As Danny O’Connor walks down the hallways of Oswego State toward The Oswegonian office, he is greeted by at least a dozen “Hi Danny!”’s before even reaching the halfway point to the office. With coffee in one hand and a smile on his face, he greets his peers as he prepares to tackle the tasks that his senior year has bestowed upon him.
Danny, a copy-editor at The Oswegonian, is a double major in broadcast journalism and international studies, with a minor in French. Not only is Danny a celebrity among his friends, but he is also a celebrity at Oswego State.
“I’m involved with solely The Oswegonian this semester,” Danny said via email interview. “But I was a prior president in the Vocal Effect show choir and college choir.”
Aside from copy-editing articles, Danny also shines in writing various articles for The Oswegonian. He writes on topics ranging from the LGBT+ rights to studying abroad, which are both very important subjects for Danny.
“There are just so many world and domestic issues that I care about,” Danny said. “Domestically, I really care about LGBT rights, the little-known nationwide human trafficking problems we have here in the States and animal rights. Worldwide, I really care about the extreme poverty in regions across the globe, found in places such as Somalia, Bangladesh, Haiti and Sudan. I also care about human trafficking, particularly in Eastern Europe.”
Danny has become a go-to “spokesman” for the studying abroad program among his peers, since he has studied abroad in the past. He is always recommending studying abroad to everyone he meets, since it was a life-changing experience for him. He studied at La Sorbonne- Universite de Paris last semester and interned at the Irish Embassy in Paris, which is not surprising since Danny holds dual citizenship in the U.S. and Ireland. While in France, Danny seized the opportunity to explore as much of Europe as possible.
“I’ve been to Norway, Sweden, Spain, Portugal, Italy and Sicily, Germany and the U.K.,” Danny said. Because he is also a citizen of Ireland, Danny has spent a lot of time in Ireland, both visiting family and exploring the country.
When Danny isn’t traveling or copy-editing at The Oswegonian, he spends some downtime hanging out with friends and enjoying his last year at Oswego State.
“Socializing and having a good time with friends is really important to me,” Danny said. “That’s not necessarily partying or going out. I love having friends over so I can cook them a nice dinner sometimes. I love having a glass of wine and pigging out on snacks while watching a good movie with good friends.”
After graduation, Danny is looking into attending graduate schools in the U.K.
“I would absolutely love working for an embassy abroad someday,” Danny said. “I interned at the Irish Embassy in Paris last semester and absolutely fell in love with my role working with European diplomats and the French and Irish press.”
This dedicated, passionate and outgoing campus celebrity is guaranteed to put a smile on anyone’s face.