The 2024 -2025 KEMPA scholarship recipients began their journalism careers as they completed their first year of college involved in a myriad of media activities. Here were some of  their experiences in their own words:

Josie Menna

     Throughout this first semester at Tulane University I have expanded my horizons as a photojournalist immensely. I took an Intro to Photojournalism course with National Geographic photographer and founder of Women Photograph, Danielle Zalcman. Through Zalcman’s mentorship I learned how to more effectively produce a photo story and learned new skills such as landscape photography. I vastly improved my portrait skills and practiced conducting interviews multiple times for my projects. Outside the classroom I became the team photographer for the women’s club lacrosse team and captured all of their games and events for half of the season.

Mia Carr

     During my first semester at Syracuse University, I dedicated my time to exploring everything the S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications has to offer. As a Magazine, News, and Digital Journalism student, I took two foundational courses that greatly influenced my academic journey. My favorite project involved creating a news package, which introduced me to the world of broadcast journalism. While I have always been fond of and familiar with written journalism, this project challenged me to adapt my writing skills to a video format. It was an entirely new approach, and I quickly found myself drawn to the dynamic nature of broadcast storytelling.

      Outside the classroom, I embraced the opportunity to explore various forms of journalism. I contributed articles to the Daily Orange, Syracuse’s student-run newspaper, which allowed me to engage with both the university community and local events. While I did not become a regular writer, the experience provided valuable insights into reporting and storytelling. Additionally, I nurtured my creative side by designing pages for Fetch Magazine and curating social media content. As a style magazine, Fetch pushed me beyond traditional newspaper design, encouraging me to think outside the box and experiment with new visual elements.

     My newfound passion for broadcast journalism also led me to join Citrus TV, Syracuse’s student-run television station. I eagerly took on various crew positions, and as a result, was given the exciting opportunity to manage social media for Market Shares, a show centered on the economy.

Ava Gordon

     I  have been enjoying my journalistic experience immensely so far at the University of Missouri. In my J1200 class I learned about different visual aspects of journalism. Starting with photography I learned about concepts such as leading lines, rule of thirds and depth. This first unit pushed me to be a better journalist and think more creatively on different angles to take photos and which shots would tell the best story.

     I did an audio unit next, and after that it was the video unit which was my favorite. This was an area that I could definitely see myself pursuing. I loved going out and getting actual footage and piecing everything together. My favorite project involved interviewing at a small-town coffee shop in Columbia, Missouri, called Shortwave Coffee. It was so interesting to shoot an interview and B-roll at a real place outside of our campus location. To further my experiences in journalism, I became a part of the Magazine Club during my first semester. 

     For my second semester I got a job at the underclassmen’s school newspaper, The Maneater, as a news writer. More importantly though, I also plan on working/interning at KOMU8 , Columbia’s local news station. I will hopefully start as a desk assistant and/or a producer’s assistant and go from there.

Madeline Monthie 

      While attending my first term at Lawrence University, I have not only utilized my journalistic and writing skills, but have expanded upon them. So far, my time at school has only reaffirmed my passion for reading, writing and journalism.

      This term, the English class I took, American Writers, focused on a myriad of works from American writers. Many of these writers were not just novelists, but journalists as well, such as Frank Norris, Lydia Marie Child and Herman Melville. Through reading not only their novels but also their work as journalists, I was able to learn more about the interdisciplinary nature of writing.

     Additionally, I was also accepted to Lawrence University’s student-led newspaper, The Lawrentian, where I write in the features section. I’m very excited about this opportunity as it will allow me to develop the journalistic skills I built in high school and to grow as a writer.