Hamline University alumna Serri Graslie may have just graduated, but she is already making headlines. During her time at Hamline, Graslie edited the student newspaper, The Oracle, and now she has taken her journalism skills to the next level, working side-by-side with the writers and reporters at National Public Radio.

Graslie graduated from Hamline last spring with a major in anthropology. She first came across the fellowship opportunity at National Public Radio while looking online for post graduation jobs.

“The idea behind the [fellowship] program is to offer opportunities to everyone, including non-journalists,” Graslie said. “You have to submit something that took great effort or time on your part, and it could be a documentary, a poem, even a musical composition. I submitted two copies of The Oracle, one before I became part of the staff and one after I’d worked there for four years.”

Graslie was one of just three people chosen for the Kroc Fellowship, a year-long intensive training program intended to bring people into the public radio system. She was chosen out of a pool of more than 250 applicants from over 150 universities in seven countries. Many of the applicants were graduates of top Ivy League schools.

“My anthropology courses at Hamline helped shape my world view in a positive way,” Graslie said. “It has helped me to understand how and why people interact and to think critically. And my advisers, David Davies and David Hudson, gave me real world advice and encouraged me to challenge myself.”

Graslie will spend time at four of National Public Radio’s stations this year writing, setting up interviews, and reporting. As for what the future holds after her time at NPR is over, Graslie says she could possibly go abroad. For the moment though, she is simply grateful for the opportunity she has been given.

“We’ll just see what comes along,” she said.