Lived Experience and Living History: A Case Study of the Black on Campus Student Journalism Project

Abstract

<jats:p> Journalism jobs decreased significantly in the last decade and so have training opportunities for students, including Black college students. This essay explores the national student journalism project Black on Campus, a partnership with a national magazine and a university research center, that aimed to offer Black college students an opportunity to gain journalism training and be published by a national publication. This essay details how the program filled a gap in journalism training and education for Black students and documented the experiences of Black students during high racial polarization in the nation and on college campuses. </jats:p>

Politics, Press, and the Pandemic: Analyzing the Effectiveness of a Student Journalism Project

“…The news fellowship in the class gave them professional development and publication opportunities without facing systemic barriers. Racial diversity among journalists in mainstream American newsrooms is still low today and the lived experience of diverse reporters is extremely crucial now to help contextualize the world for readers (Williams, 2021a). Moreover, such collaborations diversify media outlets' journalism.…”

“…When college students can participate in a class-based news fellowship with a professional newsroom, they gain a way to advance their careers. Such collaborations between universities and newsrooms can produce more chances for students of color to gain professional reporting experience from national newsrooms (Williams, 2021a). Journalism projects involving students can teach the news industry and education the benefits of collaborative journalism (Gutsche et al, 2017).…”

“…Journalism students need to learn to become critical thinkers who can produce intersectional stories that acknowledge how systemic discrimination, race, gender, class, religion, region, sexual identity, ability, and other identity categories affect Americans' lives. Journalism education must evolve and make racial equality a priority (Williams, 2021a). Journalism is "intrinsically tied to democracy" (Wahl-Jorgensen & Hanitzsch, 2009).…”

“…Journalism projects involving students can teach the news industry and education the benefits of collaborative journalism (Gutsche et al, 2017). Moreover, college and newsroom partnerships can be leveraged to highlight generational angles in stories (Williams, 2021a). A 2018 university and newsroom partnership with The Nation used Black journalism students to produce news stories about Black college students’ experiences; Black on Campus, helped students get solid journalism experience early in their careers and helped them get internships and jobs at national media outlets including CNN, The Washington Post , and The Wall Street Journal (Williams, 2021a).…”