A mentor and teacher lost

I planned to tell the story of a quirky little town called Muskogee, Okla., and some of the interesting characters who reside there. My plans took a turn one morning when News Editor Ed Choate rushed everyone into the executive editor’s office. On our way into the office, I teased the weekend-section editor, Leif Wright, that he really must have done something wrong this time. The office was empty when we got there but filled up quickly. It felt like I already knew when I saw the empty office. Ed followed everyone in, stood by the desk and said with a sigh, “Kristi died last night.”

This quirky little town and the interesting characters all of a sudden became more serious. Immediately, I felt sympathy for those in the newsroom who knew the executive editor of the Muskogee Daily Phoenix long enough to be his friends. I thought of Kristi Fry’s family and then of the people of Muskogee.

In Kristi’s office the conversation turned to informing the rest of the staff and the public. I chuckled when Phoenix Publisher Larry Corvi said, “I think we need to get it online as soon as possible because that’s the way Kristi would want it.” I thought, “Yup, that’s a journalist for you.”

I knew Kristi for only about a month. But during that time, it was clear to me that he was someone who really cared about his community and his newsroom.

There are a lot of working poor in Muskogee, with 23% of the population earning less than $15,000 a year. When that statistic was presented to us in a meeting, Kristi said: “We’ve got to find the stories that will help make the lives of these people a little easier.” I knew then that he was exceptional.

It’s hard to say what I’ve gained from my internship beyond the obvious. I’ve gained breaking-news experience, met many kind people who have shared their stories with me and I’ve gained knowledge from editors and reporters who have helped me along the way. With the loss of Kristi Fry, I know that I lost the chance to be mentored by an incredibly intelligent and caring teacher.

It’s been up to Ed to work with me since Kristi’s death. Ed is also caring, friendly and on your rear when he sees that it’s fit. He has given me the chance to learn and experience new things. I think that’s the way Kristi would have wanted it. But I’m still saddened that I didn’t really get to know Kristi Fry.

-- Virginia Perez, South Dakota State University, Muskogee (Okla.) Daily Phoenix and Times-Democrat

Journalism's impact on me

For a long time now, the dream of one day becoming a sports columnist has lingered in my mind. I’ve been infatuated with the idea of bringing a keen journalistic flavor to pages. I’d engross readers by blending my own style with a cup of Scoop Jackson and a pint of Rick Reilly.

Those plans are still in the mix. But at the midpoint in my 11-week internship as a general-assignment reporter with The Providence Journal, I’m slowly starting to acquiesce to the idea of becoming a news reporter. Our impact -- from those fluffy features that have the power to lift our readers’ spirits to those hard news stories that convey urgent information when needed -- is tremendous. So at this junction, I’m stuck -- but in good way. I’m committed to journalism, and whether my name appears in the sports, business or metro section, what-have-you, I know the impact is real.

What’s more, is the impact that daily journalism has had on me. It’s been humanizing and enriching. I learned about the processes of aquaculture farming (growing shellfish) and the making of lyra de gambas (a bowed stringed instrument). Yes, at first I thought, “What?” and then I started to enjoy what I was learning. It’s because of journalism that these experiences were afforded to me. And for that, I’ll be forever dedicated and grateful to the craft.

-- Justin Amoah, Brown University, The Providence (R.I.) Journal

A broader experience

In addition to sports, I have been working on the Daily Herald's local desk, covering the area beyond the sporting scene. Here I've been given what I had been hoping for -- a broader experience that has tested me on several levels. I even had to do my first correction, for misidentifying the name of a cheesecake company. Double-checking information
isn't something that I've just found out about. That's why I knew that my executive editor was kidding when he talked about letting me go. In the same conversation he mentioned how pleased he has been with my work and that there very well could be a permanent place for me in Wausau. I heard the same thing from my sports editor. Positive feedback seems to do weird
things to me -- I never want to make myself feel too comfortable or too confident. But if it helps me get a gig right out of school, then I can put up with a little positive reinforcement.

-- Kyle Means, Southern Illinios University-Carbondale, The Wausau (Wis.) Daily Herald

Unexpected lesson

When I arrived at my internship at The News Journal, I thought I’d be writing for the metro staff. But I soon learned that I had been reassigned to the business desk. Having never written a business article in my life, I felt uneasy and unsure about my performance. My editors were very helpful and gave me a “crash course” in business writing. I learned everything from how to read a 10K form and what the SEC is to how to calculate a percentage change.

I’ve written five business features, each with market analysis, and, though not proficient, I feel I have a pretty good grasp on general business writing. I thought that I’d be doing what I’ve always done -- general breaking-news assignments and event coverage. Not only has the CQS internship given me a Summer of invaluable experiences, but I now have the basics of a new skill that will put me ahead of the game.

-- Dwayne Steward, Ohio University,The News Journal, Wilmington, Del.

Embracing the unfamiliar

I cover the town of Exeter, a small town with big history, where people know (and talk to!) their neighbors. Having never been to Rhode Island before this Summer, it’s been quite a challenge to get to know a new place. I’ve had to learn a new town and a new newsroom -- on top of just trying to figure out how to get to work and back home again. It can be a bit scary when you have to cover a town you never even knew existed. But it also can be a wonderful thing. I’ve tried to look at it as a blessing -- not as a disadvantage. Sure, I didn’t know everyone’s name right away and I had to use a map to find my way around. But as an outsider, I probably noticed things that people who had grown up in the town had overlooked.

Instead of being intimidated about having to learn a new place, reporters should embrace the unfamiliar. It makes us inherently curious wherever we go, which often leads to great stories.

-- Bethonie Butler, The University of Maryland, The Providence (R.I.) Journal

Building memories

My internship has been an unforgettable experience. I have interviewed people and covered events that I could only dream about while I was in little old Kansas. I have had the opportunity to cover a 15K road race and talk to some of the best runners in the world (mostly from Kenya). I also have interviewed professional boxing legends such as Sugar Ray Leonard and Ken Norton and Motocross superstars Ricky Carmichael and James Stewart, to name a few.

The crazy part of the Summer has just begun. I covered a PGA Tour event called the B.C. Open and, later this week, I will be in Cooperstown, N.Y., for the Baseball Hall of Fame induction ceremonies.

I have made huge strides in my writing and reporting skills since I came to Utica. Everyone here has been so helpful to me, and the attributes they have instilled in me will definitely live with me forever. My biggest regret about this Summer is that I get to be here only for a few more weeks.

I wish every Chipster out there a fun and exciting second half to your internships.

-- Cedrique Flemming, Kansas State University, Observer-Dispatch, Utica, N.Y.

It takes passion

I've learned a lot at the Green Bay Press-Gazette. I learned how to conquer my weaknesses and my community and how to work the newsroom, among other things. But the most important thing I've learned is that it takes having a passion for this field to be good at it. It's not just about writing. It's about telling a story and selling the story.

-- Corinthia McCoy, Western Michigan University, Green Bay (Wis.) Press-Gazette

The leap into the life of a reporter

Reading blogs already posted by other Chipsters, I was struck by the descriptions of various assignments most have undertaken this Summer. From rodeos to sports tournaments to Elvis look-alike contests, everyone seemed to be fascinated by the diversity of people and places they've been able to see within the internship's fleeting weeks.

I have to admit, I'm no exception. Within a two month frame, I was able to inhabit life after life after life, jumping from story to differing story like an episode of Quantum Leap (a sci-fi show from the ‘90s I highly recommend).

On one assignment I was a marine biologist, observing turtle tracks on the beach and noting the distinct shape of loggerhead turtle nests. On another, I was an ecologist in a lab testing ocean waters for signs of the toxic red tide algae. I've been a private eye, tracking down leads to investigate a homicide, and an explorer, riding in a helicopter across beautiful islands and trudging through swamps in sweltering heat to find mosquito-breeding grounds.

I've learned through this internship that, as journalists, we'll always be required to soak in a bit of all fields of knowledge, never knowing when we'll be called to change from a simple cop reporter into a medical expert or historian. And of course, this makes me proud that I've chosen the most versatile, mind-expanding, dynamic career that I could have.

-- C. Joel Marino, Florida International University, The News-Press, Fort Myers, Fla.

Invaluable experience

I can't write enough about what I've learned at this internship. I'm not sure if I want to be a journalist or even if I can be a journalist. But I have learned many valuable lessons nonetheless.

One of the most interesting things about my newsroom, The News-Sentinel, is that I've come at a time of transition. When I arrived in May, Knight Ridder had just sold the newspaper to McClatchy, which in turn put the Sentinel up for sale. There was huge uncertainty with everyone. A few weeks into my internship, the Sentinel was bought by Ogden Newspapers. But I didn't see that uncertainty leave. During my time here, I have seen and felt the transitions that many papers are going through or will go through. We're in a changing business. The only thing you have control over is your writing and reporting and the quality of them.

In Fort Wayne, I also observed some amazing things about this business. My boyfriend also is working this Summer, and every day for him is exactly the same. No day for me is the same. Every day is different. Every day I put my credibility on the line with my byline. Every day I am forced to challenge myself, and every day I make mistakes. I don't know if this is for me, but I don't regret this experience.

-- Victoria Edwards, University of Michigan, The News-Sentinel, Fort Wayne, Ind.

Keeping busy

The Detroit News has been a great launch pad and working there has been a learning experience for me. This learning experience was nothing like what I had imagined. I thought I would be sucked into a newsroom full of deadline monsters and dysfunction. Instead, I've met some of the most helpful people. They are genuinely interested in my success. I received tons of help from veteran reporters, and my editors are very helpful.

I covered an array of stories, and I have more clips than I know what to do with. My favorite stories included covering a naturalization ceremony on July 4. I covered a double homicide in Detroit. I even covered an Elvis festival that turned out to be pretty cute. I've been so busy that I didn't realize we almost are finished with our internships.

-- Chrystal Johnson, Wayne State University, The Detroit News

Writing to inform

It’s easy to feel time slipping by when I’m doing something I love. Although time has passed quickly during my reporting internship at the St. Cloud Times, specific interviews, faces, photos, stories, sentences and words from each of my experiences remain clear in my mind. I remember the interview in which I trudged through shoulder-high prairie grass to watch a man hang his beloved American flag. I think about how one lead I rewrote changed the entire tone of a story for the better. I recall how a photo of a man shining his restored car played perfectly with the words beside it. But most of all, I remember how these experiences imprinted themselves on my memory, so I can take them with me forever.

By assuming the role of a learner myself, I can visualize before I start a story what readers most need to know about an issue. When I’m reporting, I try to think about what’s most complicated or confusing about the topic, and then clearly address that in my story. This skill is something I’ve been learning from reporters and editors in the newsroom. I remember several instances when the facts were swimming around in my head but, after talking with someone else, I could prioritize and organize words and ideas to benefit readers. Writing articles that help or inform at least one person is my goal with every story. It’s when I have accomplished that goal that I can remember so clearly the fine details of each experience.

-- Michelle Ma, Northwestern University, St. Cloud (Minn.) Times

Out of my comfort zone

This Summer has been a big challenge for me. For the first time in my life, I’ve experienced what it means to be a journalist. It’s not as easy as I imagined. The first lesson I learned while working as an intern at The Salinas Californian is that I need to get out of my comfort zone more often and do stories that I normally would try to avoid.

Every year cowpokes from across the country descend on Salinas for the annual California Rodeo. Now in its 96th year, the California Rodeo is one of the largest and most respected rodeos in the country.

As is the tradition with all interns at The Californian, I’m assigned to cover much of the four-day event and all preceding festivities. I’ve done several stories, and I probably will have several more to do. Many of these are feature stories. My problem is that I don’t think I’m good at writing features stories. I’m a little concerned because the rodeo is an important event in Salinas and it probably will determine my success as an intern. Worse still, I’ve never been to a rodeo in my life! Under normal circumstances, I probably would avoid rodeos. But I’ve got to get out of my comfort zone. This is my challenge.

-- Cindy Santos, University of Southern California, The Salinas Californian

From intern to full-timer

As I start the sixth week of my 10-week internship at the Orange County Register, I think about how much I’ve learned so fast and it boggles my mind. My first week I was getting information from NASA officials, doing recorded interviews with earthquake experts and translating for Spanish speakers.

I hit the ground running, taking every assignment and impressing newsroom staff with my energy. I must have impressed the right people because before the half-way point, I was offered a full-time job covering education at the Irvine World News, a bi-weekly paper of the Register.

I have a job way before my internship ends -- and it feels great.

Thanks Chips Quinn,

-- Jorge Barrientos, California State University-Chico, Orange County (Calif.) Register

A winning experience

A few weeks ago, Appleton, Wis., hosted a youth soccer regional championship for the first time in Fox Cities’ history. (Appleton is part of what is known as the Fox Cities.) It was Appleton’s largest event and The Post-Crescent used many on staff to write stories about it. Over the course of a week, I had the chance to write three stories, some profiles, a few vignettes and several mugs-and-quotes. It was the first time I ever had been part of a coverage team and the first time I’ve written more than one story on a particular event. I had a pretty good time doing it. I got out of the office and had a chance to talk to people from all over the Midwest. It also was cool going into the event and having organizers recognize me (since I had interviewed them previously for profiles). Although I ended up getting sunburned, it was a good experience.

-- Jeannine Aquino, University of Minnesota, The Post-Crescent, Appleton, Wis.

Proof I'm on the right path

What’s the best way to sum up my copy-editing internship at the Montgomery Advertiser thus far? Swell, fabulous and awesome come to mind.

I’ve gone from spending eight hours each day editing and writing headlines for wire stories to editing local stories and to designing pages. I’ve done the business page many times and the three-page Alabama section a few times. I love it. If being at school hadn’t been enough, this experience definitely is enough to convince me that the path I’ve chosen is a good one. For that, I sincerely thank the Chips Quinn Scholars Program and the Montgomery Advertiser.

But it’s not just the job that I enjoy. From the moment I stepped into the newsroom, everybody was friendly and quick to point out things we had in common. In fact, some of us had so much in common that when I got back to my room I immediately sent an e-mail to my school adviser gushing about how I’d “found my people!”

At the time, it just seemed like a fun and funny thing to say. But as the weeks have gone on, blending from one week to the next in all-too-fast a fashion, I’ve realized that I really meant it.

-- Cynthia Hernandez, University of Kansas, Montgomery (Ala.) Advertiser

A challenging question

At a weekly news meeting, the Gazette police and courts reporter had a dilemma for all of us. A few months ago, a police officer resigned after questions about the use of excessive force, the third complaint against him. The police chief was quoted as saying the officer pushed the suspect over with his foot. The reporter finally had gotten a copy of video taken from the police car camera and wanted everyone to watch it.

The tape was poor quality; a spotlight from a second police car created a white blob where much of the action was happening. It looked as if the officer not only kicked the man to the ground but also hit him.

The newsroom engaged in a debate for about half an hour about what to do with the tape. Should it be posted online? Did it merit another story? The police chief asked that we do nothing with the tape because of negative publicity.

One reporter said that in the interest of aggressive watchdog journalism, we should put the video on our Web site. Let readers make their own judgments, the reporter suggested. Another reporter made a great point by asking whether or not this would further anything we had done or would do. In the end, editors posted the video on the Web site, a decision I agreed with. It’s gotten mixed comments, most of them supporting the decision.

As I listened to experienced reporters debate making the tape public, I again realized just how much I love this profession and the challenges it presents.

-- Jasa Santos, University of Montana, The Billings (Mont.) Gazette

Letting the light in

Farideh Dada (left) and Kim Alleyne, her newsroom buddy.


I never noticed the importance of news headlines until I was assigned to read stories and write them. The most difficult part of the copy-editing job for me: To write headlines for opinion pieces.

During the first few days I had a hard time shrinking pieces of information gathered in a story and writing the gist of them in one line – a headline.

On those stressful days, one who was warming my heart and giving me courage and hope was a Chipster, my buddy, Kim Alleyne (2005 Scholar).

One day, during the first week of my internship, I was a little frustrated trying to write a headline for an editorial piece. I felt choked, but I didn’t let it out.

I left my desk for a few minutes, advice Kim had given me earlier: Take a break when you get stuck.

When I returned to my desk, I was surprised by a beautiful yellow-purple greeting card on my computer’s keyboard. Written in fine handwriting was: “Sweet Farideh, take a deep breath and soak up the wonderful experience. Editing is a very important work, but it takes practice. … This craft takes time, and I think no one ever reaches total perfection, though our perfection lies in our efforts and courage to learn and be better…”

This little piece of handwriting had such a strong vigor that revitalized my mind more than any other break could. Those promising words gave me more confidence, courage and enthusiasm to learn, learn and learn and not to expect to attain perfection. One should work hard toward perfection but should never insist on being perfect. As novelist and songwriter Leonard Cohen puts in, “There is a crack, a crack in everything, that’s how the light gets in.”

-- Farideh Dada, San Jose State University, Calif., Poughkeepsie (N.Y.) Journal

Encouraging and supportive editors

“Make sure you don’t get lost in the newsroom; it’s easy to be forgotten in such a big place.”

This was the repeated advice I received from various University of Colorado instructors once they heard I would be spending my summer at Gannett News Service. I also was told stories about big-time editors who were cold and interns who were neglected while working in big offices. The fear those stories created only intensified when I pulled up to the massive USA TODAY and Gannett twin towers in McLean, Va., on my first day of work. After being told by two guards I couldn’t enter the parking garage yet and had to use a separate entrance, I wasn’t let past security inside the building until two of my smiling editors came to greet me. But from the moment I was able to meet the people I would be spending my Summer working with, my fears vanished.

I have never worked with a group so concerned with guiding and encouraging me toward what I wanted to accomplish in my time at work. My editors wanted me to experience and learn about all the aspects of the GNS newsrooms, which also was a goal I mentioned at orientation. Not only have I been able to edit copy, but I also have reported and gathered information for graphics and worked in GNS’ D.C. bureau and on USA TODAY’s news copy desk.

GNS is going through operational changes, but they made sure I didn’t get lost in the process. In fact, my responsibilities have increased with the changes, and I feel even more a part of the newsroom and the changing industry.

My experience can help dispel rumors about editors and internships in larger newsrooms. I’ve never been in such a positive work environment, and I credit GNS editors and Freedom Forum/Chips Quinn staff, which helped me get here, for the best learning experience and Summer I’ve had so far.

-- Stephanie Clary, University of Colorado, Gannett News Service

Telling the city's story

Five weeks in and five weeks to go. At the halfway point in my internship, I have cleared myself of all of my projects and fluff stories, taken a stab at homicides, fires, courts and obits and now have to muster up the energy to find positive enterprise stories in a negatively portrayed city.

Oakland is promising. I love this city. I never really came to Oakland because of all the bad press it receives. I'm from San Francisco. A mere trip across the Bay Bridge would have given me the opportunity to see it for myself. But now that I roam the streets I see how shallow my perception was. The climbing homicide rate doesn't correlate with the artistic ventures Oakland contains. This place is a gem for the arts, black culture and history. It is simply the infrastructure of the city that weakens its people. This city is a rare place in America. Northern California black culture is defined in Oakland, and the same can be said of the West Coast. Now that I'm done with the basics, I can focus on expressing the culture, a true journalist's job.

-- Zuri Berry, California State University-Chico, The Oakland (Calif.) Tribune

Dabbling in different media

It just hit me: Six weeks! Has six weeks of my internship for The Press-Enterprise already passed? In such a short time, I've already had so many experiences with this Inland Empire paper -- meeting reporters of all skill levels, writing stories on a variety of topics, contributing briefs and even shooting and editing video for the Web.

That I would be doing so many different things was not shared with me until my first day on the job. I remember walking into the office, fully expecting to do general-assignment reporting for the paper ... and that's it. That's when one of my many editors (There are seven bureaus and more editors than I even know.) told me that I'd be doing rotations in a few of the offices and spending four weeks on print, four weeks on Web print and four weeks of video shooting/editing. (Very cool!)

I've been eager and willing -- and have ended up going wherever I'm needed. My first week was spent not only writing but shooting and editing video, much to my editor's surprise and delight. Luckily, I was forced to learn print, online and broadcast at USC, so working a camera, thinking about visuals and editing aren't that foreign to me, and training me didn't take them long at all.

I have since finished the regular print leg of my internship and started the multimedia portion.

I'm so grateful for this experience. I've been given an amazing opportunity, and I'm thrilled that I'm adding to my knowledge, experience and skills by dabbling in different media. This will make me a better reporter, as I learn to tell stories through writing and visuals. Having these skills will make me a better candidate for jobs at newspapers that are eager to build on their multimedia offerings.

-- Joyce Tse, University of Southern California, The Press-Enterprise, Riverside, Calif.

Right at home

Humility seems to be just as important as any other attribute a reporter learns in school. I work in an office with Pulitzer-Prize winners who take the small or most mediocre assignment with the utmost respect. Reporters value their writing as much as their reporting. The quality of people and the quirky environment in Austin -- the city's motto is “Keep Austin Weird” -- has me feeling right at home, knowing that being yourself professionally and personally will land you respect and acceptance. Being an intern at a newspaper that makes it a point to do something different and interesting can be challenging. But what many of us learn is that the hunger keeps you yearning to do a good job whether, in my case, it's a story on renaming a quaint road in a sleepy town, chasing the National Guard during training or interviewing a gubernatorial candidate. I couldn't imagine waking up and doing any other kind of job. You never know what to expect, except to turn your work in on deadline and get it right the first time!

-- Francisco Vara-Orta, St. Mary’s University, Austin (Texas) American-Statesman

(Francisco Vara-Orta has been named a participant in the two-year METPRO Program. He will begin work at the Los Angeles Times in October.)

Visual variety

I just finished the second week of my internship. I spent those two weeks looking for stories and familiarizing myself with the town. My most fun assignment so far has been covering the Santa Fe International Folk Art Market. The annual event drew more than 100 artists from around the world. I shot a variety of photos for a magazine that the newspaper will publish next year. Visual variety was at the forefront of my thoughts while shooting this assignment. I moved to get different angles and utilized different lenses. I learned how to consider a magazine cover while shooting. I needed something simple and clean and, at the same time, allowed space for a banner. At the end of the day, I was able to edit fast and send four selected photos to The Associated Press.

-- Shih Fa Kao, San Jose State University, The Santa Fe New Mexican