About Crash Course

Crash Course: Election 2020 is a weekly newsletter and website produced by UConn Journalism students.

Why you should subscribe to Crash Course

You’ll get straightforward, non-biased and easy-to-digest explanations about election issues that matter to college students. This is election coverage for students, explained by students.

You won’t have to worry about missing anything. Every new edition of the Crash Course: Election 2020 newsletter will go directly to your inbox.

You’ll get the run down from professors, local journalists and political pundits in the newsletter each week.

You’ll also get links to more information and a weekly roundup of local & national election headlines. We’re compiling news from a mix of reputable sources, so you can hear every side of the story.

You’ll even get “conversation starter” suggestions for the next time you’re with your family/friends and politics comes up.

Open up this once-a-week newsletter starting September 25, 2020, and you’ll feel prepared to make a well-informed decision by Election Day — November 3, 2020.

Who we are

Learn about the team of UConn student journalists who put “Crash Course” together:

Ashley Anglisano: I am a senior journalism and communication major with a political science minor at the University of Connecticut. At UConn, I am the News Editor of the student-run newspaper The Daily Campus, and enjoy covering breaking news around UConn and Connecticut. I’m also a student pilot, and have experience covering news and special events in the general aviation industry.

Fiona Brady: I'm a journalism and political science double major at the University of Connecticut. My interest in politics began while watching the 2016 election coverage unfold. I wasn't old enough to vote in that election, but I was fascinated by the way peoples' life experiences influenced their political beliefs and their voting decisions. I hope to use my interest in politics and love for journalism in my future career in broadcast journalism. I currently work for the Neag School of Education, where I interview professors, students, and alumni and write stories for their website. I am also a reporter for UCTV News, UConn's student-run broadcast news network. This summer I interned (virtually due to COVID-19) for CBS News, where I produced my own news stories and learned from industry professionals.

Ben Crnic: I'm a journalism and geoscience double major at the University of Connecticut. I've loved writing forever, and I especially enjoy covering pressing environmental issues and current events. I also have a passion for writing about music, movies, and comedy. I've written for UConn's student newspaper, The Daily Campus, as well as the UConn Department of Materials Science and Engineering's newsletter, where I wrote about students, alumni, and faculty. 

Mike Mavredakis: This summer I was a news intern at the Waterbury Republican-American, stationed in their Torrington bureau. I am also a staff writer at The UConn Blog, as their main UConn men's basketball beat writer. I have also spent two years at The Daily Campus covering a range of topics including the undergraduate student government and multiple sports teams. I am pursuing a degree in journalism with a political science minor. I am looking to become a features writer at the professional level, telling any story that would otherwise go overlooked.

Allison O’Donnell: I’m a journalism major and political science minor at the University of Connecticut. As a news junkie, I am excited to have an excuse to read even more about the 2020 election. Last fall, I researched international news bias returned by Google News under a PhD candidate in the Communication Department. Since then, I have interned with a startup online news aggregator that pulls from reputable sources on both sides of the political spectrum with the goal of bridging the gap between Democrats and Republicans.

Associate Prof. Marie K. Shanahan: I’m the editor of Crash Course: Election 2020 and the instructor of this experimental Fall 2020 Publication Practice class. I’ve been teaching digital journalism at UConn since 2011 and reading too many online comments, my area of academic expertise. In my former professional life, I worked as a reporter and digital editor at The Hartford Courant. I currently serve on the board of directors for two non-profit news organizations in Connecticut that are doing amazing work: Connecticut Health Investigative Team and The Connecticut Mirror.

Questions?

Email us at crashcourse@uconn.edu.

You can also find us on Twitter at @crashcourse2020.


To find out more about UConn Journalism, visit journalism.uconn.edu.
To find out more about the company that provides the tech for this newsletter, visit Substack.com.

Subscribe to Crash Course

A newsletter for young voters that explains what's at stake and why it matters. News coverage for college students, explained by college students. Brought to you by UConn Journalism.

People

I'm a journalism and geoscience double major at UConn who's loved writing forever, and is ready to dip into political reporting.
Journalism and political science double major at UConn. Aspiring broadcast journalist with an interest in political reporting.
UConn '20 | Senior Journalism and Political Science student with a demonstrated history of working in the news and public relations industries.
Nationally-accredited journalism program at the University of Connecticut. We prepare students to become intelligent, responsible, articulate journalists.
I am a UConn senior journalism and communication major with a political science minor. I am also the News Editor of The Daily Campus and a student pilot.
UConn Journalism '22 | UConn men's basketball at The UConnn Blog | staff writer at The Daily Campus | former intern at the Waterbury Republican American