During her time at Duke, Emily Codik wrote for the Chronicle’s Recess magazine, tutored Spanish-speaking kindergartners at E.K. Powe elementary school, and studied abroad in Argentina. She spent her summers in her hometown of Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, where she interned in the kitchen of Italian restaurants, learning about cooking and food.
She graduated from Duke with the Class of 2009 with a degree in art history then worked at a Cuban art gallery in Miami. After three years, she transitioned into journalism as a food writer and editor for the Miami New Times. “That meant leaving a safe full-time gig for a risky freelance career. It wasn't easy, but the experience taught me to believe in myself,” she recalls.
In 2014, Emily moved to DC, where she started her master's degree in journalism at Georgetown University and worked as the arts editor for Washingtonian magazine.
Emily identifies one of her editors, Kristen Hinman, as a mentor: “Kristen took a chance on me early on. She coached me on narrative writing, taught me to strive for excellence in my reporting and storytelling, and pushed me to think critically about what makes for a good story. The first piece I wrote for her caught the eye of Channing Tatum and Danny McBride's production company, and they optioned the movie rights for it!”
For Washingtonian, Emily wrote features about the feuding owners of a Georgetown ice cream parlor, the exorbitant cost of Indian weddings, and a turf battle between two DC rabbis. In 2015, she joined the Washington Post as an assistant editor for the Weekend/Going Out Guide section, where she writes and edits stories about dining, nightlife and other happenings around town.
Her advice for incoming Duke students: “Whether it's for a raise, a promotion, a job interview, or a shot at something you just want to try out, always ask. It's the best way to create opportunities for yourself.”