Field Notes: The Media School Travel Blog

My time so far with the Thomson Foundation has been extraordinary when it comes to learning how to adapt to an international workplace. While the internship has been entirely remote, I have had the opportunity to communicate with seasoned international journalists while staying in the U.S. 

I am currently working to create lesson plans for journalists across the globe on the Thomson Foundation’s learning platform: Journalism Now. I’m focusing my efforts on lessons about the use of TikTok in the media industry and introductory editorial skills for new editors. These lesson plans are catered toward an international audience, not just American reporters, so it’s important for me to consider how most readers will not need to know about topics like the First Amendment. 

While this virtual internship may not provide me with the in-person memories that a regular internship may have, I am so happy to have the opportunity to work with people outside the U.S. during a time where travel simply isn’t as feasible. I have noticed so far that some of the people I have spoken with that live in the U.K. are more transparent than I am used to in the U.S. I really appreciate this transparency especially since I am communicating with many of them primarily through email. 

This internship has really opened my eyes to ways I can work with journalists and promote the spread of reliable information without necessarily becoming a reporter myself. I am currently studying journalism with concentrations in news reporting and public relations, but have been unsure of where my future will lie between the two. I have really enjoyed working with the Thomson Foundation knowing that my work is going to support reporters, photojournalists and producers in so many different countries where not as many resources are available.