Haley Nelson: New Digital Content Producer in OCC

Meet Haley Nelson. At any given moment on any given day, you will likely spot her on campus with a camera in hand. She is the new creative talent behind the lens, creating visual stories about SMC students, faculty, and campus life. Haley joined Saint Mary’s and the Office of College Communications as Digital Content Producer on July 6.

Haley’s first assignment was off-campus in a big way. She traveled with 10 members of the faculty on a Catholic Lasallian border immersion trip to visually document migrant life. The journey took her to Salinas, Los Angeles, San Diego, and ultimately, Tijuana, to meet with migrant workers and families as well as the activists who fight for them. Haley said the trek was both life-changing and emotionally exhausting. Bearing witness to how migrant workers live and the struggles they face daily was challenging. Perhaps the most compelling was the story of a deported veteran. “He lived most of his life in the United States as an American and served in the military with pride, only to be deported at the age of 72,” said Haley. “It was painful to learn of his story and how the system is working against him,” she added.

After returning from her initial assignment, Haley has settled in to the SMC community and is looking forward taking photos and shooting and editing video to support the SMC website, publications, and social media.

Prior to joining the staff at SMC, Haley worked as a photojournalist for the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, a post she held since graduating from Penn State University in 2016. She covered education, politics, breaking news, sports, lifestyle, and local events.

Originally from Danville, Haley is thrilled to be back in California and to be working at SMC, an institution that she has long admired. “To work in an environment of intellectuals, on a beautiful campus, and in a place that is supportive and positive, is a gift,” said Haley.