Megan Schellong
Tell us about yourself:
I produce and host Morning Edition at a local NPR member station based out of Michigan State University. I’ve lived on both the East and West Coasts (and can confirm I will never get used to shoveling snow in the depths of winter). I love public radio because it takes me to new places and dives deeper into philosophical and existential concepts I wouldn’t have explored otherwise.
A piece of yours or project (in any medium) that you'd like to share.
I recently reported a story on two transracial adoptees who have opposite views on abortion. I pursued this story because I noticed a gap in the news coverage of transracial adoptees’ perspectives on abortion and adoption following the Dobbs decision.
What draws you to storytelling?
I’m drawn to storytelling because of its ability to extract the raw emotions of the human experience. I started writing in spiral notebooks at a young age and still keep a journal, 20 years later. There’s something therapeutic and invigorating about being able to put an experience into words, and then into an audio story, with layers of sound and voices from others. There’s a beauty in the art form of audio storytelling in its combination of mood setting, diction, and cadence that I enjoy.
What excites you the most about being a New Voices Scholar?
I’m excited to be among a community of audio creatives who are just as excited to share and produce stories that make us think deeply about the world we live in and our role in it.
What’s playing on your radio/audio streaming service right now?
Invisibilia’s new season on power dynamics, No Stupid Questions by Freakonomics, and Radiolab. Musically, I’ve been enjoying NIKI’s album,” Nicole” and Novo Amor. I’m also that person in the friend group who will be binge-listening to Taylor Swift’s new album, Midnights, when it drops this Friday.
What’s the most underrated tool (technical or not) that you use in your creative process?
Searching keywords on Twitter for story angles and sources. For my most recent radio feature, I searched the words “pro-life” and “transracial adoptee” to find the sources I needed.
What is something you want to see more of in the industry?
I’d love to see more transracial adoptees using narrative long-form audio as a medium to tell their own stories. It would also be refreshing and empowering to see an increase in the number of women of color in management roles in public radio.
Who/What are your radio/audio inspirations and why?
NPR Science Correspondent, Michaeleen Doucleff inspires me because she makes complex science topics understandable and engaging. Her ability to make larger-than-life concepts relevant while also intriguing is a skill I admire.
Anything else you'd like to add?
For a long time, I didn’t believe that I added value to the Asian American narrative because I was adopted transracially. By interviewing other Asian adoptees who shared similar upbringings as me, I changed my mindset, and I’ve learned there’s not one “right” way to be Asian American.