Ten School of Liberal Arts students participated in an experiential summer 2018 program that took place at Tulane and the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) in Washington, D.C., focused on developing multimedia journalism skills.
We spent the first week of this three-week program in the classroom on Tulane’s campus with Political Science Professor Thomas Oatley and Assistant Professor Geoff Dancy, during which we gained a technical knowledge of international trade and learned about the various causes and effects of globalization on politics and economic policy. We also discussed the nuances and implications of international trade, and political backlash to the increasingly globalized economy.
The second week of the program, we traveled to Washington and took part in CSIS’ Practicum in Journalism: Reporting on International Affairs. Using our knowledge of international trade to develop a feature story for the CSIS website, we were assigned to teams and tasked with working with one of the multimedia components—video, web design, data visualization, and audio—to produce informative and engaging content for our story.
During the practicum in Washington, we also heard from CSIS experts and other influential leaders on the subject of international trade and journalism, and attended a press briefing on the North Korea summit. At the close of our second week, and after compiling all of the multimedia components for our story, we had the incredible opportunity to present our work to CSIS President and CEO John J. Hamre and CSIS staff members.
Upon arrival back in New Orleans, we edited the written content using our newly-honed writing skills, completing our feature, “U.S. Influence in the Wake of the Trans-Pacific Partnership.” The CSIS practicum emphasized the importance of telling stories through various multimedia channels in order to create compelling features. Prior to this program, I was not truly aware of the importance of multimedia in journalism.
Tulane and the School of Liberal Arts are lucky to have such a strong connection to CSIS, a connection that is generously made in part by exemplary alumni like H. Andrew Schwartz (A&S ’90), Chief Communications Officer at CSIS. I’m grateful to have had the opportunity to participate in the CSIS program this summer—it offered valuable hands-on experience beyond the classroom in a dynamic and prestigious environment, further preparing me for a professional role in the field.
You can read our final story on the CSIS website.
Students attend a panel with several of the experts at the Center for a Strategic and International Studies.
Stefan Suazo (LA '21) and Emma Watters (LA '20) edit the video for the final website.
Cullen Fagan (LA '21) and Henry Walther (LA '21) record audio for the final website.
Natalie Strauber (SLA ’19) is a junior studying International Relations. She is currently studying abroad in Madrid, Spain and looks forward to a career in international law.