Writing and photography near and far characterized the internships of Indiana Wesleyan University journalism students this summer. While one was in Nairobi, Kenya, the other in Indianapolis, Ind., the skill sets the two developed at IWU and honed at professional outlets served them well.
Molly Meyer interned in Africa for World Next Door, an alternative journalism organization based in the Hoosier State. The group brings attention to social justice issues by sending writers, photographers and editors across the world to document conditions.
“I’ve discovered that my thoughts and expectations are way too small and God’s work is so much bigger!” Meyer wrote in a post to World Next Door’s website. She wrote several stories for World Next Door online as well as took scores of photographs to illustrate her work.
Meyer found her writing and pictures could move people’s thoughts and emotions throughout the globe. “While my role as a journalist may change in the future, I’m encouraged to find that no matter the time, location, or circumstances, there is a place for writers to tell the stories of everyday life in a convincing way,” she wrote of her experience.
Rachel Pyle was in Indianapolis at ratings-leader WTHR-TV. She, too, gravitated toward the outlet’s website, wthr.com. Focusing on online news, Pyle wrote on diverse topics, shot video, followed reporters in the field, and posted continually for the web.
“The internship also gave me a firsthand look at organizational communication and teamwork,” Pyle wrote in reflecting on her service. “Working with Web content, I got to experience the inner mechanism of the station’s production office. Working on a team will be synonymous with any job, and this summer allowed me to better understand the roles that each individual plays within an organizational team.”
