Anna Barth

My Recent Work

NBC Chicago •

An AI data center is quietly breaking ground in the South Loop, and developers aren't talking

An AI data center set to open by the end of the year in Chicago’s South Loop is shrouded in mystery, and the developers aren’t talking. The DePaul University’s Center for Journalism Integrity & Excellence investigated the story and reports for NBC Chicago.By DePaul University’s Center for Journalism Integrity & Excellence

An AI data center set to open by the end of the year in Chicago’s South Loop is shrouded in mystery, and the developers aren’t talking.
What was originally supposed to be an e...
The DePaulia •

From Classroom to Curtain: How Blue Demon Theatre built ‘The Addams Family’

“Everyone say misery!”
“Misery!”
But the cast of Blue Demon Theatre’s “The Addams Family” is anything but. 
Grinning for the camera, the cast captures a moment of joy that belies the words they just shouted, a reminder that even in a show about the macabre, fun is never far behind.
The house lights flicker. Fingers snap in rhythm. The familiar Addams family theme fills the room. But tonight, there is no audience. After six weeks of rehearsal, the company is on its final run before the March 1 pr...
The DePaulia •

Basement-born, park-grown: Grant Slam proves it’s here to stay

In the afternoon on Saturday, May 10, Jonquil Park transformed into an irrevocable Windy City scene — music in the air, tempestuous gusts of wind and an undeniable sense of community. Back for its second year, the Grant Slam Music Fest brought students, neighbors, and artists together, hot dogs in hand and love all around.
Grant Slam’s roots stretch back to the basement of Grant Lendvay’s father, where, five years ago, friends gathered at Grant’s invitation to unleash their sound through a DIY s...
NBC Chicago •

Hey, Bettor Bettor: Illinois quietly increases cost of online betting, and Chicago may be next

Online sports gambling is an increasingly lucrative industry, and the state of Illinois is cashing in, but the cost to play is quietly increasing. DePaul’s Center for Journalism Integrity & Excellence investigated the issue.Story Reported By DePaul University’s Center for Journalism Integrity & Excellence

Online sports gambling is an increasingly lucrative industry, and the state of Illinois is cashing in, but the cost to play is quietly increasing.
With a vote in the General Assembly just hour...
The DePaulia •

Empty desks and disengagement: Rethinking attendance in a post-pandemic world

The ripple effects of pandemic-era policies — relaxed attendance, online learning alternatives and lower achievement expectations — have redefined student relationships with school. For many, attending classes is no longer seen as a necessity. 
“I think the reality that you can go to school without being in class sort of hit some people really hard, it’s like, ‘Well, why don’t I just not go to class,’” Tyler Grisafi, a DePaul sophomore, said. “I think that people learned that they can get away w...
The DePaulia •

The weight of the internship hunt

Dozens of applications.
Weeks of waiting. 
One response.
For many DePaul students, the internship search is defined less by rejection and more by silence. 
By the time senior Linnah Stevens had submitted around 30 applications, the process had started to feel routine. Open the job board. Adjust the resume. Rewrite the cover letter. Submit. Repeat.
Then wait.
“I feel like I was applying and just not even hearing a rejection,” said Stevens, a public relations and advertising student. “It felt like...
The DePaulia •

Happy Valentine’s Day from DePaul students and their pets!

This Valentine’s Day, we all want someone to come home to.
The highs and lows of being a college student call for a companion, one whose love is unwavering, simple and free from the complications that come with human relationships.
As a kid, I had hamsters. I was keen on the sliver of independence it gave me. My family dogs loved me, of course, but there was something special about having a pet whose love was reserved solely for me. It was uncomplicated. Their affection did not require much, and...