October 7, 2023, when Hamas launched a surprise attack on Israel from the Gaza Strip, was also the day then 28-year-old Mitch McCluskey was assigned to a team of war correspondents, working on breaking news as a video producer for CNN International. “I was at a work conference that day in Washington, D.C.,” McCluskey said. “My part in the coverage involved writing, editing, setting up interviews, interviewing, and setting up editorial coverage. We have a large team and are still covering the war.”
The team coverage from October to December 2023 won Mitch his first Emmy. “Collaboration with a lot of people, working on a team, drawing on each other’s strengths are things I appreciate,” McCluskey said. “This is what the Emmy is about for me.
“No one could get in or out of Gaza, so working remotely from Houston was a good fit. This, combined with me having been to Israel and Jerusalem on a separate assignment recently, helped. I maintain several contacts there.”
Mitch grew up in a small East Texas town. Warren is located 43 miles north of Beaumont and has a 3A school. During elementary and junior high, he was obviously bright but was not one hundred percent interested in what was going on in the classroom. He was called out at times by teachers for keeping a disorganized locker, having messy handwriting, or drawing in the margins of his paper. Homework was not something he felt compelled to complete if he mastered the concepts already or was bored with the subject. “These traits were considered by some teachers as faults, something that was holding me back,” he said.
“I started becoming more challenged by high school and enjoyed learning new things. Over the years I have also become better organized. Working on weaknesses is part of the growth process.”
Mitch attributes his interest and successes so far in journalism to several childhood experiences. “I learned empathy for people through experiences. I was kicked in the head by a horse as a child and during the healing process had to wear a (boxing style) helmet to school.” He remembers feelings of isolation from other students. “I felt marginalized.”
In high school, he lost two close friends – one suffered electrocution and the other was in a car accident. “Our class came together, developed a sense of unity, and again, I experienced empathy,” he said.
High school Spanish class uncovered his interest and skill in learning languages. To date, Mitch is advanced in both Spanish and French and is conversational in Arabic. “Choosing to study abroad in Morocco was an opportunity for me to use French, and I became more fluent,” he said. “I enjoy helping others by translating.”
Mitch has also traveled to Greece, Italy, and Spain with friends, and Turkey on assignment. The next places on his bucket list to visit are Japan, Brazil, Hong Kong, and Egypt.
Mitch finished in the top 10% of his small rural graduating class and earned the Terry Scholarship to the University of Houston. There he participated in a dual degree program, earning a bachelor’s in journalism and political science. The Terry Scholarship is for undergraduate studies and is awarded to students from economically disadvantaged backgrounds. One of the perks is having the opportunity to study abroad for a semester.
“I specifically chose Morocco to work on my French and go to a place I knew very little about,” he said. “I enjoyed traveling with friends and experiencing a trip through the Sahara Desert. We spent the night under the stars at an open settlement. There were no walls and no utilities where we stayed two nights.” Mitch lived that semester in the north country in the city of Tangier. “We could stand on the beach and see Spain across the ocean,” he said.
During college Mitch began an internship with KPRC, the NBC affiliate in Houston. This turned into full-time employment, followed by a job with CNN in Atlanta, Georgia. During this time, he had temporary assignments in New York and Mexico City. “Mexico City is my favorite place so far,” he said. “The people are friendly, the city is enormous, has prehistoric elements and is one of the oldest places on earth. It has a rich culture.” Currently, he is also working for a business intelligence company, remotely, from Houston.
Asked about books he enjoys the most, among his favorites are Wuthering Heights, The Sound and the Fury by William Faulkner, and The Great Gatsby.
Next, Mitch is interested in taking on different skills like film, and the visual and technical parts of journalism. He also has an interest in writing nonfiction, an expansion of the journalistic work he has done.
In closing, Mitch shared the best thing his parents gave to him. “My parents gave me a sense of worldliness, and understanding our place in it,” he said. “They empowered me to seek an education, travel, and gave me confidence. I also consider the community where I was raised to have given me an understanding of the need to be respectful. My humble background has instilled in me empathy, and the ability to relate to others. Being from a tiny town does not keep us from doing meaningful things with our lives.”
