Rachel Otwell
Rachel's reports currently focus on education and equity. She's also reported extensively on arts, community & diverse culture.
She's a graduate of the Public Affairs Reporting Program at the University of Illinois Springfield, and while obtaining that degree she spent a legislative session covering news for Illinois Public Radio with a focus on fracking. Rachel also holds degrees in Liberal & Integrative Studies, Women & Gender Studies and African-American Studies. She's tutored Rwandan refugees in Ohio, volunteered at a Kenyan orphanage, served as an activities assistant at a nursing home and volunteered at an elephant sanctuary in Thailand.
Rachel started a career in public media in 2011 when she interned for the National Public Radio program Tell Me More with Michel Martin in Washington, D.C. Her reports have also appeared on NPR, WorkingNow.org, and 51%.
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Students across Illinois are calling for tougher campus policies on sexual harassment and misconduct as the Trump administration proposes changes to...
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Every college campus has standards and policies to prevent sexual harassment. But time and again, repeated complaints are filed against professors for...
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Preschool is a key part of building a solid foundation for lifelong learning, some experts even say it’s the most important part of a child’s education....
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'Hell No to the Memo' rallies have popped up in response to word from the federal Dept. of Health and Human Services that it wants government agencies...
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Athens is a town like many others in central Illinois. With a population of about 2,000, it’s rural, and encapsulated by fields of crops like corn and...
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States like Hawaii, South Dakota and Alaska have replaced Columbus Day with the designation of ' Indigenous Peoples’ Day .' It's a trend that goes back...
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The next debate for Illinois nominees for governor is this Wednesday in Chicago. But two candidates are being left out this time around.
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A fiddling duo is playing Civil War era tunes on the Old State Capitol plaza in downtown Springfield. Near them is a log cabin on wheels (well,...
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The Illinois Governor’s Mansion is recently renovated and has re-opened for tourists, who tend to go for the historical significance. There’s also a new...
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A first-of-its kind study is being done to track ticks in Illinois. Researchers want to know where certain illness-carrying types are most prevalent.