The 2026 Institute for Local News at SUNY summer intern program deployed 32 college students around New York State to practice their craft while helping local publishers and their critical news needs.
Combined, students produced nearly 600 stories and more than 150 audio, photo and video components in just 10 weeks of work.
This is the second summer of the ILN SUNY intern program. Now back on campus, SUNY students do vital class reporting work that continues to be used in local newsrooms across the state to inform New Yorkers.
Below are summer recaps from some of the interns.
Mirai Abe, SUNY Albany, 2026
I worked at the Times Union, a daily newspaper based in Albany, as a news reporter intern from June to August. I covered mainly four Capital Region counties — Albany, Rensselaer, Saratoga and Schenectady — as well as the Hudson Valley region toward the end of my internship.
I covered a wide range of topics, from state funding and policies to local government programs to business to social welfare, such as poverty, housing crisis and food insecurity.
Though I had two years of reporting experience as a student, working at the region’s one of the most successful newspapers felt completely different. I had to write much faster and talk to more sources per story.
As I pitched stories and received feedback every day, I improved news judgment and writing and reporting skills. Working under experienced editors allowed me to learn about local news and newspaper business. The tips, advice and questions my editors shared with me truly helped me understand reporting and news writing.
One of the most exciting things about being a reporter is that you are learning something new every day. On Monday, you are researching municipal housing codes and regulations to cover a rezoning plan that has been facing a backlash from residents, and on Tuesday, you are writing about how the One Big Beautiful Bill Act affects local SNAP recipients.
Also, reporting assignments take you to places you have never known existed and introduce you to people you would have never had a chance to talk to. If I weren’t a reporter intern, I would have never had a conversation with mayors, state officials and CEOs.
The summer internship made me realize the importance of local news and how exciting and different every day feels like as a reporter.
Joshua Lee, Stony Brook, 2026
Throughout my internship, I covered local news events almost every day, focusing primarily on Queens politicians and community events in my borough.
This frequently meant obtaining press releases, turning them into stories, and doing external research to contextualize events.
Additionally, most of my job was done asynchronously—which perhaps goes to show the current state of local journalism, and how it’s more financially viable and necessary for local publications to function online instead of in a newsroom—though I will leave my house and travel across the borough and sometimes the city to cover news stories, take notes, get interviews, and take pictures.
For example, when I covered a press conference held in Flushing Meadows Corona Park about the city’s initiative to replace gas-powered generators on mobile food carts with rechargeable electric batteries, I recorded and transcribed every speaker, took pictures of the electric batteries for food vendors, and interviewed some of the people involved in the pilot to clarify details.
In-person coverage also means interacting with many people, particularly those in public relations. That’s how I got press releases and additional photos from a professional photographer—a genuine godsend, because I didn’t fully grasp the difference in quality between a smartphone camera and a high-end camera until I was assigned to take pictures for these events and noticed the many technical deficiencies. Getting photography down was challenging at first—I remember my first outdoor conference being a tremendous challenge, dealing with lens flares and noise—but I eventually found patterns and techniques that worked, and stuck with them.
Surprisingly, what proved fairly manageable was overcoming my occasional fear of interviewing strangers. This reared its head when I was assigned to cover the Queens primary election, going from poll site to poll site, waiting almost half an hour each, trying to accumulate as many interviews as possible. Turns out, being respectful and unobtrusive when approaching strangers yields good results, even when they decline to answer questions about who they voted for and why. I didn’t overcome these challenges by myself, however. I’m tremendously grateful for my co-workers, who guided me through the process and answered every little question I had. (Such as Bill Parry, who reports on crime throughout Queens, who provided incredible pieces of information when I was covering a press conference about a murder at Kissena Park.)
Michelle Grisales, SUNY Stony Brook, 2026
I had the incredible opportunity to be part of the second cohort of the SUNY ILN program. I worked with Lohud, a USA Today affiliate that serves my local and nearby communities.
Last summer, I was part of the first cohort and despite working in the same newsroom, my experiences were strikingly different. This year I worked on the breaking news and trending team full-time while also balancing feature stories to fill in the gaps during my spare time. As an intern in this position, it was an intense learning experience.
Though I am used to conducting interviews, this experience allowed me to be much more quick on my feet when it comes to preparing/research beforehand when sometimes there wouldn’t even be a moment to do so. I understand the value of every minute when covering a breaking news or trending story, especially when trying to be the first outlet to cover it. Compared to last summer, I only covered breaking news here and there, but this time I worked under a different editor and got to dive into an entirely different area of news. Through breaking news, I was able to cover an array of topics from weather advisories to tragic fires and vehicle accidents.
However, some other lighthearted trending or daily stories ranged from a new canine program of a local police to a baby finally getting adopted who was abandoned at birth – I even had the pleasure of meeting the parents and there was a whole event hosted to see the officers who rescued her, be able to see her years later and meet the parents. I worked on a few food stories, some entertainment, and I felt very free in my position to pitch any idea.
I was always open to feedback and asked the editors I worked with to please inform me of how to improve. Additionally, as part of the breaking news/trending team, I was taught how to use certain tools to best find what was trending such as Google Trends and through Lohud’s system to see what stories are most popular.
One story that challenged me the most was covering the local deaf community who shared stories of their struggles with receiving proper interpreters during medical appointments. I held a 4-person interview with a translator and was there for roughly 2 hours to ensure I connected with the sources, understood their stories, and could effectively communicate. I was nervous, but it worked out great in the end, and I feel very grateful to learn their struggles through such a unique experience.
Although I worked in the field a little less due to some breaking news only requiring phone calls or Zooms, I still felt it was amazing to be part of that team.
Alexander Noll, Stony Brook, 2026
I had a wonderful experience working for the Daily Mail for my SUNY ILN internship program. I was very quickly given tasks for reporting within the US News team in which I would write articles using their internal platforms to ensure company consistent formatting, image sourcing, and style.
I would communicate openly and actively with my assigned editorial team, being assigned stories that were expected within a short turnaround and implementing feedback into my writing.
I wrote on a very wide range of stories with varying viewership and subject matters, making phone calls, records requests, and emails to gather information.
My time at the Mail made me a much stronger writer by making my work’s structure more effective and my writing more concise and clear for broad audiences.
Even when considering editor created headlines/angles, I made sure to keep my reporting as unbiased, balanced, and factual as possible.
I learned a lot about how to be a more consistent and confident reporter that can clearly and effectively communicate the main aspects of a story to readers.
The newsroom environment was extremely cool and unique. It was great to see how different departments interacted and collaborated for the creation of publications.
It gave me a great insight into the ethics, and gathering of data as well as photos/videos to make sure of proper crediting and usage.
By my ninth week, I was even developed as an asset in their team to be entrusted to training a new intern on the outlets different processes and platforms.
The experience was very informative and I think I developed a lot as a journalist and professional worker throughout the 10-week period.
Janani Hariram, SUNY New Paltz, 2026
Thank you so much for the opportunity to work with you and SUNY as a reporting intern. I learned a lot and greatly improved my craft, gaining a lot of experience working in a professional environment.
The story I am most proud of is “Through The Portal We Go” streaming on Amazon Prime as I got to interview an indie filmmaker and learn more about the movie-making process, which is one of my passions as a writer interested in arts reporting.
I was very glad to have the opportunity to speak to so many interesting people across the Hudson Valley.
Ava Shea, Stony Brook, 2026
This summer, I had the opportunity to intern on Newsday’s Towns and General Assignment desks, an experience that taught me an incredible amount about reporting, writing and the daily demands of a newsroom. Through a combination of trial and error and mentorship from my editors and coworkers, I became a stronger and more confident journalist.
I was immediately thrown into the fast-paced environment of daily turnaround stories, which challenged me to write more efficiently while still asking the important questions needed to tell a complete story. I learned to dig deeper in my reporting, become more investigative and look beyond the obvious details. One of my biggest challenges was fine-tuning my writing. Although I experienced some slip-ups along the way, I persevered, wrote as many stories as I could and worked to improve with every assignment.
I covered a wide range of topics, from major health news, including Long Island’s first simultaneous kidney and pancreas transplant, to local town board meetings and feature stories about unique members of the community, such as a mail carrier with a passion for cartoon art. Covering such different subjects taught me how to adapt my reporting and storytelling while always searching for the human element at the center of a story.
One of the most rewarding moments of the internship was receiving compliments from my editors about my writing style and seeing my byline in print. Those moments showed me how much I had grown throughout the summer.
I also became more comfortable getting the “nitty-gritty” details needed to round out a story. With repetition, I developed a stronger workflow and learned to ask the sometimes hard or easy-to-miss questions. Overall, my time at Newsday reinforced the importance of persistence, curiosity and storytelling. No matter the subject, there is always a story worth highlighting and you just have to ask the right questions to find it.
Nadia Islam, Stony Brook, 2027
My experience with Schneps Media/ The Long Island Press was great. I worked fully online. So, I was given certain local stories to cover. I interviewed businesspeople, board members of educational boards, and lead composers for orchestras. This experience gave me a glimpse of what life outside of college would be like, and it was so nice to support a local newsroom.
My favorite aspect of interning at Schenps Media is the sense of connection with other people and learning from them.
Thanks to this internship, I learned how to work with WordPress, uphold journalistic integrity and interview. I feel more calm about my future knowing that I have the skills to work in a fast-paced work environment.
Jill DeCancio, SUNY Binghamton, 2027
This summer, I had the opportunity to work for the Schenectady Daily Gazette, an experience that pushed me to grow as both a reporter and a storyteller. I wrote and photographed for the paper’s six daily and six weekly publications, covering events across the Capital Region and contributing to a wide range of content for their digital platforms.
While I primarily wrote for the news section, I also branched into arts and culture coverage. I helped produce live event blogs that followed breaking or developing stories throughout the day.
One challenge I faced throughout my summer was deciding what to include and what to
leave out in an article. For example, I conducted interviews where I was given more information than I knew how to use. I had to identify what answered my main questions and clearly
supported my direction, without adding so much information that it became fluff.
I also strengthened my storytelling ability throughout the summer. At first, I tended to
structure my articles chronologically, especially for pieces like business openings or event recaps. As I gained experience, I learned how to weave narrative elements more intentionally. I was able to choose where to place information, how to build momentum within a story, and how to create a more engaging read.
My favorite article I wrote took a few weeks to complete. I wrote about the Saratoga
Race Course and how it helps retired racehorses find another career after they retire from racing. I connected with individuals who work in the thoroughbred world in New York State and attended an event honoring those in aftercare fundraising.
Overall, I am incredibly grateful for this opportunity and for the chance to learn from such a talented newsroom.
This internship helped me confirm that journalism and being a reporter are what I want to pursue in the future. It gave me confidence in my abilities, clarity in my goals, and a deeper appreciation for the work that goes into telling meaningful stories.
Jaquelyn Carlo, SUNY Oneonta, 2027
The value of the internship will advance not only my knowledge, but my future when looking for career opportunities. This internship and opportunity that I was able to receive has been an honor and a privilege. I know other students from SUNY Oneonta have also completed this internship as well this summer, and I think that it was awesome that we were offered this opportunity along with other SUNY schools.
A lot of effort and time were put into this internship; it gave me a lot more real-world experience and preparation for the future. I got to apply what I had learned during previous semesters for this internship. I was challenged in so many ways, including speed.
Being fast in this line of work is critical. Fast deadlines were something I had to focus on more than I was used to. I would say that was the biggest challenge for myself, was that transition.
The peak moments were seeing my work published; and even the people who contacted me afterwords to thank me for the work I did. A lot of people even complemented my work and how well the story was written. I relate that back to my work that I did at SUNY
Oneonta and can say I have improved so much since then — which makes me so proud at how far I have come.
I also got the chance to apply myself to new experiences — meeting new people and making connections or even writing on a variety of new topics that I was not used to before.
The concepts that did work were being pushed in different ways which gave us more experience and prepared us for what a real job would expect. Over the course of this summer, I felt more prepared for an actual job because our supervisor pushed us from the start so we could succeed.
Lucienne Burns, SUNY Albany, 2027
This summer, I was lucky enough to be a part of the second cohort of the SUNY
Institute for Local News Program.
I was granted a spot at the Times Union newspaper in Albany, New York, where I was an intern on the News Desk with the morning news editor, Mike Goodwin. During my tenure, 25 articles had my byline, and I shot video for three police press conferences that were published on the Times Union’s Youtube channel and used to make content for social media.
In my experience reporting on local issues, criminal activity, weather, and community events, I regularly interacted with government officials and public relations liaisons.
Working on daily news stories, I encountered tight deadlines. I mostly worked from the office, making numerous calls and voicemails and conducting over-the-phone interviews from my desk. When I traveled on assignments, I found myself at police press conferences or in a county courtroom covering local crime. Through my coverage of various topics, I reported or recorded high-profile crime cases in the region, but also reported on infrastructure projects such as a new Amazon warehouse build, weather coverage of crazy storms, Ed Sheeran dining at a restaurant near Saratoga, and more.
My internship also came with challenges that I had to overcome throughout the summer.
At first, it was hard to establish myself as a reporter in an environment where the
reporters around me had years of career experience, always knew the right questions to ask, and had the personal cell phone numbers of the sources I could not seem to contact. However, it inspired me to be surrounded by so many people who were so dedicated, hardworking, and passionate about the job. I encountered frustration after not being able to contact sources or only being sent a vague press release while working on stories. After one of my stories was published, I received a call from a public official who spoke very angrily to me because they did not like how the story made them look even though I had called to speak to them and they did not want to talk.
While I felt extremely frustrated and disrespected, I realized at that moment that my reporting had made a difference in a community — the issue that was discovered was resolved by the officials the next day — and it was very rewarding to know that my work had made an impact. Overall, I had a great summer interning at the Times Union and learned many valuable lessons in the newsroom.
I would like to thank both the Times Union and the SUNY Institute for Local News Program for the amazing opportunity.
George Caratzas, SUNY Stony Brook, 2027
This summer, I interned with lohud/The Journal News, a USA Today-owned publication in Westchester County, NY – my second straight year with the paper on the sports desk.
I found this summer to be much more rewarding than the summer of 2025, because the timeframe was more conducive to the high school sports season. I got experience covering sports that I had little to no experience covering, such as tennis and flag football. My first assignment was a high school tennis Section final match that lasted nearly four hours. From there, I got chances to do written coverage of games, photography, video interviews, features and profiles.
My most memorable experience was covering the New York Knicks’ championship parade.
Since Westchester has a huge population of Knicks fans, and the team’s practice facility is in lohud’s coverage region, we had a six-person team doing live blog coverage, multimedia and a written story. I was one of four people on-site in Lower Manhattan, while producers were online to publish everything that we gathered. I will admit, it was a bit daunting because of the sheer volume of people and it was something I had never experienced before. I found it to be very difficult to get the access and interviews that I needed, but I think by the end of the day, I was more comfortable than when I first arrived. It was definitely something that I will never forget. It pushed me out of my comfort zone.
Later in the summer, I covered the MLB Draft about the draftees with local ties. I got to write a profile about a player who got drafted by the Orioles, and then reaction stories about him and another player. I think this allowed me to hone my profile-writing skills and let me deviate from a news focus and do some more human-interest work. Some other highlights included covering the New York Rangers development camp and interviewing an NHL player, shooting high school baseball section finals and high school lacrosse state tournament games.
My biggest takeaway was just gaining the experience of stepping outside of my comfort zone. In my three years at Stony Brook, I have plenty of experience covering games and speaking to coaches/athletes on campus. However, this internship let me get out into the community and have to find a way to get what I need out of people, which are extremely valuable skills going forward.
Layla Duran, Stony Brook, 2027
On June 1, I started my first internship at Newsday. After being here for almost 10 weeks, I have to say I am sad to leave. I met so many amazing people, those who have been in this business for years, and those who are starting out just like me. While writing for this publication, I learned why Newsday has the reputation it has. There are countless reporters working day and night here to keep Long Island informed. But not only does Newsday care about their work, they also care about their employees. From bagels every Thursday to Game Day and to all the birthday, wedding, and retirement celebrations, Newsday is such a welcoming place and I am grateful that I was able to spend my summer being part of that.
On average, I had about 1-2 stories to work on each week, some longer than others. I was either in the private rooms taking phone calls, sitting at my desk writing stories, or out on the field doing man-on-the-street interviews. Newsday definitely kept me busy and on my toes. One of my favorite parts was getting a clothing brand owner, native to Long Island, whose clothes appeared on Knicks players, on the phone with a strict deadline of the same day. The thrill of conducting that interview, writing the piece, and submitting it, made me feel super accomplished.
But of course, not every day was like this. There were some days where sources wouldn’t get back to me and I had to pivot, or pitches fell through. However, all of that added to my experience, shaping me into a better journalist.
The biggest takeaway I learned was to never submit yourself to a publication’s style of writing. Yes, there are formalities to follow, but you can still have your own style of writing. So on my future endeavors, I intend to hone my own style of writing, as Newsday was just the start.
Annie Santor, SUNY Brockport, 2027
This summer I had the opportunity and honor to intern at the Akron Bugle as part of the ILN program. This has been one of the most rewarding experiences of my collegiate career. I walked into this internship to learn and was completely fine with having it be unpaid. I’m very grateful that I was able to get to be a part of this program, as it has set me up financially for my upcoming semester. However, it never was about the money for me. I was eager to learn everything about journalism that I possibly could in my 10 weeks at the Bugle with my wonderful boss/owner Marilyn. I am a late add on to the journalism major; this was my first year in the major.
That being said, I had very little experience and at the start of this internship and didn’t really know what I was doing. Having this internship changed that. Marilyn has taught me and pushed me to be the best I can be.
Working at the Bugle is unique as Marilyn is a one-woman show, with help from her grandson taking photos. Marilyn carries this paper on her back with pride and passion. She has taught me to take your passion and run with it as it will take you far and impact others as she has had a large impact on her community. Starting this internship, I faced many challenges. I did not have a lot of knowledge on the journalism writing style and I tend to be a little shy when it comes to talking to strangers. I honestly lacked confidence in myself. Marilyn helped me conquer these issues as she answered any questions I had, gave me a lot of feedback on what I was doing well and what needed to improve, and she was able to push me out of my comfort zone to talk to members of the community.
For my workload this summer, my main job was to cover the local government meeting and school board. I went to the Town Board meetings every week and to every Village and School board meeting when they were occurring. One of my favorite stories I had written about was the fight to stop the passing of a Data Center in the Town of Alabama. Members of the community gathered at the Town Board meeting to ask for support from the Board to inform the people of Akron the negative impact this Data Center could have on the community and environment.
I have learned so much from this internship — from the inner workings of the Town and Village, School Board Capital projects, and the impact journalism has on the community. I have fallen in love with telling the stories of this community. Akron is a special town filled with wonderful people and an amazing local paper.
Maria Pawelczyk, SUNY Oswego, 2028
Through my time as a SUNY Institute for Local News intern, I have learned so much about myself and my potential career. I started at Buffalo Toronto Public Media’s NPR station at the beginning of June and I had no idea what was in store for me. I thought I would be like any other intern: getting coffee and shadowing other reporters and helping them write a little bit.
Instead, by my second week in the office, I was sent out on my own to cover stories all across the Buffalo area.
During my internship, I attended press conferences with the mayor of Buffalo,
Congressman Tim Kennedy, several state senators and Governor Kathy Hochul. I could never have imagined that I would be able to attend such important events and learn so much about the community in which I have lived my entire life. Of course, there were some challenges. I had a big learning curve ahead of me that I knew I had to be prepared for. Coming from SUNY
Oswego, my only experience was writing for print through my school’s newspaper, The Oswegonian. Radio writing and producing was a big change for me to learn. The style of writing is slightly different, but my editors always gave me fantastic edits that I could learn from. I can confidently say that my writing skills have improved drastically throughout the course of my internship. I also was given the chance to improve my audio-taking and editing skills. Learning how to use the audio recording equipment and then having to cut the sound for radio stories was a big challenge for me. I grew in confidence as I started to do it every day, and now I feel almost like a professional.
One important value that I think I have learned is confidence.
Before I started, I was nervous, thought no one would like my writing and felt like I did not belong among the other professionals. Every single person in my office building or at other local stations was always so kind and willing to help if I needed it. This gave me confidence because I knew that I was not going to be judged for not knowing something.
I also gained confidence in my skills as a journalist. I am now more confident that what I am writing sounds good and take constructive criticism.
I am also more confident in talking to the people at the events I am attending. I no longer sit back and let other journalists ask the questions, but I also speak up and ask questions.
Through writing radio stories, recording audio and writing web stories, I have learned so much this summer. I am so grateful for the opportunity that the SUNY ILN program and BTPM gave me and I could not imagine a better internship to kickstart my career.
Maggie MacCallum, SUNY New Paltz, 2028
This summer, I had the honor of interning at WAMC Northeast Public Radio’s Albany Headquarters.
WAMC is an NPR affiliate member station that has been around since the 1970s. As a born and raised City of Albany native, WAMC was always playing in the car on the way to school or when we were travelling. So, when I got the email saying I was accepted to ILN, I knew immediately I was going to try my best to spend my summer with WAMC.
Starting a little bit earlier in the summer allowed me the opportunity to get more comfortable in the office before other interns and new staff joined the station. I got to shadow and work one on one with reporters and producers covering issues in the community I grew up in.
Near the end of my first week interning, the station asked me to attend an Albany Police Department press conference covering some high-profile legal drama between a city councilor and a highly ranked cop. This was the first time I was fully alone, and I was grateful for the opportunity to be trusted with such a big and high impact story that early into my internship.
Throughout my summer at WAMC, I have learned how scrappy a reporter, especially one who works for a publicly-funded institution, needs to be. I learned how to be comfortable with deadlines, how to carry myself in an office space with lots of pressure surrounded by other people who are stressed. I got to see the impact that different types of stories I have covered have had on the community.
I have gotten to try so many things I have never done or seen before, like going to a Furry Convention. As someone who only had experience with print journalism prior to this internship, I learned a whole new type of writing, and I learned audio engineering skills that I did not have before. I got to go to press conferences for things as minor as a city meeting to as big and important as an FBI press conference for a high-profile Medicaid scam.
I think most importantly, I enjoyed talking to new people. Whether that was widening my connections within the WAMC company and even interview subjects, I feel that I have strengthened my ability to talk to new people and ask for help, something that was very difficult for me before. In doing so, I have gotten to understand that my editors are not there to be mean and to rip apart from my work; they are there to make it better and teach me how to become a stronger writer.
Without this amazing opportunity from SUNY ILN, I would not have built this massive network of amazing editors, fellow interns, producers, and writers in my corner. Most of all, I would not get to see the profound importance and impact that public radio and local journalism have on the city I grew up in and love.
Sophia Imbriaco, SUNY Geneseo, 2028
Most of the hurdles in my internship at WAMC came at the beginning. I had to acclimate myself to radio journalism terminology, not to mention various programs I had never touched before. My first assignment in the field was also a bit rocky—I couldn’t get a handle on my audio equipment, and left feeling like the story was a bust. But I was able to salvage it, and with time, I grew more comfortable and capable of covering events.
I often wrote copy from press releases or press conferences, adding audio where I
could, to fill the many daily newscasts. Sometimes I’d be sent to an event, get audio, ask off-topics where applicable, then turn it into a story. I’d write the script, then record it once the editors signed off, before mixing all the audio together and finally making a web post of the story. I’m proud of my two longest stories, about bird streets and Albany County’s public defenders. Both original pitches, they took a lot of thinking and effort to piece together, but I think the final products showed off my writing and storytelling chops.
This internship gave me practice in writing both concisely and accurately. Knowing how to filter down tons of information and audio into a compelling story is a valuable skill. My confidence in my writing also improved. There were times when the mountains of notes felt daunting, but I learned that if I just put one word after another, then go back and rework it later, I will eventually have something worth publishing. My general confidence benefited, too. I’ve proven to myself that I can learn to navigate things that once felt intimidating and new, like mixing audio or asking questions to people on the street.
In some ways, I would consider this internship my first “real job.” It’s my first full-time gig, for one.
But it’s also the first job I’ve had that I could actually see myself doing long-
term. The work was engaging and fulfilling, and I got to do essentially the same things as any other reporter there. Some of this is thanks to the great people at WAMC, who were always encouraging and a pleasure to work with. But now, I see radio journalism as a potential career, as something I’m capable of. I do still want to explore other options, and this internship has made me better equipped to do so. But my time at WAMC has been incredibly valuable for both my professional and personal growth, and I will be forever thankful for this phenomenal experience.
Addie Kotsol, SUNY Oswego, 2028
My name is Addie Kotsol and this summer I was awarded a fully paid internship by the SUNY Institute for Local News. I am a rising junior at SUNY Oswego with a major in Journalism and dual minors in Sports Studies and Psychology.
This summer, I completed an internship with Capital Region Independent Media working and the Greenville Pioneer and the Ravena News Herald. I gained hands-on experience reporting on local news, community events and people throughout the Capital Region. My internship was in news reporting, so I attended various events, conducted interviews, took photographs and turned my reporting into stories for print publication. I covered a wide range of topics, including community celebrations, local business grand opening, agriculture, education, government and public safety.
Throughout my internship, I strengthened my skills in photography, interviewing, news writing for publication, AP style and writing ledes. I got the experience of seeing what journalists do on a daily basis, which was truly amazing.
One of the most rewarding parts of the internship was connecting with people in the communities I was covering and learning how local journalism helps tell their stories. I was also able to report on events I attended as a child, which made the experience more meaningful and gave me a greater appreciation for community and local journalism.
This summer, my internship under Capital Region Independent Media gave me valuable real world journalism experience and helped me become a more confident communicator and reporter. It allowed me to apply skills I have learned in the classroom at Oswego to professional reporting while gaining a better understanding of the responsibilities and impact of working in local news. Lastly, I wanted to give my thanks to Melanie Lekocevic, Mark Vinciguerra and all of the staff of CRIM for welcoming me, answering any question I had and making this the best(first) internship I could ask for!
Grant Terwilliger, SUNY Plattsburgh, 2028
Over the summer at the Ithaca Times, I wrote 20 stories with 19 stories ending up in the physical paper, and 13 stories posted on Ithaca.com. I learned the value of time management, communication, finding sources to help tell the story, research and how to structure various types of articles.
From the start of the internship, I was working on a news beat covering local meetings, sheriff reports and other news. Halfway through the internship, I realized that although newswriting was my specialty, I wanted to branch out and learn how to write for other sections.
Near the end of the internship, I was able to write a few guides to the local area and do some fun and challenging articles such as a profile article on a fabric store owner, and a “Women’s swimmin’ for Hospicare” event.
I wrote about two stories a week for the Ithaca Times. Some weeks I had more or less work. The newsroom was more lively than I thought it was going to be with editors being in the office on Tuesdays and Fridays. But the other days of the week in the office were a little slow. The Ithaca Times uses slack, so if I ever had a question, I was able to reach out to other editors or the managing editor.
The challenges faced during my internship at the Ithaca Times were learning how to manage my work schedule, reaching out and talking to sources, researching and writing, and changes in leadership. I was able to develop an ability to interview sources in a conversational manner and learned when I was the most productive during the day.
Halfway through the internship, the managing editor left the paper and was replaced by one of the editors. The paper also ran into money problems and the paper was cut 10 pages.
During this time period, I didn’t quite know who to communicate with for different sections of the paper and only had one story a week. This issue persisted up until the end of the internship, but I received more stories each week and had a more active role in the paper.
Asking editors questions and communicating with them to learn about how they write and develop stories helped me better understand my strengths and weaknesses. I was also reading a lot of books on style and how to develop my writing during my internship. My writing style adapted to being simple and concise.
The connections that I made throughout my internship with my colleagues, and the local community were invaluable.
Laura Holtman, SUNY Plattsburgh, 2028
This summer I served as a Photography and Social Media Intern at The New Pine Plains Herald. In this role, I accompanied reporters to interviews, community events, local meetings, and more to capture photos for articles while also producing video content for social media. My favorite part of this experience was connecting with local communities and learning about their small businesses, organizations, and residents. A few highlights from my photography work include coverage of the Stissing Triathlon, 13 Hands Equine Rescue, and birding at Sky High Farm.
The Stissing Triathlon took place in Pine Plains, drawing athletes from both the local area and neighboring states to compete in swimming, biking, and running. I really enjoyed capturing this event to highlight achievements from athletes in the community. 13 Hands Equine Rescue is an organization dedicated to rescuing and rehabilitating horses. During my visit, I was given a tour of the grounds and took photos of their beautiful horses, donkeys, goats, and other rescue animals. It was a pleasure learning about the incredible work they do for both animals and people through their programs and helping to tell their story through my photography. I joined the Alan Devoe Bird Club for a walk at Sky High Farm, where members generously shared their knowledge and insights with me throughout the morning. While we spotted a variety of species, the red-winged blackbird was by far the most common sight along the trails. I loved capturing photos of the club in action with their binoculars and learning new facts from experienced birders along the way.
I enjoyed learning about different communities through this internship. Local news is so essential because these are the stories that bring people together, keep residents informed about important issues, and ensure individual voices are heard.
Victor Menendez, SUNY Brockport, 2028
The writing and editing process at Newsday taught me invaluable lessons that I will carry with me for the rest of my career. Being able to sit down with the editors and go line by line through my stories to see what they changed was incredibly helpful in making my stories more concise and interesting.
In the process, I learned how to operate on a deadline, write more clearly and effectively and work collaboratively with my fellow interns.
I’m incredibly thankful to the ILN program for not just helping my journalism career, but making me closer with the Long Island community that I grew up in.
