CENTRE COUNTY — When Danielle Blake first stepped into The Centre County Gazette newsroom two years ago, she wasn’t just starting a new job, she was stepping into a whole new world. A recent transplant from the Midwest, she arrived in Central Pennsylvania with no local roots, a fiancé and an eagerness to tell stories.
Now as she prepares to leave her role as editor to take a position with Penn State University, Blake said she’s carrying more than a portfolio of bylines — she’s leaving with a sense of home.
“I never thought that I could be so immersed in a community so quickly,” Blake said. “Coming from a girl who always didn’t feel like she quite necessarily fit in, it was really nice through this job to make this place feel like home.”
From her very first assignment on the old 322 drive-in to covering the long-standing traditions of Centre County, Blake said each story deepened her connection to the people and the place. She fondly recalled reporting on new animals at Shaver’s Creek Environmental Center and attending events that had been woven into the fabric of the community for generations.
“Local journalism is the heart of communities,” Blake said. “One of the most tragic things to see is when smaller and rural communities lose their access to local news that is created locally for them.”
That belief fueled her approach as editor. Blake saw The Gazette’s mission as more than reporting headlines. It was about acting as a liaison between the people and the place they call home.
“There’s obviously a place for bigger publishers, but our local journalists and media organizations are the real voice of the community,” she said. “It was just so special to be part of it.”
One of her biggest early challenges was not being a local herself. She worried that might distance her from readers. But as the months went on, that outsider perspective became a strength.
“I felt so incredibly welcomed into this community,” Blake said. “Not only was it important to me to tell people’s stories, but it seemed important to other people to be heard and to have their stories told.”
As she looks ahead to her new role at Penn State, Blake said she wants to keep strengthening the bridge between the university and the rest of Centre County, a connection she says is more intertwined than people realize.
“Sometimes it feels like two different worlds, but there’s so much overlap,” she said. “The Penn State community is just as much part of Centre County as Centre County is part of Penn State.”
Blake hopes The Gazette will continue nurturing those connections long after she’s gone.
“In the last several years, I think we’ve made real strides in uplifting those voices and making this community feel more like one and to feel more connected with each other,” she said. “The Gazette will always feel a little bit like home to me.”
From everyone at The Centre County Gazette, we thank Danielle for her passion, her leadership and the countless ways she has helped strengthen our bond with the community. We wish her nothing but success in her next chapter, knowing she will continue to bring people together wherever her byline may appear.
