Stephen Caruso
By Chelsea Shannon
Originally from the Hudson Valley, Stephen Caruso, 22, grew up in Poughkeepsie, New York and now resides in Pittsburgh where he recently graduated from college with a degree in economics.
He did not originally think about being a journalist until he I slowly realized through his work at University of Pittsburgh student-centered daily newspaper, The Pitt News.
Caruso was hired before his freshman year at the student newspaper as a layout editor his advisor Harry Kloman said.
“He grew really quickly, by his senior he was the star of the newspaper,” Kloman said. “He just wants to know things not just facts but what's inside; he likes to know about people the things they do and why they do it.”
Caruso is excited this summer to report more about Pittsburgh.
“I am excited to stay in the city, there is a lot going on here,” Caruso said.
He is looking forward to more in-depth reporting instruction in journalism from the DJNF since it was not a focus in his curriculum at University of Pittsburgh.
So far Caruso has written mostly community stories and is excited to be doing more business reporting. He is excited to focus on the other side of the divide between consumer and business.
Like Pittsburgh news, Caruso is a big fan of baseball.
“I have memories of my dad putting the game on the radio of his suburban truck driving around New York city,” Caruso said. “Ever since then I’ve been a Yankee fan.”
Through watching the Yankees play, Caruso learned “life isn't a beautiful story that you can just tie up with a knot most of the time”.
Last summer, Caruso backpacked through five European countries after studying abroad in Florence, Italy.
During his travels through Poland, Germany, Belgium, the U.K. and Ireland, Caruso said you when backpacking you “really just got to trust people”.
Caruso is trustworthy his editor at PublicSource, Halle Stockton, said.
“He took on very important stories,” Stockton sad. “ He had a lot of trust and proved it was not misplaced.”
During his time at PublicSource, Caruso’s important stories included affordable housing and a lead water crisis.