Journalism classes introduce Taylor University students to compelling, solid news writing and human interest storytelling skills. They practice these skills via writing stories for The Echo. They then gain professional experience writing news, sports and/or human-interest stories for magazines and newspapers across the country.
The seven multimedia journalism students, who completed internships in summer 2023, shared some interesting takeaways below:
Jane Page, The Daily Sentinel, Nagadoches, Texas
Jane Page wrote, “As my time at The Daily Sentinel came to a close, Josh Edwards, my boss, gave me advice. He told me that I ought to work on my writing speed. But out of my best qualities of being a reporter, he said that I had the ability to adjust – whether the adjustment was a new writing style or taking on an assigned article. Working at The Daily Sentinel bestowed me with an expectation for what a journalism career could look like. And to me, that’s priceless.”
Dalton Jones, Carroll County Comet, Flora, Indiana Dalton
Jones’ boss, Susan Scholl, editor of the Carroll County Comet (IN), Susan Scholl said that reliability is very important for young writers. Jones wrote of his experience, “Internship experience is invaluable. Many journalists credit their internship experience for shaping the journalist that they became.”
Will Riddell, San Diego Magazine, California
Will Riddell wrote of his internship, “Every journalist, but especially journalists of faith, have a responsibility to present accurate information (truth) whether they’re writing, broadcasting or podcasting. This summer, I wrote about everything from a San Diego child actress starring in a Wes Anderson film to a local company producing one-of-a-kind pool floats. While they are two completely different stories, for each I did my best to craft an article that was engaging and enjoyable. Both parties trusted me to tell their story to the best of my ability.”
Sam Maurer, The Daily Star, Ashtabula, Ohio
Sam Maurer wrote that when he started his internship, he knew he was not going to be able to write about spiritual topics. “However, I realized while writing mostly feature pieces I could still tell someone's story and if that person had faith and it was vital to their story, I was able to use it,” he said.
Samantha Saad, Christianity Today, Carol Stream, Illinois
Samantha Saad, wrote, “I was fortunate enough to work in a Christian context this summer. At Christianity Today, I was reminded of my faith daily in many, different ways.” Saad said, “I quickly remembered that faith is not always that spiritual high, rather it is how we carry ourselves daily. We can choose to be on fire. Being at this internship did show me one thing: some students who limit their faith to school are riding a spiritual high during their college years.”
Conrad Otto, World Journalism Institute, Dordt, Iowa
Conrad wrote of his experience at WJI, “Throughout, I was challenged to try and understand what journalism is, within the context of biblical objectivity. I found myself coming to the same conclusions most of the time; that as journalists, we need to tell the truth to the people.”
Enoch Eicher, National Journalism Center, Reston, Virginia
Enoch Eicher wrote, “One of the most exhilarating aspects of this internship was delving into topics I had little to no prior knowledge about. Writing about broadband, AI, and semiconductors was a far cry from my comfort zone, but it forced me to step outside of it and embrace the challenge head-on. I learned to approach unfamiliar subjects with curiosity, conduct thorough research, and seek guidance when needed.”
Alan Blanchard, associate professor of journalism, is faculty adviser to The Echo, oversees the Multimedia Journalism program and the Pulliam Journalism Center at Taylor University – alan_blanchard@taylor.edu
