International journalist shares advice and insight with students
by Katie Annarino
Steve Sapienza has covered a wide range of issues from the intense effects of global warming on Bangladesh to sex workers in the Dominican Republic.
On a recent trip to Athens, the international journalist and award-winning documentary and news producer talked with journalism students about the challenges and rewards of covering issues abroad. His visit, organized by the Institute for International Journalism, concluded with a presentation to a larger audience, with both faculty and students, where he presented a trailer for his new documentary, “Easy Like Water: Reporting from the Front Line of Climate Change.”
The presentation was followed by a question and answer session, where a wide variety of issues were discussed, such as potential dangers of working abroad and how journalists overcome language barriers.
For students specializing in international journalism, visiting speakers like Sapienza are essential to their education. Not only to get a picture of the daily professional life of a journalist in the field but also to network and develop contacts.
Sally Ann Cruikshank, a current PhD student at Scripps, says “With the media landscape changing, it is so important to meet journalists in the field to find out how they are putting together stories.”
During his visit, Sapienza offered important advice to journalism students emerging on the job market.
“Augment the fundamental JSchool studies, print, TV, radio, photography, with some digital news-gathering skills, like learning to collect and edit audio and use a program like Soundslides, or starting a blog or a website. Or even just try shooting and posting a video to a site like YouTube. You don’t need to learn every digital media skill, but you should be prepared to promote yourself as multidimensional job candidate when you go for that interview.”
In 2008, Sapienza received the Ruth Adams Award for his coverage of the diminishing water supplies in Asia.
Watch the Institute for International Journalism page of the Scripps site to find out about upcoming events.
Go to the Pulitzer Center website to see more about Steve Sapienza.
- Link directly to this Scripps Note
