I desperately wanted to go to my first National Association of Black Journalists convention.

It was mid-June at my internship with The Atlanta Journal-Constitution and by then I had the chance to report on issues I cared about. I felt extremely positive about my experience at the newspaper. But, out of the blue, a thought popped into my head: I want to make it to NABJ this year.

The conference was being held in Philadelphia during the first week of August and I was low on cash. Actually, I was broke. Looking at the expenses, it seemed like I would have to dish out about $1,000 to get to the convention, register and pay for a hotel, food and random expenses.

It killed me to look at those numbers. I was a poor college kid, and there was no way I could save enough to go. I had to help my mom with rent payments, and I had my own insurance, phone and gas bills to pay. NABJ was out of the question.

Then an editor at the AJC, Rashida Rawls, a fellow graduate of The New York Times Student Journalism Institute, let me know about a program NABJ was sponsoring. The organization needed two students to tag along with a group of professional journalists in Atlanta on a Chevrolet-sponsored road trip to Philadelphia. They would pay the expenses: registration, travel, hotels and food.

There was a catch: I had to document the trip through video and help edit it for NABJ. The condition came at the perfect time – after I attended the Chips Quinn Scholars orientation and multimedia training.

I started channeling Val Hoeppner, director of education with the Freedom Forum Diversity Institute.

I went on the trip and, along with Aryelle Cormier, a friend who interned at CNN in Atlanta, I shot b-roll and general footage of the road trip. We stopped in Raleigh, N.C., Charlotte, N.C., Washington, D.C., and ended in Philly on the day of the convention. I had the time of my life.

I wouldn’t have gotten that opportunity had it not been for the much-needed video production refresher training I got from Chips Quinn, and the connections I had to other journalists of color. It just goes to show that the Chips Quinn program came into my life at a time when I really needed it. It was a push in the right direction that I’ll never take for granted.


Aaron Edwards is a journalism senior at Ithaca College. He was a Summer 2010 Chips Quinn Scholar for The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Edwards has been a reporting intern overseas for The Associated Press in London (spring 2011), a national news intern at CBS News in New York (summer 2010), a reporter at The New York Times Student Journalism Institute in New Orleans (summer 2010) and a news/arts intern at The Sunday Paper in Atlanta (summer 2009). He is editor in chief of The Ithacan, the college newspaper.

In late 2010, The Plain Dealer in Cleveland, Ohio, sent reporter Stan Donaldson (CQS 2001) to the home of Anthony Sowell, on whose property 11 women were killed and buried.

Stan Donaldson

That was the beginning of nine months of coverage by the newspaper of a serial murder trial. The coverage included incorporating social media in new ways, with Donaldson providing Twitter updates during the trial.

“My colleague at The Plain Dealer, Margaret Bernstein, and I worked on some stories about the victims to try to find a way to humanize them,” Donaldson said in an interview.

Reflected in the coverage was a Chipster trait: giving a voice to a community that is usually neglected or ignored.

Donaldson “gathers news and develops sources in communities where the newspaper historically hasn’t spent a lot of time,” said Debra Adams Simmons, editor of The Plain Dealer.

“He easily penetrates neighborhoods where we’re not always that popular,” she added.

Donaldson jumped at the opportunity to cover the trial using Twitter. The paper set up a dedicated Twitter account to report on the trial.

“Stan used our PDSowellTrial Twitter account to give a running account of what was going on in the courtroom by watching a video feed in the media room on the 18th floor or in the 12th-floor room reserved for family members of the victims,” said Michael Scott, another Plain Dealer reporter on the Sowell coverage team.

Using Twitter to follow the trial was a new experience for The Plain Dealer.
“We decided earlier this year we would cover the story two ways, one traditional and one completely online,” said Chris Quinn, the paper’s assistant managing editor.

“Stan provided an invaluable service through the tweets,” Quinn said.

The use of Twitter to report the story added to the comprehensiveness of the coverage. Bernstein said, “We must strive as journalists to tell a complete story. When we fail to do so then I think we bear some of the blame for some of the stereotyping, hostility, bad policies and everything else that results.”

As the interview with Donaldson wound down, he shared thoughts about his CQS experience, which began in 2001 with his internship at the Elmira (N.Y.) Star-Gazette.

The “Chips Quinn Scholars (program) allowed me to get my foot in the door” of the newspaper industry, he said. He expressed gratitude to CQS program co-founders John and Lois Quinn “for what that program has done for my career, as well as (the careers of ) my friends and colleagues.”


Leona Johnson is a general assignment reporter for the Sun News in Cleveland, Ohio. She was a Summer 2011 Chips Quinn Scholar for The Plain Dealer in Cleveland. A journalism graduate of Cleveland State University, Johnson was the editor in chief and reporter for The Cleveland Stater, the university’s School of Communication Lab Newspaper, during the spring 2011 semester. She was also a reporter and copy editor for The Cleveland Stater. She was the editor of COMpass, Survival Guide Magazine for communication majors during fall 2010.

Throughout my 12-week internship, I saw the quintessential role the newspaper plays in the city and region. I came away believing even more strongly in the power of good journalism and with a newfound understanding of the phrase “journalism as a public service.”

The stories I was most proud of were about ethnic markets, homeless veterans and refugees struggling to resettle in the city. Through these stories, I was able to witness how news articles can have a tangible impact on people’s lives.

My retail guide about the increase in the number of East Asian grocers in the city was a source of excitement for the East Asian community. Most Louisvillians of Asian descent I met knew about my Sunday business section story and had circulated it to their peers.

A story I wrote about homeless vets helped a black female veteran find a home.

At the same time, my biggest challenges involved writing stories on unfamiliar issues like the Louisville housing market, crime in the city and energy concerns. My lack of familiarity with the topics pushed me to brush up on the basics of information gathering. Working on those stories also gave me a deeper appreciation of the magnitude and scope of work the paper does to keep people informed about complex issues.

My housing market story was written to help potential homebuyers make a decision about whether to buy or sell their homes. My story on child drownings served to educate young parents on the risks of leaving their children at swimming pools.

Journalists can solve society’s ills, I discovered, by making complicated issues easy to understand, thereby educating people about how they can better their lives.

On a trip to Frankfort, Ky., to attend a China trade-mission meeting, I chatted with Louisville councilman Jerry Miller and Suhas Kulkarni, director of the city’s office of globalization.

During our conversation, Miller mentioned a feature about the Metropolitan Sewer District’s finances by reporters James Bruggers and Dan Klepal, praising the article for its insight.

To be frank, I had only glanced at the article. But rereading it, I saw how it illustrates how valuable newspapers and the people behind them are to society: It’s journalists like Bruggers and Klepal who are going through open records, keeping tabs on public and private entities and as a result helping the city function more efficiently.

It’s the education reporters who are helping parents ensure that schools do a good job enriching their sons and daughters.

It’s the neighborhood reporters who scour the city for grassroots news.

It’s the business reporters who cover job creation stories and the local housing market.

It’s the political reporters who help promote better governance.

It’s this medium, the newspaper, that provides a canvas for reporters provide in-depth articles that enlighten and inform. Despite the shake-up early during my internship that saw the departure of 50 C-J staffers, I believe Louisvillians recognize the value of the newspaper and support it.

The written word can now be supplemented by video, photo slide shows and audio and disseminated through social media and blog sites.

This interactivity of broadcast elements on the newspaper’s website struck me as a fantastic way of communicating messages.

The Courier-Journal internship was both an experimental ground for me to use the multimedia journalism skills learned during the Chips Quinn program, and an affirmation for me to continue pursuing journalism professionally.


Bertrand Teo is a news producer for MediaCorp in Singapore. He was a Summer 2011 Chips Quinn Scholar for The Courier-Journal in Louisville, Ky. A journalism graduate from Indiana University-Bloomington, Teo was an editorial intern at the Indiana Alumni Magazine and a reporting intern at The Herald-Times of Bloomington. He was section editor for his college yearbook, Arbutus, and a columnist and beat reporter for the newspaper, the Indiana Daily Student. His interest in cultural journalism led him to work as a publications/marketing intern for an international art exhibition, Singapore Biennale 2008, and also as a communications assistant for his university’s Asian American Studies department.

NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Twelve journalists from diverse backgrounds have been named Chips Quinn Scholars for spring 2012 by the Freedom Forum Diversity Institute and participating news organizations. This year marks the 21st anniversary of the Chips Quinn Scholars program, which began with six scholars in 1991.

Chips Quinn Scholars are college students or recent graduates pursuing journalism careers. After completing an intensive orientation and training program with veteran journalists, which takes place Jan. 17 to 27 at the Freedom Forum’s John Seigenthaler Center in Nashville, Tenn., they will work in 10-to 12-week internships or full-time jobs at 10 participating news organizations.

“Chips Quinn Scholars bring much-needed diversity to newsrooms throughout the nation and help to raise the quality of journalism with their fresh perspectives and distinctive backgrounds,” said Jack Marsh, president and chief operating officer of the Freedom Forum Diversity Institute.

Since the program began, a total of 1,260 men and women have been placed as reporters, copy editors, photographers, graphic artists and multimedia journalists. Scholars are eligible for financial support and ongoing mentoring from the Freedom Forum.

“The Chips Quinn Scholars program provides a valuable growth experience for young journalists and is a tremendous benefit to newsrooms that put a priority on diversity,” said Steve Coffman, executive editor of The Jackson (Tenn.) Sun. “In some cases, scholars have transitioned into full-time work at our newspaper, again marking success for both the scholars and the newspaper.”

The training sessions in Nashville will include presentations and instruction by experienced journalists and industry leaders. Among the speakers are John C. Quinn, founder of the Chips Quinn Scholars program; John Seigenthaler, founder of the First Amendment Center; Jack Marsh, president and chief operating officer of the Freedom Forum Diversity Institute; Ken Paulson, president and chief executive officer of the First Amendment Center; Gene Policinski, senior vice president of the First Amendment Center; Val Hoeppner, director of education for the Freedom Forum Diversity Institute; career coaches Colleen Fitzpatrick and Mary Ann Hogan; and seven Chips Quinn alumni: Danese Kenon, multimedia journalist, The Indianapolis Star; Tony Gonzalez, reporter, The Tennessean; Talia Buford, reporter, Politico; Paola Iuspa, reporter, Daily Business Review; Bao Ong, contributing writer, The New York Times; Marian Liu, director of “Voices,” Asian American Journalists Association; and Sue Stock Serna, media analyst, Cargill.

The Chips Quinn Scholars program is a major initiative of the Freedom Forum Diversity Institute to help news organizations increase diversity in their newsrooms. For more information on Freedom Forum diversity programs, visit freedomforumdiversity.org.

Former Freedom Forum trustee John C. Quinn and his late wife, Loie, established the Chips Quinn Scholars program in memory of their son, John C. “Chips” Quinn Jr., who was managing editor of the Poughkeepsie (N.Y.) Journal when he died in an automobile accident in 1990 at the age of 34.

The spring 2012 Chips Quinn Scholars, their schools and sponsoring media organizations are:

Meredith Bennett-Smith
New York University
The Christian Science Monitor (Boston)

Joanna Chau
Florida International University
The Chronicle of Higher Education (Washington, D.C.)

Michelle Gachet
San Jose State University
The Jackson (Tenn.)

Laura Gonzalez
California State University, Northridge
Imperial Valley Press (El Centro, Calif.)

Vivian Ho
Boston University
San Francisco Chronicle

Ellen Huet
Stanford University
San Francisco Chronicle

Brooke Kelly
Jackson State University
Scripps Howard Foundation Wire (Washington, D.C.)

Kyle Kim
Whitworth University
The Bulletin (Bend, Ore.)

Griselda Nevarez
Arizona State University
Hispanic Link News Service (Washington, D.C.)

Sigourney Nuñez
California State University, Northridge
The Bulletin (Bend, Ore.)

Marina Sandoval
California State University, Northridge
Current TV (Los Angeles)

Frank Shyong
University of California, Los Angeles
The Orange County Register (Santa Ana, Calif.)

by Farzad Mashhood

When I arrived at the Austin American-Statesman in Texas last summer, I entered a newsroom that had had a mild shakeup, with a dozen or so staffers taking buyouts. Many of the positions, including those of some editors, would not be filled.

It was only the second time the paper had offered buyouts, and it has avoided laying people off, so it was a mixed sign. I later learned that the Statesman newsroom and the rest of Cox Media Group’s properties were involved in a company-wide effort to save money, an effort that could mean any number of things for the future of the Statesman.

The summer went along and I wrote stories about the drought and other subjects. Then an email came, announcing some job openings. One was a temporary job to fill in for an environment reporter who would be away on a fellowship. So I found my way into the paper on a non-intern status, although my job would be for less than a year.

While I was taking a break between my internship and new job, the newsroom shake-up of all shake-ups happened. The editor, Fred Zipp, quit. It’s unclear why. In a published statement, he said the newsroom employees “need and deserve an editor who is unswervingly committed to the mission. I have felt my passion for the job wane and decided to leave so that others can pick up the fight.” He and his wife invited the staff to their home for a going-away celebration.

I then experienced a big test for a newsroom that had lost some long-time staffers, including its big cheese, as the paper covered some of the most devastating wildfires to hit Texas. Of course the paper pulled through phenomenally, not just by covering the news of the day in stories and emotional photos, but also by exposing different angles, including how the fires might hurt Austin directly and how better performance by officials might have saved more homes from the fires.

Assigning editors and reporters were making key decisions for coverage and for front-page displays. Higher-level editors were working closely with the staff in a way that wasn’t micro-managing but produced high-quality journalism. Those are the signs of a healthy newsroom, and there’s no better test of a newsroom than covering for days on end breaking news that has an impact on tens of thousands of people.

We’re in what people call a changing, or dying, industry. But the roots are still there. I’m not sure what the future of journalism will be. Perhaps it will involve some new technology, some mechanism that hasn’t been invented yet. After all, newspapers evolved with capitalism – and figuring out that selling ads on the thing that people read every day could be lucrative. Maybe there will be a way to preserve traditional print-style newsgathering in some other medium.

We will see. In the meantime, I’ll enjoy this healthy newsroom.

Farzad Mashhood is a reporter for the Austin (Texas) American-Statesman, his Summer 2011 Chips Quinn Scholar program internship newspaper. A sociology and philosophy graduate of the University of California-Los Angeles, Mashhood was editor in chief of the campus newspaper, the Daily Bruin, and was formerly the sports editor and a sports reporter. He was an intern at The Orange County Register and has been a freelance writer for the Santa Monica Daily Press.

Please write about three or more lessons learned from mentors, role models, teachers, relatives or others that you strive to apply in your personal and professional lives.

Write about one thing you learned during the multimedia training that will change what you do, or are expecting to do, at your internship or job.

What person, presentation or session so far during orientation has had the greatest impact on you and why?

Chips Quinn Program Director Karen Catone makes the morning announcements.

Sue Stock Serna (Summer 2000), media analyst for Cargill, talks about accuracy/tricks of the trade.

Scholars Ellen Huet (left), Marian Liu and Michelle Gachet, during a mock press conference.

The CQS alums panel. From left: Talia Buford (Summer 2004), Marian Liu (Spring 2001), Bao Ong (Spring 2005) and Paola Iuspa (Summer 2000).

Reggie Stuart and John Quinn at CQS orientation in Nashville.

John Seigenthaler, founder of the First Amendment Center, addresses the Chips Quinn Scholars.

All photos by Jack Marsh.