Lizzie Johnson's Profile

I like to tell stories, so let me share mine with you.

The first writing tool I picked up was a surgical marking pen. I was raised in an Omaha, Neb., suburb by a respiratory therapist and an oncology nurse. While other 5-year-olds in Mrs. Sweetman's kindergarten class were kicking around soccer balls and swinging across the monkey bars with their parents, I was learning how my lungs and body worked with mine.

The pursuit of medicine and biology is in my blood. But it isn't in my heart — my dad discovered that when I nearly fainted at the sight of a syringe during a round of vaccinations in elementary school.

Instead, I write.

I love a good story. Even better, I love a good adventure. The thrill of actively tracking down and talking to sources, researching and assembling a modge-podge of facts into a cohesive article is absolutely addicting. As journalism moves into new territories, I want to be right there, reporting the entire way.

As a student at the University of Missouri-Columbia, I covered crime and served on the editorial board for the Maneater, MU's student newspaper from fall 2011 to spring 2012. In fall 2012, I reported on higher education for the Columbia Missourian. I was a contributing writer for Vox Magazine for spring 2013. This summer, I will cram my life into the back of my blue Corolla and head to the Omaha World-Herald to spend 12 weeks reporting breaking news for the metro area.

When I'm not frantically scribbling quotes down or researching projects, I can be found attempting to cook, running on MKT or googling cat videos.

Contact Information:
@lizziejohnsonnn on twitter
www.wordpress.com/johnsonelizabeth
eaj547@mail.missouri.edu