Meet Patty Machelor, the School of Journalism's newest professor

The University of Arizona School of Journalism welcomed a new faculty member to its ranks this semester. 

Assistant Professor of Practice Patty Machelor, who began teaching journalism at the university as an adjunct instructor in 2023, brings with her more than 25 years of experience as a news reporter. 

“We are thrilled to welcome Patty to our team. Her dedication to uncovering truth and advocating for the community through her reporting aligns perfectly with our mission to educate journalists passionate about making a difference,” Director Jessica Retis said. “With her extensive experience in both the newsroom and the classroom, she is a tremendous addition to our faculty, enriching our curriculum and mentoring students toward excellence in journalism.”

Originally from Niagara Falls, New York, Machelor moved to Arizona in the mid-1990s and started her journalism career as a page designer — first at the Casa Grande Dispatch, then at the Tucson Citizen, where she began reporting on local courts. 

In 2001, she was hired at the Arizona Daily Star, where she continued covering local courts and government, as well as reporting on social issues and investigative topics. As the COVID-19 pandemic surged in 2020, Machelor’s reporting shifted to public health and the local effects of the global crisis felt throughout the Southern Arizona community. 

A blending of passions

Although new to being a professor, Machelor is not new to teaching. 

She originally set out to pursue a degree in education at Keene State College in New Hampshire before her love of writing steered her toward journalism. 

While visiting her brother in Paraguay in the '90s, she taught high school students as a substitute teacher and continued as a substitute for the Tucson Unified School District after returning to Arizona. 

Now teaching at the college level, Machelor’s goal is to reflect the reality of modern newsrooms and “try to recreate the experience of being a working journalist” for students in the classroom. 

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This includes modeling one-on-one meetings with students after ones a reporter may have with their editor to discuss stories and bringing local experts into class for students to conduct press conferences with.

This hands-on learning extends beyond the classroom as well, Machelor said, whether it be visiting courthouses to look through case files and watch public trials or taking a trip to the Pima County Office of the Medical Examiner to learn how autopsies are conducted.

“I love the intersection of law and journalism and I want to teach students about public records and the importance of using them for your reporting,” she said.  

She is also encouraging students to take their investigative instincts beyond class assignments as the advisor for the student chapter of Investigative Reporters and Editors (IRE). Machelor plans to take the club to IRE’s annual conference in New Orleans this summer to meet some of the top investigative journalists in the industry. 

Whether guiding students through reporting techniques or preparing them for real-world challenges, Machelor remains committed to ensuring the next generation of journalists is ready to uncover and report the truth as she has.

“I’m excited to be here,” she said. “And I love blending my two passions: journalism and teaching.”