CLEARFIELD – Jessica R. Shirey, 30, of Clearfield and formerly of Woodland, assumed the editorial reins of GantDaily.com, an online newspaper that serves the central Pennsylvania region, on Aug. 1.
“It has always been my goal since I started here as a part-time reporter. It’s very exciting for me,” she said. “I welcome this opportunity and the daily challenges that accompany it.”
Shirey said her primary goal is to deliver today’s news today with plans of generating a livelier and more interactive news site. In addition, she wants to increase its social networking presence on Facebook and Twitter.
“I want to provide more daily news headlines as well as to expand our local news coverage. I want our readers to expect an increase in the quantity and quality of our local news,” she said.
“Over the past four years, Jessica’s had a leading hand in some of our finest reporting,” said Christene Dahlem, president of GANT Media LLC. “She has proven to be the perfect fit for the editor position.”
Shirey encourages readers to submit their story ideas to her directly via e-mail at editor@gantnews.com.
Professional Career
Shirey began her journalism career at GantDaily.com as a freelance sports correspondent in December 2006. At this time, she also began volunteering her writing to Clearfield wrestling’s alumni newsletter, which raises monies for the Arthur J. Weiss Sr. Scholarship Fund.
In August 2007, she was hired as a full-time news reporter with The Richmond County Daily Journal in Rockingham, N.C. She moved approximately 530 miles and eight hours and 45 minutes away from home to pursue her journalism career.
Unfortunately for Shirey, it didn’t work out as planned and she returned home to Woodland approximately five months later. She re-joined the staff at GantDaily.com in February 2008 but switched gears from sports to news as a part-time reporter. As a news reporter, she primarily covered the Clearfield schools, county government and tourism and police and court.
In 2008, Shirey was twice-published in the Pennsylvania Wrestling News. Her story “Wrestler Battles Cancer” was the cover story for the May 2008 issue. This article resulted in a second freelance assignment about Pennsylvania Wrestlers at the 2008 Olympic Team Trials for which she interviewed Olympic silver medalist Sara McMann.
Shirey currently serves as editor of Clearfield wrestling’s alumni newsletter. She assumed this position in December 2009 after being a contributing writer for three years. She has also been active with the Clearfield wrestling booster club since April 2008. Since November 2008, she has served as the club’s secretary. She is also the team reporter for the Clearfield wrestling web site.
In 2009, she served on Clearfield wrestling’s 75-year celebration committee. She, alongside another Clearfield wrestling historian, produced a nearly 200-page commemorative book that detailed the wrestling program’s history from 1934-35 through 2009.
Educational Career
Shirey graduated from the Clearfield Area High School in 2000. In May 2004, she earned her Bachelor’s degree in Communication and a minor in German from the Clarion University of Pennsylvania.
She graduated summa cum laude with a 3.925 grade point average. She maintained a perfect 4.0 grade point average in German.
During her senior year, she covered women’s volleyball and wrestling for the university newspaper, The Clarion Call. She was also a staff writer for the university magazine, The Eyrie in spring 2004. She served as an on-air personality at the student-operated radio station, 91.7 WCUC-FM, from 2002 to 2006.
As a staff writer for The Eyrie, Shirey became the magazine’s first writer to receive national recognition. Her feature article, “From Eagle to Cardinal,” finished third in a national contest hosted by the Society for Collegiate Journalists. The article appeared in the spring 2004 issue of the magazine.
Shirey was recognized as an “Outstanding Senior” by the Department of Communication. In addition, she was nominated for the Syed R. Ali Zaidi Award, as one of the top eight graduating seniors at the university.
Shirey was nominated and inducted into the Society for Collegiate Journalists by her peers. She was also inducted into Alpha Mu Gamma, an honorary for foreign language students. She was a two-time recipient of the Urkunde Certificate for academic excellence in German. She studied abroad throughout Germany for approximately one month in spring 2002.
In May 2006, Shirey completed graduate school at Clarion with a Master’s degree in Communication Education and Mass Media Technology. She graduated with a 3.917 grade point average and successfully defended her master’s thesis, which examined hegemonic masculinity in newspaper sports departments.
During her graduate studies, Shirey served as the writing assistant for the Department of Communication. In this position, she assisted news writing professors and students. She served as the student adviser/editor of the The Eyrie magazine and published the department’s newsletter, The In-Box.
She also remained active with the student-operated radio station, serving as an on-air personality and news director before becoming its station manager. She was heavily involved in training new on-air personalities, including one blind student.
Personal
Shirey is also employed part-time by Timothy E. Durant, Attorney at Law in Clearfield. Her hobbies include the Clearfield wrestling booster and alumni clubs, studying the life of Laura Ingalls Wilder and Zumba Fitness.
She is the daughter of Raymond and Trina Shirey of Woodland. She has a younger sister, Desiree Flisock of Lawrenceville and a younger brother, Ryan Shirey of Woodland.