WKU Sociology & Criminology Alumni Profiles

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Tessa Duvall '13

Class of 2013, Tessa Duvall received bachelor degrees in news/editorial journalism and sociology, with a minor in political science.  Taking full advantage of High Impact Educational Practices, Tessa completed FOUR (!) newspaper internships and studied abroad both the WKU Semester at Sea and a semester at Harlaxton in Grantham, England.  Of her news internships, Tessa writes “I believe my background in sociology -- and specifically research methods -- made me an even better interviewer and encouraged me to think critically about how to frame and approach stories.”

Tessa landed her first newspaper job in Texas during the week of final exams for her last semester on the Hill. After almost a year, she moved to a larger newspaper in Jacksonville, Florida, staying with that paper for more than four years.  There, she primarily covered juvenile justice and children's issues, like juvenile life without parole, teenage homicide offenders, school-based arrests and youth mental health. After her experience in Texas, Tessa accepted a position as an investigative reporter in Louisville. With the Courier Journal, Tessa has covered topics such as homelessness and justice issues broadly, and is currently on the Breonna Taylor case.  To get to this dream job, Tessa states “All in all, it took four internships and two full-time gigs to get me to where I wanted to be: an investigative reporter.”

Of her passion and joy in the work that she does, Tessa offers this narrative:

The Courier Journal has an incredible newsroom dedicated to telling important stories. As I write this, we're in the middle of covering one of the biggest stories in the country this year: the fatal police shooting of Breonna Taylor and the ensuing protests for racial justice and police reform. Throughout telling this complicated story, I've been so proud of the work my colleagues and I have done to cover this from all angles: to parse out the details of the fatal shooting and the investigation that led police to Ms. Taylor's door; looking at how protesters have taken to the streets for more than 100 consecutive days demanding change; and examining how the case and movement transcend into sports, entertainment and politics. There's a saying that journalism is the "first rough draft of history" and the team I work with is acutely aware of that we're capturing a monumental moment in history.

Of her time with the department, Tessa reports there were many favorable memories. 

At the top of my list is the Inside-Out class with Dr. King at the prison in Nashville. It was an eye-opening experience that took me out of my comfort zone and required my "outside" classmates and I to engage with people who held perspectives totally unlike our own. (I also think this really contributed to my comfort interviewing incarcerated people during my time in Florida). Dr. Kanan was a constant source of good advice and guidance when I asked for his perspective on my next steps post-grad. Dr. Daday made fundamental classes like research methods and theory engaging. Everything Dr. Bohlander said was either profound or hilarious -- and sometimes both. I especially enjoyed watching Dr. Groce challenge the men in his sociology of gender course to rethink their assumptions.

Like many alumni have shared, Tessa encourages students to “get out there” by pursuing internships “even ones you don’t think you are qualified for” and make the most out of those experiences by never turning down an assignment. She also values quality mentorship and has honed her skills by reading the volume of writing printed by some of her favorites.  Her final piece of advice?

“Work hard. Ask good questions. Be tough, but fair. And, as a late journalist I admire often told me: "Keep the rascals honest."