Emma Atkinson

communicator, writer, editor, content marketer

Featured Work

Explore a selection of my work in the newsroom at the University of Denver below.

University of Denver Newsroom •

50 Countries, Countless Stories: DU Students Go Abroad | University of Denver

At the University of Denver, the world is your campus.It’s one of the many great things about DU. Students can go abroad and earn credits for a summer, a quarter, or even longer through the University’s abundant study abroad opportunities. In fact, more than 70 percent of undergrads go abroad at some point during their time at DU. Pursuing education abroad is not only the opportunity of a lifetime, but it’s also been made increasingly accessible to all students thanks to the support of the Cherr...
University of Denver •

The Inside Scoop on DU’s Most Popular Major | University of Denver

“Choose your own adventure” is how Kateri McRae, psychology department chair, describes getting a bachelor’s degree in psychology at the University of Denver.The most popular undergrad degree at DU, the psychology program is perfect for students with wide interests, offering them flexibility to pursue a double or even triple major in other disciplines. With one of the lowest numbers of required classes of all undergraduate programs at DU, the psychology major makes it easy for students to tack o...
University of Denver •

The Right to Personhood: One Professor’s Fight for Animals | University of Denver

What if dogs were more than just “man’s best friend?”That’s an over-simplified version of the question being asked by animal rights lawyers like Justin Marceau, the Brooks Institute Faculty Research Scholar of Animal Law and Policy at the Sturm College of Law.Essentially, some activists and legal scholars are arguing that some animals—like dogs and elephants—should be granted “legal personhood.” A legal person is defined as “a human or a nonhuman legal entity that is treated as a person for lega...
University of Denver Newsroom •

‘The Dragon Roars Back’: How China’s Foreign Policy Is Reshaping Global Power | University of Denver

With the makings of a tariff war and heightened tensions between the United States and China, it’s uncertain what will happen in the coming months when it comes to the two world powers.Amid these geopolitical tensions, we look to experts in foreign policy to help us make sense of what’s going on—and what could be next.One of those experts is the University of Denver’s Suisheng Zhao, a professor in the Josef Korbel School of International Studies and the executive director of Korbel’s Center for...
University of Denver Newsroom •

DU Journalism Professor Reflects on Emmy Win | University of Denver

Kareem El Damanhoury wears multiple hats—all of them, though, perch on one goal: living and teaching trustworthy news reporting. As a journalist and producer with CNN, El Damanhoury recently earned a News Emmy award for Outstanding Breaking News Coverage of the Israel-Gaza War. In addition to his work in the fast-paced world of journalism, El Damanhoury also serves as a multimedia journalism and digital storytelling professor at DU. He’s been at DU since 2019 and is the founder and director of D...
University of Denver Newsroom •

Your Guide to Entertainment on Campus | University of Denver

Imagine this: You’re hanging out in your dorm, perhaps on a snowy day, with your homework finished. Maybe your roommate is out of town. You don’t have any club events or classes scheduled, and you’re sitting on your bed staring at your phone. You are bored with a capital B.You might not know it, but there are dozens of ways to entertain yourself right on campus. From galleries to performances and athletics events, there’s no shortage of exhibits and events to make you laugh, make you think or ma...
University of Denver Newsroom •

A Fulbright Recipient Finds Her Voice—And Her Way | University of Denver

It all began with a little voice.In the beginning, it wasn’t encouraging. It told her that her dream—earning one of the most prestigious scholarships in the world—might be too big, too out of reach.But, after Sophie Bergan got a taste of international travel as an undergrad, the little voice changed its tune.“That little voice in the back of my head that always thought about Fulbright was like, ‘Well, you could just try and throw together an application,’” she says.Bergan did much more than “thr...
University of Denver Newsroom •

Lamont at 100: A Century of Sound | University of Denver

The University of Denver’s Lamont School of Music is known as one of the top music schools in the world, producing award-winning musicians, composers and researchers.  Lamont was founded in 1924 as a private academy by Florence Lamont Hinman, a renowned voice teacher from Michigan. Under her direction, the school flourished, earning state accreditation in 1925 to grant bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral degrees in music. Originally located at 1170 Sherman St., it merged with the University of De...
University of Denver Newsroom •

DU Expands Research Impact With New Centers and Institutes | University of Denver

The University of Denver has announced the designation of six existing DU research entities as official DU research centers, along with two existing entities that are now official DU research institutes.“It’s exciting to see these institutes and centers becoming living, breathing things,” says Corinne Lengsfeld, senior vice provost for research and graduate education. “A lot of these centers want to grow, and they will serve as the birthplace for our future institutes. These new centers and inst...
University of Denver •

Age-Gap Relationships Are Having a Moment: DU Professor Weighs In | University of Denver

This summer, Leonardo DiCaprio made celebrity news when his current girlfriend, an Italian model, turned 26 years old—marking the first time the 49-year-old actor, who is known for dating younger women, has been in a relationship with someone older than 25.Leo’s dating history is nothing new in Hollywood: For decades, movies have featured young actresses and older actors playing people who are or become romantically involved. These age gaps can range from several years to several decades. It’s a...
University of Denver Newsroom •

From Denver to Taipei: The Boren Scholarship in Action | University of Denver

In her nearly four years at the University of Denver, Sofia Pineda Velez has spent almost as much time on the other side of the world as she has on campus. An international studies and Mandarin student, Pineda Velez is currently on her third stint in Taiwan on a Boren Scholarship. The Boren program sends U.S. students to study languages and immerse themselves in cultures all over the world with the goal of strengthening the United States’ representation in international public service.Prior to t...
University of Denver Newsroom •

5 Free Things to Do in Denver | University of Denver

Exploring a new city can be interesting and cool—and expensive. Luckily, Denver offers plenty of no-cost activities for you and your friends and family to enjoy. Denver Walking Tours has been offering free tours of the city for nearly 10 years. On an adults-only Twisted History tour, you’ll learn about the shocking and salacious stories of Denver. From chilling murders to notorious gangs, the tour “promises a day of darker revelations and laughter, offering a unique perspective on the city's pas...
University of Denver Newsroom •

Pushing Boundaries With Martha Redbone | University of Denver

“These are the stories that a lot of people would not like to be told—to sweep things under the rug and put a pretty little bow on top of it.”That’s how musical artist Martha Redbone describes the stories and family lore at the heart of her newest work, “Bone Hill,” a musical theater performance that tackles themes like racism, erasure and colonization.Growing up as a Black and Native woman, Redbone says, she viewed the American ideal through a “white” lens—one that gave little weight to the ver...
University of Denver •

Research-Backed Ways to Save Your Marriage and Avoid Divorce | University of Denver

Need a wedding gift for a happy couple in your life? Well, look no further—psychology professor Galena Rhoades has the perfect idea: her latest book, “Fighting for Your Marriage: Positive Steps for Preventing Divorce and Building a Lasting Love.”The idea of “preventing divorce” and “fighting for your marriage” before it has even begun may seem like putting the cart before the horse, but Rhoades likens the book to a “how-to” handbook for relationships.“We use manuals for just about everything we...
University of Denver Newsroom •

New Research Shows Positive Impact of Prenatal Mental Healthcare on Babies | University of Denver

New research from a University of Denver professor of psychology underscores the importance of mental health care for pregnant people—and suggests that treating depression during pregnancy can lead to longer gestation time and healthier babies.“Broadly, we're really interested in understanding the intergenerational impact or transmission of maternal mental health and understanding how maternal experiences and mental well-being in pregnancy has intergenerational implications,” says professor Elys...
University of Denver Newsroom •

Do the Olympic Games Actually Promote Peace? | University of Denver

The Olympic Games symbolize many things: strength, togetherness, peace. But does the worldwide spectacle actually promote global harmony?If you were to ask Tim Sisk, University of Denver professor of international and comparative politics, he would say, simply, “No.”In his new book, “Sports in International Politics: Between Power and Peacebuilding,” Sisk argues that while the Olympics are often assumed to foster goodwill between nations at war, the Games don’t do much for peace.“The Paris Games...
University of Denver Newsroom •

The Twists and Turns of a Lamont Grad’s Musical Journey

Kids love to quit things. “It’s too hard” and “It’s too boring” are common refrains that echo from the mouths of youngsters who want to spend less time in structured activities and more time with their friends or in front of the TV.

Seventh-grader Adam Gang wanted to quit playing music. He had loved it when he was younger, inspired by his cousin Sam Yahel, a professional jazz pianist. On a piano that Yahel had given him, Gang learned to play Mozart and Chopin, begging his parents for piano less
University of Denver Newsroom •

With A Country Divided, Judy Woodruff Still Has Hope

In her time reporting on politics in Washington, D.C., broadcast journalist Judy Woodruff has covered the administrations of eight presidents. And now, she says, she sees the United States as being more politically divided than ever.

“In all my years of covering Washington and of trying to understand American political decisions, I've never seen the country this divided,” Woodruff said.

Woodruff spoke at the 2024 Korbel Honors event, the University of Denver Josef Korbel School of Internationa
University of Denver Newsroom •

What Does It Mean to Be a Woman in STEM?

What good is life if we can’t laugh at the situations we find ourselves in—even if they’re not actually funny?

That’s the concept behind “Womanhood: The Series,” a film series produced by female writers and filmmakers across the United States, that examines what it is, exactly, to be a woman, through storytelling with a humorous twist.

The second season is all about the experiences of women who work in the fields of science, technology, engineering and math (STEM), and will feature six short f
University of Denver Newsroom •

Speaking Up in a Safe Space

Speaking up in class is hard, whether you’re a nervous fifth grader or a mature college student. It’s even harder when the subject is controversial or contentious—students might be afraid of seeming uninformed or contradicting their professors in front of their peers.

And now, in the face of rising global issues like climate change and human rights, civil discourse on tricky topics is more important than ever.

At the University of Denver, students have a unique opportunity to engage in tough d
University of Denver Newsroom •

‘A Continuum of Love’: Telling the Story of WWII Japanese-American Internment Camps

University of Denver professor of anthropology Esteban Gomez and recent alumna Whitney Peterson’s new film, “Snapshots of Confinement,” premieres this month on PBS.

If you search online for the history of World War II Japanese American internment camps in the United States, you’ll find a wealth of photos, some taken by famed photographers like Dorothea Lange and Ansel Adams. But a new documentary film, produced by a University of Denver professor and his former student, digs deeper.

“Snapshots
University of Denver Newsroom •

5 Questions With DU’s 4D Experience Experts

Erin Willer, Laura Perille and Kateri McRae share their thoughts on all things 4D ahead of 2024 Symposium.

Since the University of Denver’s 4D Experience was introduced, a dedicated group of faculty and staff have been working tirelessly to tailor the program to the needs of the DU community.

Why do these University employees choose to live and breathe 4D? Let’s find out.

Ahead of the 2024 4D Symposium on May 9 and 10, the DU Newsroom talked to the 4D leadership team about what makes the 4D E
University of Denver Newsroom •

Making Carbon Neutrality a Reality at DU

The University of Denver partners with a solar energy company to offset 100% of its electricity use over the next three years.

The University of Denver is taking a bold step toward reaching its goal of carbon neutrality by the year 2030.

Today, the University announced a new partnership with solar power company Pivot Energy to build six off-site solar installations around Colorado. Through net metering, the sites will offset 100% of DU’s electricity use. Pivot will also assist in the installat
University of Denver Newsroom •

Puzzling the Pieces Together: A Law Student Works Toward an Equitable Future

Caley Carlson will leave the University of Denver’s Sturm College of Law knowing she’s made a difference.

Sturm College of Law student Caley Carlson always knew she was interested in becoming a lawyer.

“I grew up as that really annoying kid that always asked a thousand questions,” she recalls. “Most of them were something along the lines of, ‘Why or how does that work?’”

Carlson, originally from Portland, Oregon, says she has fond memories of sitting down to complete thousand-piece jigsaw puz
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