2011-09-22T19:03:00.000-04:00

Kelly Mayo: On the Write Path

It is often said that one should not live in the past when the present is right in front of you. Yet, for 20-year-old Kelly Jean Mayo, the past is a pretty interesting place to be. Enriched with groundbreaking moments and innovative people, history has shaped our country and the cultures within it. To study history is to understand how our country came to be the way it is today.

Mayo was born in Oakley, Calif. and moved to North Carolina when she was 11 years old. She noticed one immediate difference the moment she got to North Carolina - the humidity.

She stepped off the plane and was immediately hit with a wave of humidity. It was a shock because “California summers have no humidity; it’s a dry heat out there,” Mayo said.

Although moving to the other side of the country was a big change for Mayo, her love of history stayed with her.

Mayo’s interest in history began as a little girl in elementary school. While thumbing through her textbooks, she became fascinated by the historical photos.

“If a photo was colorful and interesting enough, then I wanted to know more about what was in it,” Mayo said.

She was quickly captivated by the stories behind the photos and was eager to learn more about them. Of all the photos she saw, those of the Titanic and Egyptian art peaked her interest the most.

“Photos and paintings of the Titanic were dramatic and action-filled, and the Egyptian wall art was so unlike anything I had ever seen before,” Mayo said.

Her passion for history stretches far beyond her attraction to historical photos. It is also about studying people who have paved the way for future generations. One of her favorite historical figures is Nellie Bly who was a muckraker in the early 1900s. She was one of the first female journalists in America and is Mayo’s favorite “because of the improvements she helped gain for the poor and the ground she broke for you and me.”

Her passion for history is why Mayo has decided to pursue a history degree.

“I have no career plans for the history degree. It’s just a passion that I wanted to follow,” Mayo said.

In addition to a history degree, Mayo is also pursuing a bachelor’s degree in journalism.

“With my journalism degree, I want to be a newspaper reporter. My ideal beat would be international issues,” Mayo said.

She has been reading newspapers for as long as she can remember and loves the atmosphere of a newsroom. Busy people, getting stories and meeting deadlines is what attracts Mayo to the newsroom.

She began writing for The Pine Needle in the fall of 2010 and has loved it ever since. Mayo has recently been promoted to news editor of the paper and says even though it’s not the busy newsroom atmosphere she desires, it is certainly a start.

From theatre to sports, this easygoing California native will carry on a conversation about anything with anyone. Whether Mayo is admiring historical photos or busy making deadlines, she is doing it with a smile on her face and passion in her heart.

Ashley Cole