“Journalism keeps you planted in the earth.” – Ray Bradbury
My name is Zainab Mudallal and I am currently a senior print journalism major at the University of Maryland Philip Merrill College of Journalism. I was born and raised in Abu Dhabi, the capital of the United Arab Emirates, and moved to Maryland to pursue my dreams of becoming a journalist and storyteller. Having journalistic experience in the U.A.E. as well as the U.S. has led me to appreciate many things journalists take for granted, such as First Amendment rights and shield laws. That is where I saw major differences between the two countries, and these differences solidified my choice to pursue the field on this side of he world. I am originally Iraqi, and am fluent in Arabic and currently studying Spanish as my minor after pursuing it for seven years.
As I’ve grown and matured as a journalist, I’ve learned to appreciate the craft of research, the foundation of accuracy and the quality of storytelling, which is what I ideally aspire to do. The reason I chose to pursue journalism in the first place stems from my early love of writing. But my early-rooted passion for storytelling has evolved into the digital and visual platform, where I’ve immersed myself in the digital realm of journalism, and am curious as to what’s next. I believe my well-rounded experiences with writing, video and graphics, along with my eagerness to write and learn new skills, have prepared me for the challenges of working as a full-time journalist.
Contact: LinkedIn @Zainab_Mudallal zainabmudallal8126@gmail.com
Zainab Mudallal 