Caitie McMekin ‘14: Communicating Through the Power of Pictures

Storytelling in the 21st century takes many forms and for Allegheny College alumna Caitie McMekin, it's all about the images. For the last decade she's been a visual journalist for the Knoxville News Sentinel, capturing heartbreak, celebration, and the people who live in East Tennessee.

"Taking photos of my friends in college was something I always enjoyed," Caitie said. "I worked as a student assistant in the admissions office and started making videos for them. Other students working there also worked at The Campus and they encouraged me to join."

One of Caitie's first assignments was also one of her most memorable. "At Springfest 2012, I got to shoot the concert where [Pittsburgh-based rapper] Mac Miller was performing. Being in front of the crowd and right there with the artists was very exciting," she recalled. "I think that was my first taste of being a photojournalist."

In January 2013, she was part of The Campus team that traveled to Washington to cover President Barack Obama's second inauguration. "Allegheny chartered a bus and the newspaper's advisor, Professor Cheryl Hatch, pushed us to go. At the time, I don't think we realized how historic that event would be," Caitie said. "I took a lot of pictures of people in the crowd who stood for hours in the freezing cold because they felt it was important to be there."

Just before graduation, Caitie and her advisor, Professor Michael Keeley, were awarded a Mellon Foundation grant to produce a documentary about the Conneaut Lake Area Historical Society, which preserves the area's rich history. "It was nice for the museum volunteers to see that the work they do is valued," she said.

Caitie double majored in neuroscience and communication arts and says that unusual combination has proven valuable. "Even though I didn't go into a science career, having the science background and research skills has been beneficial. I learned how the brain works and how people think."

Caitie used that knowledge at The Campus and still does today. "When I'm taking photos of people it's important to know how to communicate with them and put them at ease," she emphasized. Allegheny's journalism workshops were equally important to launching her career by helping her realize she could make a living as a photojournalist. "The professionals and photojournalism students from other programs who spoke at the workshops showed me the path forward," she said.

Caitie knows firsthand the impact that images can have in telling a story. "Visuals can feel more intimate than words and sometimes there's a bit more meaning in a photo," she noted. "You're there with people on their worst day, best day, or somewhere in between. It's what I love about this job. It's a privilege."