If you offered Trey Yingst, SOC/BA ’16, a million dollars to do any job of his choosing, he wouldn’t take it. As a foreign correspondent for Fox News, Trey says no other job could compare to what he does now. “It’s a weird feeling to be living your dream,” he says, “but being a foreign correspondent for Fox News is exactly what I want to be doing.”

“It is such a part of my identity to work in this field,” Trey says. “My dream job my entire life is the job I’m doing today. It gives me purpose. It is my life.”

Currently reporting in Ukraine, Trey arrived just prior to the Russian invasion in February. From the war-torn country, he shares stories displaying the human toll on Ukrainians in Kyiv and other areas such as the suburb of Bucha. From mass graves to food shortages, his interviews with war crimes prosecutors and officials representing the World Food Program show millions of viewers the stark realities of the conflict.

“We have a responsibility as journalists to tell stories in places that other people won’t go,” Trey says. “Each and every day, we are meeting civilians who have gone through traumatic experiences. They have stories to tell. It’s our job to tell those stories and, at the same time, to hold government officials and militaries accountable for the actions that they take.”

Trey says it’s “extremely important” to share stories from all corners of the world. During his time at Fox News, Trey also has reported from Jerusalem, Qatar, and Afghanistan. There are many locations where it’s dangerous to report, he says, but it’s no less important. And, journalism, he says, allows him to “shine light in dark places.” 

Trey says his experiences at AU prepared him for this job in ways he could envision and appreciate even as a student. The son of a Kogod alumnus, Trey began his journey in journalism at American University as a legacy student. He was a member of the White House Correspondents Association and the National Press Club, and he co-founded a news website with an AU classmate.

The best part of his college experience, Trey says, was the chance “to learn from people who have actually done what they were teaching.” AU offered “the right mixture of campus community and environment” plus location in the nation’s capital. He wouldn’t change anything about the path that brought him to where he is today—a path lighted by his time at American University. “Much of my success is a testament to my time at AU. Many of the skills and lessons that I learned at American I am still implementing today…You really do ultimately use what you learn in the classroom at AU.”