Note: This profile is one of a three-part series where School of Communication 2026 graduates explain how they grew through academic work and hands-on professional experience over their time at American University.

Kennedy Morgan came to AU already interested in politics, but SOC gave that interest direction. As a broadcast journalism and political science double major, she found a way to connect the two fields, emphasizing public service in her work. 

“I always approach journalism with a public service intention,” she said. 

That perspective started to take shape early, during her summer internship in the Office of the Governor of New Jersey. Morgan entered the role interested in production and operations, hoping to help make things happen behind the scenes. Working directly under the chief of operations, she assisted with scheduling, bookings, cameras, briefings, and events, gaining a close-up view of how government functions. 

But what stayed with her most was the distance between the work she was doing and the work she wanted to do. 

“I’m standing behind the governor, but I’m watching the camera people set up and ask him questions, and they are more involved than I am and I’m literally working with him,” she said. 

At an event in Ocean City, where reporters were preparing to ask about remarks tied to Trump, that realization became clear. 

“It was almost like I wanted to get out of the office so I could ask him that question,” she said. “Because I can’t ask that, I work for him.” 

That instinct carried into her internship at FOX 5 DC, where Morgan said she learned the importance of pitching stories that mattered to her. She wrote a story on Howard University’s payment deadline changes and tuition increase, drawing from her perspective as a Black college student. 

“I knew it was important, and the situation did get resolved,” she said, noting that the coverage contributed to a broader conversation and calls for accountability. 

She also pitched and began leading a story on the Trump administration’s quiet removal of federal data. At FOX 5, she said, initiative was key. 

“Don’t sit and wait for somebody to give you work. Make your own work.” 

That mindset became a practice. She pitched stories, edited her own work, and actively looked for ways to contribute rather than waiting for assignments. 

On campus, Morgan continued to merge her interests in production and politics through the Kennedy Political Union, where she served as head of production and helped run and stream events. As a freshman, she worked on an SOC event featuring Kaitlan Collins and Kristen Welker, an experience that made the field feel tangible. 

“Kristen Welker started out at one of my dream stations, NBC10 in Philly,” she said, recalling helping run that event as a moment she could truly see herself in the industry. 

Outside of academics, AU in Motion, the university’s student-run dance club, offered a creative outlet and grounding space. Over 4 years, she choreographed and performed in the club’s semester showcases and even choreographed an opening performance for Tinashe alongside Adela Camposano at AU’s fall concert through the Kogod School of Business. She also worked as a teaching assistant and at Kogod - experiences that strengthened her communication skills and reinforced the importance of being present, reliable, and engaged on campus. 

In the classroom, she credits courses like Digital Skills with Jill Olmstead and Advanced Broadcast Production with Terry Bryant for equipping her with technical tools she now uses in the field. Through those classes, she developed skills in editing, anchoring, producing, directing, and reporting; making the newsroom feel familiar before she even entered it. 

Looking ahead, Morgan hopes to continue covering education policy and access, especially stories that reflect the communities she cares about. The response to her Howard University piece affirmed for her that education reporting can have real impact when journalists are willing to ask the right questions. 

And through it all, her advice remains consistent: 

“You cannot sit and wait for somebody to give you something to do,” she said. “If you want to do something, you can just do it.”