Mary Specht

Current

• Information Architect at Gannett

Past

• Product Design Specialist at Gannett
• Part-time Freelance Writer/Web Designer at Gannett
• Visiting Intern at Masslive.com (Advance Net)

• Intern at U.S. Department of State
• Intern at USA Today
• Staff Reporter/Editor at The Eagle, AU's student newspaper
• Intern at washingtonpost.com
• Intern at Housatonic Publications

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Education

• American University

Recommended

2 people have recommended Mary

Connections

88 connections

Industry

Online Media

Websites

• My Website

Mary Specht’s Experience

• Information Architect

  Gannett

  (Public Company; 10,001 or more employees; GCI; Online Media industry)

  May 2008 — Present (5 months)

• Product Design Specialist

  Gannett

  (Public Company; 10,001 or more employees; GCI; Newspapers industry)

  May 2007 — May 2008 (1 year 1 month)

• Part-time Freelance Writer/Web Designer

  Gannett

  (Public Company; 10,001 or more employees; GCI; Online Media industry)

  February 2007 — May 2007 (4 months)

  • Writing, editing and creating interactive presentations related to corporate-wide Web site redesign for internal Web standards document

• Visiting Intern

  Masslive.com (Advance Net)

  (Privately Held; 1-10 employees; Online Media industry)

  January 2007 — January 2007 (1 month)

  • Filmed and edited four videos, conducted two audio interviews, and live blogged about national high school basketball tournament over one week during my winter break. The website of The (Springfield, Mass.) Republican, part of Advance Publications, Inc., draws 300,000 unique users per month

• Intern

  U.S. Department of State

  (Government Agency; 10,001 or more employees; International Affairs industry)

  September 2006 — November 2006 (3 months)

  • Proposed and implemented series of three articles and three webchats on information technology's role in developing nations
  • Volunteered to research and write short best practices report on webchats
  • Possess Secret level interim security clearance

• Intern

  USA Today

  (Public Company; 1001-5000 employees; GCI; Newspapers industry)

  May 2006 — August 2006 (4 months)

  • Wrote full-page feature on results of the paper’s annual survey of college tuition and financial aid. Managed all stages of project: sent surveys to 75 schools, followed up with each, compiled responses in database, analyzed data to determine trends, reported findings in two bylined articles. Paper has circulation higher than two million
  • Wrote seven other articles and helped a staff reporter with research
  • Coordinated schedules of all seven other interns in Life section

• Staff Reporter/Editor

  The Eagle, AU's student newspaper

  (Educational Institution; 11-50 employees; Newspapers industry)

  September 2004 — May 2006 (1 year 9 months)

  • Served as Editor of Campus News, largest section in twice-weekly college student newspaper with circulation 8,000. Previously served as Online Editor, Co-Metro Editor, and Beat Reporter on Student Government
  • Wrote 100+ articles, more than one-third of which made front page
  • Currently serve on paper’s Board of Directors

• Intern

  washingtonpost.com

  (Public Company; 201-500 employees; WPO; Online Media industry)

  May 2005 — August 2005 (4 months)

  • Co-wrote 400-word article printed in The Washington Post. When posted online mid-day before publication, story reached number four most-viewed. Site is visited more than 15 million times per month
  • Enhanced existing Special Report section on stem cells. Wrote timeline and guide to relevant legislation. Worked with producer to create interactive map allowing users to roll over state to see its stem cell policy
  • Researched for four producers and three Post.com columnists

• Intern

  Housatonic Publications

  (Privately Held; 51-200 employees; Newspapers industry)

  June 2004 — August 2004 (3 months)

  • Wrote 12 pieces for Housatonic’s six southwestern Connecticut newspapers with total circulation 20,000, including 2000-word feature for Passport, glossy quarterly leisure magazine for New York metropolitan area with circulation 19,000
  • Wrote news briefs and proofread for all publications

Mary Specht’s Education

• American University

  Journalism, with minor in Justice, 2004 — 2007

  Graduated one year early

  Activities and Societies:

  The Eagle (student newspaper), Society of Professional Journalists (student chapter), The Washington Post Semester (one of four undergraduates selected to meet with Post editors and reporters each week; a one-credit course)

Additional Information

Mary Specht’s Websites:

• My Website

Mary Specht’s Groups:

Online News Association, National Press Club, Society of Professional Journalists

•    Information Architecture Institute (IAI)
•    Fans of Mashable
•    DCIA

Mary Specht’s Honors:

• Scripps Howard Foundation’s $10,000 Top Ten Scholarship Award (journalism school deans select one student to represent their university in this nationwide competition)
• Scripps Howard Foundation’s Roy W. Howard Collegiate Reporting Award, (nationally competitive, all-expenses-paid, two-week trip to Korea and Japan to meet with media and technology experts)
• Bill Lauf Memorial Journalism Scholarship from Danbury, Conn. Fish and Game Club

Mary Specht’s Contact Settings

Interested In:

• reference requests
• getting back in touch