Ryan Kupperman ’25, Erin Martin ’25 and Abby Gravely ’27 – all three members of Elon News Network – headed to Chicago this week to chronicle the events leading up to Vice President Kamala Harris formally accepting the Democratic presidential nomination.
Ryan Kupperman ’25 can rest now that the 2024 Democratic National Convention has concluded.
While reporting this week in Chicago, the Elon journalism major worked at a frenetic pace alongside fellow Elon News Network reporters Erin Martin ’25 and Abby Gravely ’27, covering the news and happenings of the Democratic Party’s four-day gathering. The event featured delegates, party leaders, politicians and activists from across the country, and culminated Aug. 22 with Vice President Kamala Harris formally accepting the Democratic presidential nomination.
According to Kupperman, the trio began their coverage around sunrise each day and worked until 2 or 3 a.m. – an hour later in Elon – to publish the content they compiled. This became their weeklong routine, which Kupperman came to enjoy.
“There’s so much to do, but the work feels so rewarding. And there’s a constant flow of adrenaline and jitters keeping us going,” ENN’s managing editor said. “Long, jam-packed days, but there were so many cool, rewarding experiences, too. The mix of coffee and opportunities had me almost constantly shaking in excitement – almost vibrating.”
During the convention, the student journalists remotely published articles addressing how the Democratic Party is engaging young voters through social media, the plans of North Carolina Democrats leading up for Election Day, and Vice President Kamala Harris accepting the party’s nomination.
While Chicago might be 11 hours northwest of Elon’s campus, the convention’s news is certainly relevant to the campus community – and the larger Alamance County community – heading into November’s election.
“It is important for ENN and journalism students to be at major national events so that we can ask the questions that our audience cares about, inquire about the issues impacting North Carolinians and students,” said Martin, ENN’s design chief. “Getting the access to go to these major events and talk to political leaders and voting delegates gives us the opportunity to serve our audience and help prepare our local community to make informed decisions this November.”
The computer science major found the convention’s mood to be “inspiring,” noting the energy surrounding the party’s shift toward a new era with Harris at the forefront. The experience definitely left an impression.
“Getting to hear politicians and delegates, as well as celebrities, talk about the changes they want to see in America and the issues that are important to them has been really powerful,” Martin added. “Getting to hear from women who have struggled with fertility and who opened up about their struggles to advocate for reproductive rights. Getting to hear from the people who firsthand have been impacted by legislation and are so passionate about these issues and are willing to have difficult conversations. It was unlike any other atmosphere I have been in before.”
While Kupperman has experience covering political events, including President Biden’s visit to Greensboro, Lt. Gov. Mark Robinson campaigning in Altamahaw, and a general local election, the magnitude of the convention certainly stood out.
Taking a moment to reflect, the senior recalled how moving it was to hear from Michelle and Barack Obama, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, and Senator Bernie Sanders, as well as cultural influencers like Oprah Winfrey, Stevie Wonder and Kenan Thompson.
Kupperman also spoke with Iain Armitage, the lead actor from the CBS hit “Young Sheldon,” who was in Chicago advocating for issues important to the arts and entertainment community.
“I can’t compare the convention to anything I’ve experienced,” Kupperman said. “The mood is one of passion, perseverance, and grit – as I have read the RNC was as well.”
To work the convention, Gravely and Martin flew in Monday morning, while Kupperman took the train into the city from his home in the Chicago suburbs. After dropping off their bags at their hotel, they went straight to McCormick Place via a shuttle to begin their coverage. The trio also reported from the pro-Palestinian protests in Union Park and made their way to the United Center, which had daily programming.
Coincidentally, Kupperman’s family has a history covering political events. Harvey Wittenberg, Ryan Kupperman’s grandfather, reported on the infamous 1968 Democratic National Convention in Chicago for WLS radio. The Daily Herald highlighted with family with a short article, titled “Student journalist from the suburbs following in grandfather’s footsteps at DNC.”
Like his grandfather, Kupperman leaves the convention with plenty of memories – and sense of accomplishment. The ENN trio, he said, took pride in working on their own in one of the biggest cities in the world, standing shoulder-to-shoulder with professional journalists from ABC News, AP News, the New York Times, and so many others.
“Getting to problem-solve on our own, see the coverage that professional news outlets provide, and using what we’ve learned in the classroom and in the newsroom to provide our own versions has felt so incredibly rewarding,” Kupperman said. “Being able to work on the fly each day, learn from our mistakes, and try to improve each day have quite possibly been the most rewarding moments of my career thus far.”
Additionally, he said he cherished the opportunity to provide relevant political news coverage for ENN’s college-aged audience, as well as the communities in Alamance County.
“Us being here feels like we’re giving Elon and Alamance a seat at the national table,” Kupperman said.
Elon representation at DNC
Elon News Network wasn’t the only Elon connection in Chicago covering the convention.
Joe Bruno ’14, a news reporter for Charlotte’s WSOC-TV, and photojournalists Al Drago ’15 and Caroline Brehman ’18 were also on hand to chronicle the super-sized political event. In fact, Drago – shooting for Bloomberg News – helped Martin obtain loaner gear from Canon.
Drago commended Kupperman, Martin and Gravely for seeking ways to better inform Elon’s community, even if it meant venturing far from campus. It reminded the alumnus of when he covered 2012 Democratic National Convention in Charlotte when he was a sophomore, driving down after class each day. Here’s a look at The Pendulum’s cover on Sept. 5, 2012.
“The best way for a student journalist to gain experience is by working in the real world and covering stories big and small,” Drago said. “One of my favorite parts about my time at Elon was getting real-world, professional experience as a student.”