The Omaha World-Herald chose four undergraduates from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln College of Journalism and Mass Communications to work as fellows at the newspaper next fall.
The students took part in Real World I course (a collaboration between University of Nebraska–Lincoln and the World-Herald) in the spring 2015 semester, and will contribute stories and/or photos to the paper, working alongside its journalists and photographers. They will also continue their studies at the college during the semester.
The students are Colleen Fell, Tyler Meyer, Erika Stewart-Finkenstaedt and Daniel Wheaton.
Colleen Fell is a junior studying broadcasting. She is currently a reporter for the Daily Nebraskan and recently returned from studying abroad in London. She has held a previous internship with WOWT Channel Six in Omaha. The Omaha native plans to graduate in the spring of 2016.
Tyler Meyer is a sophomore photojournalism student. He has worked as a senior photographer at the Daily Nebraskan and held an internship at the Valley News, another BH Media publication, in his hometown of Shenandoah, Iowa. In May, he will travel with nine other students to Nicaragua through University of Nebraska–Lincoln’s Global Eyewitness program to document poverty in the country.
Erika Stewart-Finkenstaedt is a senior double majoring in journalism and psychology. She has covered the Legislature with the Nebraska News Service and interned for Nebraska Appleseed. She is a Regent's scholar and member of Psi Chi, the National Honor Society in Psychology. This summer she will travel to Nicaragua as part of University of Nebraska–Lincoln's Global Eyewitness program.
Daniel Wheaton is a senior journalism major with a focus in informatics who will graduate in December. This summer will work as a data journalist for Newsday in Long Island, New York.
Before the Omaha World-Herald, Wheaton worked for the Scripps Howard Foundation Wire, USA Today, Silicon Prairie News, KFOR 1240, the Paragould Daily Press and the Daily Nebraskan. At University of Nebraska–Lincoln he was a member of the speech and debate team, and won three state championships, a Big Ten Championship in extemporaneous speaking, and became a national finalist in persuasive speaking at the 2015 AFA-NIET.
The Omaha World-Herald fellows are chosen through an application and interview process. Students must be enrolled in or have completed the Omaha World-Herald "Real World" class. The class is the result of a partnership between the Omaha World-Herald and the College of Journalism and Mass Communications and is offered to juniors and seniors. During the 15-week class, students learn from a different World-Herald staff member each week on topics such as editing, interviewing and covering all aspects of the news. The Real World class began in fall 2008 and is offered every semester.
