#MeetTheClass: Mabel Pickering, '26 M.S.

Where are you from and what program are you pursuing? 

I’m from London and I am in the M.S Full-Time program. 

What inspired you to attend Columbia Journalism School? 

I came to Columbia wanting to learn how to report with integrity, understand the law and ethics behind journalism and develop key investigative skills. In today’s state of geopolitical flux, good journalism is as important as ever. So, with the knowledge I gain at Columbia, I hope to become a confident, good journalist. I wanted to better understand different types of journalism – to explore mediums and subjects, to learn what I like best and where I can make the most difference. Columbia fosters the ideal environment for this. 

After the J-School what would you like to do?

• Pursue long-form investigative reporting.
• Be involved in the production of news documentaries. For instance, Bloomberg’s weekly.
• Report from crisis zones as a foreign correspondent. 

Maybe one day I’ll have my own production company and bring these interests together by producing in-depth documentaries about people in crisis.

What is your favorite activity/location in NYC so far? 

Within my reporting class’s labor beat, I am focusing on nightclub/hospitality staff, so I’ve been exploring the nightlife scene in NoHo and East Village. KGB Bar, with its extraordinary history and Ukrainian roots is a new favorite.