Meet Nic Fraraccio, The Christian Chronicle’s summer news intern

‘Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.” — Proverbs 3:5-6

OKLAHOMA CITY — We never know where we will end up in life. However, if we trust in the Lord, we can use our calling to glorify him.

I never expected to serve as the summer news intern for The Christian Chronicle. 

I grew up in Brandon, Fla., with my parents, Lisa and Lenny, and my sister, Isabella. Our family has attended the Creekside Church of Christ in Valrico, Fla., formerly known as the Bell Shoals Church of Christ, since 2004.

Lenny Fraraccio prays for his son, Nic, as he begins his summer internship with The Christian Chronicle. Lenny and Lisa visited the Chronicle’s office in Oklahoma City.

I loved being a part of the youth group. Guided by former youth minister Logan Butler, my faith grew abundantly. 

I still remember the lock-ins. Kids would stay up all night at the church building — playing games and learning more about the Gospel. 

At age 16, I put on the Lord in baptism. My growth with God and my church family led me to make this life-changing decision. I will cherish that moment for the rest of my life. 

Following my baptism, I preached to the congregation during youth-led worship services. I always count it an honor to speak in front of my brothers and sisters in Christ.

When I attended Foundation Christian Academy in Valrico — about 15 miles east of Tampa — I excelled in most of my classes. I loved history with Mrs. Margaret Reeves and flourished in math with Coach J.P. Smith.

However, I struggled in English. Writing was not my forte, and I did not enjoy reading except for a sports magazine. I did not see storytelling as my strength. 

Nic Fraraccio poses for a photo with Gandalf, The Christian Chronicle’s chief emotional support specialist.

During high school, I leaned on my own understanding of what the future held for me. I dreamed of becoming an analyst for a sports network in America. Little did I know my time at Harding University in Searcy, Ark., would flip my aspirations upside down.

Before my sophomore year at Harding, I discovered my multimedia journalism major — with a concentration in sports —  included a class called Newspaper Practicum. The course required a weekly 400-word story about an event within the Harding or Searcy community. I was not thrilled to take this class. I never thought I had the creativity or passion to be a good writer.

But I loved talking with new people. The interviews and phone calls inspired me to connect with others at Harding. Because of my love for sports, I primarily wrote stories about the Bison baseball and softball teams.

Surprisingly, my creativity flourished with the pen and paper. My sports coverage hit the press strong, and my peers loved reading my work. 

Following my semester as a student writer, I joined The Bison, the Harding student newspaper, as the sports editor. The editor-in-chief, Tiane Davis, last year’s Christian Chronicle summer intern, constantly encouraged me to explore my growing passion for writing.

Tiane was the first person to tell me about the Chronicle’s summer internship. The first thing she mentioned to me was Editor-in-Chief Bobby Ross Jr.’s fandom for the Texas Rangers.

Nic Fraraccio and his mom, Lisa, attend a Tampa Bay Rays vs. Texas Rangers game at Globe Life Field in Arlington, Texas., in 2023.

At first, I was hesitant to apply considering my Tampa Bay Rays have lost three straight playoff matchups against the defending World Series champions. After much consideration, I decided to put aside my baseball “grudges” and apply for the internship. (I’m joking. Kind of.)

My hard work and dedication to The Bison eventually led to my appointment as the editor-in-chief for next school year. I am excited to take on the challenge.

I am blessed with the opportunity to integrate my passion for writing with my love for God. I will always strive to glorify his name when writing for the Chronicle. 

Although I never thought I would end up in Oklahoma City, my passion for God and storytelling is at an all-time high. I am blessed to work with an amazing group of people at the Chronicle this summer.

NIC FRARACCIO, a senior journalism major at Harding University in Searcy, Ark., is The Christian Chronicle’s summer intern. Reach him at [email protected].

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