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Shanxi Upsdell

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Location: Lawrence Journal-World
Hometown: Lawrence, Shawnee
Occupation: Copy editor at the Journal-World

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Staff Blog

Biography

Born in New Zealand, Shanxi Upsdell moved to the United States in late 1998. She graduated from Kansas University in May 2008 with bachelor's degrees in journalism and English.

Shanxi's experience with journalism started in 2002, when she attended Johnson County Community College as a high-school junior. She became assignment editor for the college newspaper, The Campus Ledger, in spring 2004.

In 2005, Shanxi began working for the Lawrence Journal-World as an intern on the copy desk. The Des Moines Register offered her a summer copy editing internship in 2007.

She also worked as a news anchor at KU's radio station in spring 2006 and won first place for Complete Newscast at the 2006 Kansas Association of Broadcasters (KAB) Student Broadcasters Awards.

Shanxi spent the first few weeks as a Jayhawk alumna on a ministry trip with Teach My Kenyan Children, an organization dedicated to helping assist the education of schoolchildren in rural areas. Her tasks involved teaching English, presenting educational resources and shaking the hands of hundreds of exuberant Kenyan children.

Her first love in journalism remains copy editing, although she enjoys writing in-depth features and news articles. Copy editing, however, encompasses many of her passions: critical thinking skills, learned in debate; the flow and rhythm of words and headlines, learned in music; and in-depth research, learned in reporting.

One of her favorite quotes:
"Always remember you're unique just like everyone else."