When the COVID-19 pandemic hit Nebraska in the Spring of 2020, many College of Journalism and Mass Communications students lost their summer jobs and internships. Simultaneously many news outlets and businesses were struggling to keep up with the rapidly unfolding situation.
Jill Martin, assistant professor of practice in journalism, saw an opportunity to help students and improve coverage and communications about the Pandemic in Nebraska. She, along with a group of CoJMC faculty, worked to establish a summer internship program that would provide students with paid internship opportunities in the college and help businesses and news outlets throughout the state cover and respond to the pandemic.
“When the pandemic hit, we saw our students and our industry partners struggling,” said Jill Martin, assistant professor of practice and project director. “By creating an internship program in the college, we knew we could help both.”
Nine interns worked for the Nebraska News Service covering news and events in state government, Lincoln and communities throughout Nebraska. Assistant professor Jessica Fargen-Walsh was editor of the Nebraska News Service this summer.
Thirteen students worked for UNLimited Sports, a division of the Nebraska News Service, covering the effect of Covid-19 on sports and the gradual relaunch of sports programs throughout Nebraska. Associate Professor John Shrader was the summer 2020 Sports Editor.
Five students worked for the Roper Lab: Data in Community Journalism, a division of the Nebraska News Service. Students used data analysis to create stories on a wide variety of issues and algorithms to localize stories to Nebraska communities. Matt Waite, professor of practice, and Olga Pierce, assistant professor of practice, were the summer 2020 data editors.
Stories were published on the Nebraska News Service website and distributed to more than 100 news outlets throughout the state for publication through local news sources.
Five students interned with Associate Professor Bryan Wang on a health communication research project examining the spread of disinformation about Covid-19 and other health-related topics through social media.
Seventeen students interned for the Jacht Ad Lab under the supervision of Assistant Professor of Practice and Jacht Director Jemalyn Griffin, Director of Video Production and Assistant Professor of Practice Alan Eno and Creative Director and Assistant Professor of Practice Katie Krcmarik. Students worked with a variety of clients throughout Nebraska to develop and execute advertising and public relations campaigns. This summer’s clients included Omaha Public Schools and Husker Dialogues, a UNL program aimed at creating a more inclusive community.
Six students interned for Climate Change Nebraska, producing in-depth multimedia stories about the effects of climate change on the state. Assistant Professor of Practice Jenn Sheppard was the Climate Change Nebraska summer editor.
Generous donations from college alumni entirely supported summer 2020 interns.
Summer 2020 student interns
Nebraska News Service
- Nathan Bacon, junior, broadcasting
- Colby Woodson, senior, journalism
- Luna Stephens, junior, journalism, advertising and public relations
- Katherine Anderson, senior, advertising and public relations
- Blaney Dreifurst, sophomore, journalism
- Madeleine Grant, junior, journalism, French
- Haley Heiden, senior, broadcasting
- Mark Champion, senior, advertising and public relations, journalism
- Natalie Stanley, senior, journalism
Unlimited Sports
- Lydia Asplin, senior, sports media and communication
- Abby Barmore, senior, sports media and communication
- Jake Bartecki, senior, broadcasting, sports media and communication
- Brent Bartels, senior, broadcasting, sports media and communication
- Geoff Exstrom, junior, senior, broadcasting, sports media and communication
- Tyler Fangman, senior, sports media and communication
- Cody Frederick, senior, journalism, sports media and communication
- Emma Hastings, senior, broadcasting, sports media and communication
- Drake Keeler, junior, journalism
- Brennan Merkle, junior, sports media and communication
- Molly Robinson
- Justin Slepicka, junior, sports media and communication
- Kylee Sodomka, sophomore, sports media and communication
Roper Lab: Data in Community Journalism
- Natalie Saenz, senior, broadcasting, journalism
- Kaitlynn Johnson, senior, journalism, psychology
- Sierra Karst, senior, journalism
- Tim Hofmann, junior, sports media and communication
- Will Bauer, senior, broadcasting, journalism, sports media and communication
Health Communications Research
- Arielle Wiedenbeck, senior, advertising and public relations, political science
- Fathiyyah Maryufani, graduate student, political science
- Martin Herz, junior, broadcasting, sports media and communication
Jacht Ad Agency
- Andrea Lim, graduate student, journalism and mass communications
- Collin Fink, senior, advertising and public relations
- Madelyn Meier, senior, advertising and public relations, journalism
- Luci Moran, junior, advertising and public relations, journalism
- Lauren Tritch, senior, advertising and public relations
- Emerson Belitz, senior, advertising and public relations
- Natalie Drozd, graduate student, journalism and Mass Communications
- Jamie Brunken, senior, advertising and public relations
- Jason Chan, senior, marketing
- Helena Slaughter, senior, advertising and public relations
- Marissa Scalora, senior, advertising and public relations
- Luna Stephens, junior, advertising and public relations, journalism
- Thao Huynh, senior, advertising and public relations, graphic design
- Carter Nelson, senior, graphic design
- Ann Milroy, senior, advertising and public relations, broadcasting
- Sydney Burdick, junior, advertising and public relations, broadcasting
- Lindsey Woods, senior, advertising and public relations
Climate Change Nebraska
- Lauren Dietrich, junior, advertising and public relations, journalism
- Dylan Patrick, junior, political science
- Carlee Koehler, senior, fisheries and wildlife, journalism
- Aila Ganic, junior, political science
- Celeste Kenworthy, senior, environmental studies, geology
- Kayla Vondracek, senior, environmental studies