Introduction

Hi, I’m Lauren Theisen and I am a sophomore at Drake University. I am originally from Rogers, Minnesota, which is a suburb about 40 minutes away from Minneapolis. At Drake, I am double majoring in multimedia journalism and sociology, in hopes of one day being a TV news anchor or reporter. Outside of my studies, I serve as Vice President of Internal Affairs in my sorority, Kappa Kappa Gamma. I am also a news producer at WHO 13 News, the NBC affiliate here in Des Moines. I produce “Hello, Iowa!,” Iowa’s premiere lifetime show and “Today in Iowa Saturday” and “Today in Iowa Sunday.” All of this keeps me very busy! I hope to use this page to tell you more about my passions and goals.
Education

At Drake, I am a double major in multimedia journalism and sociology. I always knew that I wanted to major in journalism, so that I could pursue a career in broadcast television. I added a sociology major during my first year at Drake because of my passion for those types of classes. I am currently taking 16 credits, ranging from Criminology to Video Production to Web Content and Development. I don’t have a favorite class right now, but I would say my least favorite class is Astronomy, which is one of my AOI, or “Area of Interest” classes. This semester, I am most looking forward to the 2023 Drake Relays.
Career Goals


When I was a kid, my mom would watch the news every morning with me. I loved watching the reporters tell people’s stories and try new things on the air and knew that one day that is what I wanted to do. As I got older, I developed a passion for writing, interviewing, and storytelling and decided to pursue a career in broadcast journalism. I still aspire to be a TV news reporter or anchor for a national organization. Last year, I started my career at KCCI 8 News in Des Moines as a camera operator. I worked there throughout spring semester and learned so much about how TV news works and how a live broadcast works. In August, I started at WHO 13 News, where I am a news producer. Through this position, I have learned how to write, script, and stack a show, manage a team, booth a newscast, and think creatively. My next step is to learn more about reporting and how to put together my own stories.