Interns from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln report real stories and gain confidence in Nebraska Public Media’s newsroom.
In the Nebraska Public Media newsroom, student interns get a real-world journalism experience, including five from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln who are working this semester.
“They are assigned stories and treated as professional staff with professional expectations,” explained Senior Reporter Kassidy Arena, who helps manage the internship program.
An intern since January 2024, Fremont native and senior Meghan O’Brien appreciates the pace of the newsroom. “We have time to think critically and let the story dictate the time spent on it,” she said.
After graduation in May, O’Brien will head to Arizona to be part of the prestigious Carnegie-Knight News 21 Fellowship which brings together the nation’s top journalism students.
Her future career path includes reporting, possibly in Nebraska. “Being a statewide newsroom is important. We don’t limit ourselves, and I like asking questions and telling stories,” O’Brien said.
Shari Veil, professor and the Jane T. Olson Endowed Dean of the College of Journalism and Mass Communications at Nebraska, says internships provide students with hands-on learning experiences that shape their future careers. “Nebraska Public Media’s commitment to education and public service makes them an exceptional collaborator in preparing the next generations of media professionals,” she said.
Senior Fatima Naqi’s path to our newsroom crossed borders and time zones. She was a student at the American University in Afghanistan, but fled her country on Aug. 21, 2021, five days after the Taliban took over Kabul. She spent a year in Qatar and eventually earned a scholarship to study at the university.
“My lived experiences and what I went through led to the decision,” said Naqi. “I can be a voice for all those people whose stories are untold.”
Naqi explained she’s learned a lot in the newsroom, describing it as supportive. “I’ve shadowed Kassidy, and she’s been generous with letting me learn what it looks like to be a journalist and report in a newsroom,” she said.
“Our interns bring new ideas, perspective and experiences that are very valuable,” said Arena. “Meghan and Fatima have reported, produced and published stories for us.”
Both young women are passionate about public media. “I am so much more confident because of this experience,” said Naqi.