Wyatt King

I'm a senior at Columbia University studying political science and statistics with experience in journalism and social science research.

My interest in journalism was sparked at the beginning of my first year in college. Working for the Columbia Daily Spectator, I eventually became the executive producer for the 148th Managing Board, directing Spectator's video content. In January, 2024, I reported on a hazardous chemical being sprayed at a pro-Palestinian rally, and in April, I covered the encampment, the occupation of Hamilton Hall, and the related arrests. My reporting was cited by several national media outlets, including the New York Times, and my footage appeared on PBS Frontline.

When I'm not reporting, I spend much of my (productive) time in class and doing school work. My classes in security studies, political economy, and statistics are those that excite me most. Among my favorite courses at university were three research seminars I took in the spring of my junior year, which all culminated in final research papers. The methodology, prose, and argument of these papers were all pretty basic, but they got me interested and invested in doing research. Currently, I'm writing my senior thesis on attitudes toward nuclear weapons in India. Using an experimental survey fielded via Amazon MTurk, I intend to test how support for a hypothetical first strike nuclear attack changes depending on a variety of strategic factors Indian decision makers may face during a crisis.

While at university, I have worked for organizations spanning journalism and advocacy. In the summer going into my junior year, I worked for PEN America, researching how journalists and writers can protect themselves against hate, harassment, and intimidation online. Throughout the 2024-25 academic year, I served as an editorial and production intern at NBC News, working for Top Story with Tom Llamas. This fall, I am a student scholar at the Saltzman Institute for War and Peace. Looking toward future careers, I hope to regularly apply the research skills I have developed at University with the tenacity and resolve I had to build while reporting on the student protests at Columbia. As of right now, I'm not entirely sure what path this will lead me down—it could be journalism, advocacy, academia, or any other field that's gripping and fulfilling.

If you think there's an opportunity that I'd be well suited for, drop me a line.