Kliewer named outstanding journalism senior by OU

NORMAN, Okla. – Chickasaw citizen Addison Kliewer has been named outstanding journalism senior by the University of Oklahoma's Gaylord School of Journalism and Mass Communications.

Last year, Kliewer was awarded a Bloomberg News internship, an internship for MSNBC's "The Last Word with Lawrence O'Donnell" and correspondent for Gaylord News' Washington, D.C. bureau.

"Being named outstanding journalism senior was honestly a shock. There are so many amazing people who deserved the award. When I found out, I was crying happy tears because of how much gratitude and pride I have for my college and university," the Cordell, Oklahoma, native said.

She will be headed back to New York City in June to work again as a Bloomberg News intern and is hopeful opportunities present themselves after she completes the internship in August. She will be interested in full-time jobs in the most prestigious communities in the world where important careers covering news are launched – Washington, D.C. and New York.

While reporting in Washington, Kliewer, 22, was in the thick of impeachment proceedings against President Donald Trump. She also forged working relationships with Oklahoma's elected representatives to report on matters "important back home."

"We communicated with House members and senators nearly every day. We reported from the White House and from Capitol Hill during impeachment. In the fall, we were the only Oklahoma news bureau with Congressional reporters living in Washington, so we knew the stories we wrote were important to the people back home. For the first time we felt like our work really mattered," Kliewer said.

"Gaylord News Washington taught me how to become a professional reporter, a better writer and teammate. I was one of three students in the program, and we all learned how to collaborate with each other in ways we had not done before. I can say what happens in my future career is a testament to Gaylord News and the professors who allowed me to be a part of it," she said.

Kliewer postponed graduation in May 2019 in order to participate in the internships and work for Gaylord News Washington. Now, her formal graduation ceremony is canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic sweeping the nation.

"Right now, Bloomberg is the plan," she said. "I'm open to any opportunity that may come after that. I am mostly just excited to start a career doing what I love."

Kliewer is the daughter of Chickasaw citizen Phil Kliewer, a financial advisor in Cordell, and Millie Collum, owner of Courageous Commitments Life and Relationship Coaching in Guthrie. She is the great-granddaughter of original Dawes Commission enrollee Harry H. Phillips and his wife, Marjorie.