My name is Molly Ashford, and I am a journalist, researcher, and student at the University of Nebraska Omaha. Today I begin my role as a UNeTech intern, where I will be contributing to the blog and assisting startup companies in the incubator with content for their own platforms.

Molly Ashford

If all goes according to plan, I will graduate in a semester early in December of 2022 with a degree in communications and a double-major in journalism and medical humanities. In addition, I am the editor-in-chief of The Gateway, UNO’s independent student newspaper, for the upcoming school year.

My professional experience seems a bit all over the place, but it has created a clear path to my current position. Starting at age 15, I worked as an evaluative researcher for the Women’s Fund of Omaha’s Adolescent Health Project—an initiative which provides free STD testing, treatment, and contraceptive services to young people. I worked for nearly four years conducting and eventually leading community-based, youth-led research efforts regarding sexual health in the state.

During my freshman year of college, I began an internship at the Omaha Daily Record, a law and business-oriented newspaper. Once the internship concluded, I was onboarded as a staff writer. By covering everything from the impact of Covid on courthouses to mass arrests at protests, I solidified my love for on-the-ground reporting. For a brief time, I covered local news in Ralston.

So, when I heard about this position, it felt like a perfect fit. I have an interest in and willingness to learn about medicine and technology, and a passion for writing and sharing the stories of others. Through my work here, I hope to not only highlight the inventions in our incubator, but also the human stories that brought them to life. I intend to make an intentional effort to highlight women and people of color who are entering the field of entrepreneurship.

Outside of work, I am typically on campus at Criss Library or on the porch of my Dundee apartment with my girlfriend, our beloved cat, and a cup of iced espresso shots. I like to write in my free time, too—mostly poetry or self-indulgent ramblings, but it helps to sort my thoughts out when it comes time to write for work.

Don’t hesitate to contact me at mashford@unmc.edu if you have a story idea. I can’t wait to see what we can create together!