always naturally gifted as a writer and a cut above her peers. We could have used her on our staff ! But I’m happy she has found a way to use her writing talents in college,” said Mr. Naylor
The move to a school hours away was a tough one for Hannah, but her work as a journalist helped to settle her in.
“To say I felt uncertain about leaving behind everything and everyone I loved would be an understatement. But now, I can confidently say that fear was misplaced,” she said.
Moving away from home was challenging for her. For 18 years, Pennsylvania was all she knew, and choosing to start over in a completely new place was terrifying, Hannah said. But now, UConn has been a second home to her, and she’s found people there who feel like a second family.
”I wanted to push myself, and moving away gave me a chance at a fresh start and to grow as an individual,” said Hannah.
Hannah said she chose to attend the University of Connecticut for several reasons. UConn’s status as an R1 research institution was a major factor. That ranking means the university is at the forefront of scientific advancement, and that excellence is reflected in its professors and staff. UConn offers student resources that support personal and academic growth.
Hannah is majoring in physiology and neurobiology with a minor in philosophy. She said being a STEM major is very intense, and factoring in her commitments to the Daily Campus and ensuring she makes time for loved ones is something she finds herself continually working on.
Moving forward, Hannah said her plans are to receive her undergraduate degree and then proceed to get her doctoral degree. On a smaller scale, she plans to continue to write for the Daily Campus and hopes to advance to hold larger positions wat the publication.
While Hannah is not against writing professionally, it is not something she has planned career-wise. However, she does plan to always write, as it is something she loves to do.
