Evelyn Mejia was selected to participate in the inaugural New York Times Corps. Mejia was one of 20 aspiring journalists chosen from among hundreds of applicants nationwide. Mejia is a junior journalism and advertising and public relations double major from Norfolk.
Mejia was surprised to be selected for the prestigious program. “When I found out I was accepted, it honestly didn’t even feel real at first,” Meija said. “I think it finally felt real when I told my parents.”
The New York Times Corps is a program for students from underrepresented groups in journalism. The program pairs students with current Times employees, who serve as advisers offering career-building advice. The pair will meet two to three times a year, up to the duration of the student's undergraduate career. Occasional speakers and activities will also punctuate the experience.
Mejia is a first-generation American who grew up in Norfolk and graduated from Norfolk High School before coming to the University of Nebraska-Lincoln.
When Mejia came to UNL she wanted to be a television reporter. But in the spring of 2021, she took a class, Being Black in Lincoln, from Professor Joe Starita. The course focused on telling the stories of black residents and Lincoln. The series produced by students in the course went on to win the 2022 Robert F. Kennedy Collegiate Journalism Award. The course sparked Mejia’s passion for investigative journalism.
Mejia is paired with Brian Rosenthal. Rosenthal is an investigative reporter on the Metro desk of the Times and the winner of the 2020 Pulitzer Prize for investigative reporting. Meija is hopeful for her participation in the program. “I thought if I could be a part of this program, I’d be one step closer towards my goal of being an investigative journalist,” Mejia said.
Mejia’s first meeting with Rosenthal will be in a couple of weeks.
