White House correspondent Allie Raffa added to FIU’s “5 Under 35” list

Natalie Gutierrez  | Staff Writer

White House correspondent Allie Raffa has been added to FIU’s “5 Under 35”, which recognizes alumni with extraordinary career accomplishments under their belt. 

Currently, the class of 2014 graduate works for NBC News and reports on national politics. Topics range from the Biden-Harris Administration to current events such as the Israel-Hamas war. 

“Every day is different. You could be covering the president on the road or going to different states and talking about a different topic. You have to be on your toes,” said Raffa. 

“I cover the White House, especially this recent war that involves the Defense Department. It’s a big umbrella of D.C. politics.”

In today’s polarizing political climate, Raffa believes it is important to engage in fieldwork and write new stories that are accessible to the average American. 

“You can learn the foundation of what I do every day in a classroom, but you can’t fully grasp it until you go out in the field and talk to people. At its essence, my job is being able to understand a topic well enough to explain it to an average viewer or reader,” said Raffa.

Raffa, who fondly remembers her time at FIU, highlights that her classes and professors nurtured her passion for journalism.

“The most memorable part of my experience at FIU was my journalism classes. I had great professors, like Neil Reisner, who nominated me for the award. He had the best teaching style that I think was helpful for his students in the long run,” said Raffa. 

Now, she feels honored to be a recipient of this award alongside other alumni. 

“It was amazing. I loved being able to go back to Florida since I’m from there. It was a humbling, full-circle moment,” said Raffa. 

“When you’re busy for a long period of time, you lose the outlook of how significant and impactful your work can be. It’s nice to step back and realize that people appreciate the work that you are doing.” 

For Raffa, this has been an opportunity to reflect on the evolution of her journalistic career. She notes that she always harbored ambitions to work for the White House. 

“I definitely dreamt of covering the White House one day. There are so many different paths that people can go down,” said Raffa.

“I am glad that this path worked out for me but it’s a lesson that everyone can go down their own unique path and still hit the same destination. It is also a reminder that you have to have your hand raised. I never said no to any opportunity.”