Hi everyone — I’m A.J. Rao, the new Penn State investigative reporter for Spotlight PA’s State College regional bureau.
I’m excited to join such an incredible team — and a nonprofit committed to journalism as a public service. For me, that isn’t just a mission statement; it’s been a personal North Star.
Before I ever picked up a reporter’s notebook, I spent four years serving as an officer in the U.S. Army, including a 15-month tour in Iraq. That experience instilled in me a deep commitment to accountability and a drive to serve the public interest — values that I now carry into my reporting.
My path to the newsroom started in Pennsylvania. I grew up in Warren County, where I developed a deep passion for writing and harbored dreams of using that passion for good. After graduating from the University of Pittsburgh and serving in the military, I studied literature at Bangor University in the United Kingdom. There, immersed in the power of narrative, I realized my desire to enter journalism.
I started as a cops and courts reporter in Jamestown, New York, documenting a community grappling with the heroin and opioid epidemic. Shortly after, I joined the Virgin Islands Daily News, arriving just months after the territory was struck by back-to-back Category 5 hurricanes in 2017. Covering local government in the wake of that disaster meant tracking recovery efforts and ensuring the most vulnerable residents weren’t forgotten.
Most recently, I served as the county government reporter for the Erie Times-News. Erie County, a political bellwether in Pennsylvania, provided a raucous climate for a watchdog reporter, with contentious elections and budgets — and potential abuses of power.
One story I take great pride in uncovered a county executive’s unilateral decision to send prison inmates into neighborhoods as part of a community service program — all without judicial approval or oversight. When the administration blocked my access to the details, we took the fight to court and prevailed. Our victory forced the release of records that revealed at least one of those inmates had a violent criminal history. The program fell apart.
That drive for accountability is what I aim to bring to Penn State. I intend to look past official narratives and ensure that one of Pennsylvania’s most influential institutions remains transparent and answerable to the students, faculty, and taxpayers it serves.
When I’m not digging through records, you might spot me on a running trail, at a gym, or exploring local coffee shops.
Speaking of coffee, let’s get one together. I want to hear from you. What stories at Penn State are being overlooked? What questions do you want answered? You can reach me at 814-320-1333 or arao@spotlightpa.org.