Gabriella DeBenedictis of the University of Connecticut has been named in the Dow Jones News Fund intern class of 2020. She will be an intern this summer in the multiplatform editing program under the tutelage of Professor Beth Butler of Kent State University and Dr. Bradley Wilson of Midwestern State University. DeBenedictis’ internship will take place remotely with the Houston Chronicle.
“Graduating with the class of 2020 is hard. We can’t spend our last few weeks of school with our friends, our commencement ceremony will be virtual and we’re graduating into a job market that looks very different than it did just a few months ago,” DeBenedictis told The Laurel.
At a time in which graduating college students are biting their nails over next steps, DeBenedictis is thankful that she was chosen for a great opportunity to advance her journalism skills.
“I’m very grateful that I can still complete the internship–especially because many of my classmates have had their summer internships or job offers rescinded or altered due to COVID-19,” DeBenedictis said.
DeBenedictis interned at the Republican-American newspaper and was news editor at the Daily Campus.
From the DJNF:
In the face of the COVID-19 pandemic, the board of the News Fund decided that all internships in its programs will be offered remotely out of an abundance of caution. In cases where companies have canceled or cut back on internships, the News Fund is seeking other placements for the affected interns. Four students will defer to the summer 2021 internship program.
All students selected will receive remote, pre-internship training, $1,500 scholarships and memberships in professional associations. We are also tapping our alumni network to provide each student with a mentor to provide advice and support in the difficult times ahead.
